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Find Library Listings From OCLC WorldCat through RedLaser iPhone App

A popular app for iPhone users, RedLaser now includes library listings when a user scans a book barcode with their iPhone. The app uses the WorldCat Search API and WorldCat Registry APIs to deliver results for libraries nearby who hold the item in WorldCat, the world's largest library catalog. Location and mapping information is also available.

RedLaser, developed by Occipital, of Boulder, Colorado, is a barcode scanning application for the iPhone, available through the Apple iTunes App Store. The app puts information from thousands of libraries at a user's fingertips.

The RedLaser iPhone app, currently available in the U.S. for books only, is one of several mobile applications designed for users to access library information from WorldCat. The WorldCat Mobile pilot app is available for download on all Web-enabled phones in the UK, U.S., Netherlands, Germany, France and Canada at www.worldcat.org/mobile

WorldCat-related APIs are available to anyone interested in creating noncommercial mash-ups or mobile apps that include library data. Commercial apps like RedLaser use the WorldCat Search API through partnership agreements.

iPhone users can download the RedLaser app for US$ 1.99 through Apple's iTunes app store. Click here for a YouTube demonstration of the app.

OCLC Announces New WorldCat Resource Sharing Policies Directory

The OCLC Policies Directory is the repository of interlibrary loan policies for OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing libraries. A new, completely redesigned Policies Directory was released on January 10, 2010. The changes include a new user interface, hardware platform and underlying database. All existing policies, deflections, and contact data remain the same. The new interface is based on feedback received during usability testing with existing Policies Directory users. In addition, WorldCat Registry data is now incorporated into Policies Directory interface.

See a complete list of changes and enhancements: http://www.oclc.org/info/policies/

OCLC Announces Recent QuestionPoint Enhancements

Qwidget (the QuestionPoint chat widget) gives libraries the ability to embed a snippet of HTML code throughout their Web pages and in a variety of environments. The Qwidget is evolving, and we have added the following new features for Qwidget:

Mobile Qwidget
Users who navigate the web via their compatible mobile devices now have the ability to use an optimized Qwidget to connect with their librarian. In addition, iPhone users can download a direct link to the Qwidget, onto their home screen, represented by an icon (similar to an "App" icon). This allows them to begin a Qwidget session without first navigating to the library website via their mobile browser.

Although it imports all of the text and other characteristics of the Qwidget built by libraries in the QuestionPoint Administration module, this new, optimized Qwidget has a standard mobile interface, size and color.

The Mobile Qwidget will be available to the following types of device: iPhone, Android, Palm.

Qwidget for Facebook
You can now add the Qwidget to Facebook! All you need is a Facebook account; you must also accept the Facebook application terms and conditions. A Qwidget for Facebook guide will walk you through the application creation process using Facebook Developer. Requests for the Qwidget for Facebook guide should be sent to David Leslie, at david_leslie@oclc.org. Please enter "Qwidget Facebook" in the subject line.

Chat widget display in WorldCat Local
The Chat functionality is available to libraries with full WorldCat Local subscriptions.

Institutions that have a Questionpoint Qwidget or other chat clients are now able to provide their users the opportunity to chat directly with a librarian from within WorldCat Local. This solution is designed to work with any chat client by inserting the code snippet via configuration in the WorldCat Service Configuration User Interface module. For more info: http://www.oclc.org/us/en/questionpoint/worldcat_local_chat_overview.pdf

Other enhancements:

QuestionPoint Knowledge bases offered as Web service
QuestionPoint knowledge bases can now be accessed via other interfaces through the use of the web service search query and data record link. Searches can be posted and limited by any of the parameters on the QuestionPoint Advanced Search page. Search results can be rendered in xml or html for flexible implementation by various search engines. Text and json formats are also output options.

For details on how to implement this flexible new option, contact David Leslie at david_leslie@oclc.org. You will need to provide him with an IT contact person at your institution.

Custom Qwidget skins and formatting
QuestionPoint now offers your web team the ability to create a custom CSS file for the Qwidget. This will allow them to exactly match the color of the Qwidget with the rest of your website. Experience working with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and access to create and add files to a public-facing website are required. For step by step instructions on implementing this capability, please consult the link on the Qwidget creation page from within your Administrator interface. These self-created custom Qwidget "skins" will be stored and must be maintained on your own servers. The Qwidget mechanism itself will continue to be hosted on QuestionPoint servers at OCLC.

New report for "Number of Chat sessions accepted via Qwidget"
The number of Qwidget chat sessions your group, library, or librarians accepted is now a separate line item in the Chat Service section of all activity reports.

WorldCat Basic API now available for anyone to develop library-related applications

The new WorldCat Basic API makes the world's largest library catalog available to anyone and everyone in a programmatic way.

This new API from OCLC is being offered as a very simple interface into WorldCat. Envisioned as a mashable access point for lightweight apps such as for mobile phones, WorldCat Basic API is available to anoyone and everyone for noncommercial use. Its release underscores OCLC's commitment to transparency and accessibility for the developer community to work with WorldCat data.

The WorldCat Basic API lets you search WorldCat and receive results for items in libraries such as books, videos, music and more. It uses OpenSearch technology and returns feeds in Atom and RSS. Results include information about authors, titles, ISBNs and OCLC numbers. Records will be returned in standard bibliographic citation formats such as APA, Chicago, Harvard, MLA and Turabian. The API will also provide links back to WorldCat.org for geographically-sorted library information.

ndividual developers can gain access to the WorldCat Basic API from the WorldCat Affiliates site, where they will be assigned their own unique "wskey" to use the service. Commercial uses of the WorldCat Basic API are encouraged, although interested parties are required to contact the WorldCat Partnership team to arrange access.

OCLC Web Services continue to offer ways to connect people with knowledge through libraries, and for libraries to reap the benefits of library cooperation. There are six other Web Services available from OCLC: xISBN, xISSN, WorldCat Registry APIs, the OpenURL Gateway, WorldCat Identities and the WorldCat Search API — in addition to ready-made WorldCat widgets, available for download from the WorldCat.org site.

OCLC releases new CONTENTdm version

OCLC is pleased to announce the release of CONTENTdm 5.2 with improved functionality and performance. With the new release, the CONTENTdm Project Client now supports auto updates, enabling users to get updates as quickly as they are available. It automatically checks for software updates in the background, so work is not interrupted. If updates are available, they are downloaded but not installed until the organization is ready.

"Auto update is an easy and efficient way to keep all of our staff up-to-date with the most current Project Client release," said Jennifer Ricker, Digital Collections Manager, State Library of North Carolina.

To better support text-based collections, PDF print quality can now be specified in the Project Client, enabling users to select a quality level when generating optional print versions of their compound objects. For users with large, full-text collections, several enhancements improve performance and reduce indexing times. Other enhancements include the addition of a new thesaurus, Canadian Subject Headings (CSH), and configuration options to filter hits in Usage Reports.

This new release is available to current CONTENTdm licensees at no additional charge.

CONTENTdm Digital Collection Management Software makes everything in digital collections available to everyone, everywhere. No matter the format — local history archives, newspapers, books, maps, slide libraries or audio/video — CONTENTdm can handle the storage, management and delivery of digital collections to users across the Web.

Learn more at: www.oclc.org/contentdm/