Just as 'view source' helped the web take off, I figure looking to other sites is useful. Please add APIs you're aware of, ideally with a comment on what's useful or not about how they've been implemented or documented.
Information about schemas/data structures used by other projects is also useful, even if they don't provide an API.
[Was 'Other APIs']
Brooklyn Museum API
"A set of services that you can use to display Brooklyn Museum collection images and data in your own applications."
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/api/
Methods
- collection.search
- collection.getItem
- collection.getImages
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/api/
Parameters
The methods provided by the API take a range of parameters specific to their individual functions, but all methods rely on these three principal parameters:
method (Required)- Specifies what method to perform (e.g., "collection.search", "collection.getItem")
api_key (Required)- Your personal API Key.
format (Optional)- The response format. Valid formats are xml, json, html. Default xml.
A write up here: Hack the Brooklyn Museum:
"The API is for non-commercial use with a limit of 3000 API calls a day. Naturally the museum must be respectful of artist copyrights, and requires proper attribution for any display of results. The API also permits only session-based caching with no retention of copies, and the images returned are no greater than 500 pixels in width or height, with many that may be smaller.
The API has a simple REST format with three methods - search, getitem (given the id returned from a search), and getimages for a particular item. The search can be filtered by date, keyword, and whether or not there are images present."
[And I just saw that they'd linked here at the end - cool!]
Museum of London API
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museumoflondon/food/rest.aspx
A REST interface to the following data sources:
- publications from the Archaeology Service
- events at the Museum of London, Museum in Docklands, and London Archaeological Archive and Resource Centre
- a converter from OSGB grid references to latitude/longitude
Base URL is: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/MuseumofLondon/food/rest.aspx?source=events
Output formats: plain XML; RSS2; and RSS2 with xCal, DC and geo extensions as used by Upcoming.
Set the output format by adding: mode={rss2 or xCal or xml}. Leaving it out returns the plain XML. (?KML output also possible? Hooks in code for plain text and JSON renderings of the output (not implemented?) )
Celtic Coin Index API
http://www.finds.org.uk/CCI/blog/accessing-the-api/
Powerhouse Museum Collection Search (RSS/Opensearch available)
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/menu.php
Image search option also available.
Good example of RESTful query construction and Opensearch/result URI generation.
Digital NZ API
http://www.digitalnz.org/developer
"The metadata available through DigitalNZ comes from content providers across the New Zealand cultural and heritage, broadcasting, education, and government sectors; as well as local community sources and individuals. Geospatial and commercial content is coming soon."
The custom search records method is perhaps a little unusual. DigitalNZ has a visual search builder tool that allows users to construct complex search queries. This method provides access to that refined dataset.
Response formats: xml, json, rss. Interesting selection of metadata returns. Minimum metadata response elements include:
- dc:title - the title of the item, or a brief description if no title exists.
- dnz:category - the high-level DigitalNZ category(s) that the item belongs to.
- dnz:content_partner - the organisation who provided the item
- dnz:landing_url - the preferred URL for linking to the item.
- dnz:thumbnail_url - the URL of a thumbnail of the item (required for Images, optional for other categories).
Victoria and Albert Museum API
http://www.vam.ac.uk/api (currently behind basic auth while under development- please contact me for a log in)
We're currently working on a RESTful JSON API for our collections database. It is intended to support our own web apps and widgets first and foremost but also be attractive to third-party developers. I have posted the documentation so that you can see how we've structured things - if you'd like to try it out, please get in touch.
Victoria and Albert Museum API Docs
"The Metadata elements used in the project are divided into three categories: Content, Intellectual Property and Instantiation." These pages appear to date from about 2003 - no time at all in museum years, a few centuries in internet years.
Content Data Structure
| ELEMENT |
QUALIFIERS |
DUBLIN CORE EQUIVALENT |
| REFNUM |
None |
None |
| QUICK KEYWORD |
None |
None |
| TITLE |
Title Alternative |
DC.TITLE |
| THEME |
Technology, Environment, Community, Economy |
None |
| DESCRIPTION |
None |
DC.DESCRIPTION |
| SUBJECT |
Subject Detail |
DC.SUBJECT |
| TYPE |
Detail Qualifier |
NONE |
| SOURCE |
None |
DC.SOURCE |
| RELATION |
Based on
Cartoon for
Copy after
Copy of
Derived from
Document for
Document of
Facimile of
Relation
Format
Larger context for
Larger entity
Model for
Part of
Plan for
Prototype for
Referenced by
References
Sketch for
Source for
Study for
Version of |
DC.RELATION |
| COVERAGE |
ISO 3166
Location
Creation site location
Current repository location
Current site location
Discovery site location
Former repository location
Former site
Period point
Spatial
Temporal
W3CDTF |
DC.COVERAGE |
| IDENTIFIER |
None |
DC.IDENTIFIER |
| CREATOR |
Attribution
Corporate name
Personal name
Role |
DC.CREATOR
DC.AUTHOR |
| PUBLISHER |
None |
DC:PUBLISHER |
| CONTRIBUTOR |
None |
DC:CONTRIBUTOR |
Intellectual Property Data Structure
| ELEMENT |
QUALIFIERS |
DUBLIN CORE EQUIVALENT |
| RIGHTS |
None |
DC: RIGHTS MANAGEMENT |
| DATE |
Alteration
Beginning
Completion
Creation
Design
Restoration |
DC: DATE |
| FORMAT |
Dimension D
Dimension W
Dimension H
Format
Image Format
Original
Material
Resolution
Support |
DC: FORMAT |
| LANGUAGE |
None |
DC: LANGUAGE |
Technical Metadata
| DATA |
DESCRIPTION |
| CAPTURE_DEVICE |
Equipment used |
| CAPTURE_DETAILS |
Methodology used - i.e. batch scanning |
| CHANGE_HISTORY |
Record of changes made to Master and Web Delivery files |
| COMPRESSION |
Level or type of compression used, if any |
| RESOLUTION |
PPI or number of pixels on each side |
| COLOUR |
Colour depth ofthe image, i.e. 24 bit |
| COLOUR_MANAGEMENT |
Details of embedded colour profiles |
Comments (2)
Mia said
at 12:00 am on Mar 26, 2009
Tony, you're a star! I've got some others ones at work, I'll add them when I get a moment.
Mia said
at 6:08 pm on May 1, 2009
A quick dump to get it off my PC clipboard - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/ Library of Congress!
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