Interoperability Survey Results
93 responses
Single Biggest Contribution
Excellent Documentation
************************************************** (51)
How to’s
******* (7)
Technical Support
******** (8)
Better API Design (including eat your own dog food)
******* (7)
Real world examples of usage (case studies are recommended as well)
********************** (22)
Stability and Robustness of APIs
**** (4)
Scalability of APIs
*** (3)
Deprecation process for APIs
* (1)
Completeness of APIs
*********** (11)
Standard Data IDs
* (1)
Service Packs/Hot Fixes to indicate API changes
** (2)
Active user community
*** (3)
Webinars on APIs
*** (3)
Training center material (including trainings) on APIs
*** (3)
Ex Libris to take ownership of APIs
***** (5)
Hands on activities or presentations about use of APIs at national and regional conferences
** (2)
Using standards for APIs (JSON, REST, consistent status codes, etc)
********** (10)
Data and functionality consistency between APIs and core product UI (including core functionality to be released as API by default)
****** (6)
Performance
****** (6)
Introduction/Training at basic level
* (1)
Import/Export of KB data for interoperability
* (1)
Support of Open Source software and third party software
** (2)
Ability to see log files on error
* (1)
Specific Examples
Acquisitions support
*
Fines payment
**
Inconsistencies between Primo and MetaLib+ test and production sites
*
EXLTab API requires retrieval of PNX of each record, which can be slow.
*
Rosetta API
*
Standard Data IDs for SFX objects in Primo Central
*
SIWG to get involved in developing APIs with Ex Libris (from planning to testing)
*
Comprehensive RESTful APIs for Alma
*
Primo APIs and integration with UI elements
*
EXLTab API usage examples
*
Bib data extract API for Alma for integration with Blacklight
*
Bib records extract in MARCXML on demand via Voyager API and using a 035(9) value as the identifier.
*
Multiple namespace issues with namespace changes with new releases
*
Performance issues with course reserves APIs
*
Difficult to work with Alma APIs in .NET framework.
*
Alma SOAP APIs don’t work in Perl and PHP and Python requires specialized patch. Only works with Java. How about other languages?
*
Type ahead in Primo should be released as API.
*
Alma Web and Rest APIs not on EL Commons
*
Good competitor example – Serial Solutions Summon (APIs power OOTB interface)
*
Menu of APIs to determine whether API exists or not
*
Voyager APIs – years old – requires periodic flushing
*
RESTful API extension for all Aleph APIs, including change password via REST
*
Handling of reading room loans missing
*
Some interesting statements
Exlibris API functionality and documentation has improved greatly over the years. Once you put the effort into learning them, the barriers to their utilisation are less to do with the API's themselves or their documentation, but the amount of effort and risk involved when you do the scale of development work necessary to create really serious, sustainable projects that leverage the APIs and achieve useful integration.
A guide to doing the most common viable projects would be useful,e.g. "101 API Projects for your Aleph system", with chapters on using update-bor X-Service to replace batch PLIF jobs for example. Seeing how others have used the API's removes perceived risk. Lots of demonstrator projects and sample code in multiple languages would also help to remove effort.
Convince ExLibris to stop building specific APIs in support of specific use cases/products (i.e. just what Primo needs, just enough NCIP to support specific ILL systems, etc.) and build consistent, standardized, and general-purpose APIs.
0. Encourage Ex Libris to provide (some) API training (is there any)?
1. Documentation availability. Eg, not convinced all relevant Primo documentation is available to MetaLibPlus customers who don't also use Primo as their primary local discovery UI (OPAC).
2. Quicker expert-help responses from Ex Libris Support. Get the feeling that API questions tend to be 'set aside' on the basis that they're Ex Libris territory, instead of referring on internally for expert advice.
3. Greater encouragement to the community to participate and contribute to API work, and to make contributions available on EL Commons.
SIWG to act as a conduit through which the future API needs of Ex Libris' customers can flow, facilitating speedy delivery of high quality, fit-for-purpose & well documented APIs.