Interesting, I did not know that, and that changes my willingness to use
those cover images in a pro-use direction. :)
I haven't actually _seen_ any WorldCat ToS that say what you can or
can't do with these. So if they're in a z39.50 response, then I'd
generally feel free to use them in any interface that's also
incorporating a link to WorldCat for the item.
However, I suspect that after seeing this, OCLC'ers are going to write
and promulgate some ToS that make it clear that you cant' do this. So I
wouldn't put _too_ much energy into it. OCLC pays a lot more attention
to us than Amazon.
Jonathan
Walker, David wrote:
However, my understanding is that Worldcat forbids any
use of those cover images _at all_.
OCLC does return the cover image URL as part of it's Z39.50 response, so I'm
guessing that it is intended to be used by external applications, or at least
those that are actually searching Worldcat.
--Dave
==================
David Walker
Library Web Services Manager
California State University
http://xerxes.calstate.edu
________________________________________
From: Code for Libraries [[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jonathan
Rochkind [[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 1:30 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Free cover images?
It would be hard for them to turn it off just for services that do not
have "the principal purpose" of "driving traffic to the Amazon website
and driving sales of products and services on the Amazon website."
Libraries are not alone in users of AWS who do not have this "principal
purpose". Despite that language, it's not clear to me that Amazon
actually has any particular interest in preventing such use.
But they wouldn't need to switch me off technologically, if I received
any communications from Amazon suggesting my use violates their ToS, I'd
immediately comply with their requests. My further thoughts on this can
be found here:
http://bibwild.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/think-you-can-use-amazon-api-for-library-service-book-covers/
However, my understanding is that Worldcat forbids any use of those
cover images _at all_. This is much more clear cut, and OCLC is much
more likely to care, then Amazon's more bizarre restrictions as to
purpose. It's of course up to the individual implemeter, perhaps in
consultation with the service provider and/or legal counsel, to decide
if they are complying or not, but that's my own evaluation. I don't
even know of any WorldCat APIs that would allow you to get WorldCat
cover images other than through a screen-scrape though, so I'm curious
how anyone is doing it, if anyone is doing it.
Jonathan
Kyle Banerjee wrote:
Yah, but same could be said for Amazon. From http://aws.amazon.com/agreement/
5.1.3. You are not permitted to use Amazon Associates Web Service with
any Application or for any use that does not have, as its principal
purpose, driving traffic to the Amazon Website and driving sales of
products and services on the Amazon Website.
Maybe libraries are under the radar, and maybe Amazon doesn't care,
but getting addicted to this stuff is not without risk. If the load
ever became something they cared about, they could turn it off in a
snap.
kyle
On Mon, Mar 16, 2009 at 12:53 PM, Jonathan Rochkind <[email protected]> wrote:
You can get cover images from worldcat? How? I'm pretty sure the worldcat
ToS specifically disallow you from re-using those covers, even if you are
managing to get them via machine access somehow.
Lynch,Katherine wrote:
Going along with Jonathan Rochkind, Amazon does a good job of supplying
some movie images. Also in general, WorldCat, if that's an option to
you. For a good example of wealth/response time, check out Gabe's video
search:
http://www.library.drexel.edu/video/search
---
Katherine Lynch
Library Webmaster
Drexel University Libraries
215.895.1344 (p)
215.895.2070 (f)
-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
Edward M. Corrado
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 2:38 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [CODE4LIB] Free cover images?
Hello all,
We are reevaluating our source of cover images. At this point I have
identified four possible sources of free images:
1. Amazon
2. Google Books
3. LibraryThing
4. OpenLibrary
I know that their is some question if the Amazon and Google books images
will allow this (although I've also yet to hear Amazon or Google telling
libraries that use their Web services for this to cease and desist).
However, besides that issue, has anyone noticed any technical problems with
any of these four? I'm especially concerned about slow and/or non-consistent
performance.
Edward
