Re: [CODE4LIB] GNU Metadata Exchange Utilities
On Mar 21, 2007, at 5:07 AM, Laurence Finston wrote: To what degree do you see the development of the Exchange Utilities moving away from a Microsoft-based environment? My intention is for the package to run on free systems using only free software. In practice, this means first and foremost GNU/Linux, to be followed, if possible, by FreeBSD. All dependencies on Microsoft products will be removed _unless_ the same functionality is available for free systems. This is in accordance with the GNU Coding Standards, as well as my own wishes. I would be perfectly happy for the package to run on Microsoft systems, but this is a secondary consideration. Cool, and interesting. I think I speak for the community when I sincerely say, Good luck. The goals you desire to achieve with the software are the same sorts of goals many of us have. I'm sure some of us will install and experiment with the Exchange Utilities when they are easily installable on the platforms we support. Alas, many of us simply do not have access to Microsoft products. -- Eric Lease Morgan University Libraries of Notre Dame (574) 631-8604
Re: [CODE4LIB] Using OpenID in libraries
I haven't seen much in library world outside of some talk/discussion. I did come across one academia that did implement it: http://blog.case.edu/jms18/2007/03/09/openid_server_integrated_with_cas Not sure if it's taken off much otherwise in the academic or public sector. I think quite a few are lucky to get any authentication working well. Ryan On 3/22/07, William Denton [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I hadn't been too clear on OpenID but a week or two ago I listened to a recording of a talk about that explained it well. I can't find it again, unfortunately, but you can take my word for it that it was pretty good. Is OpenID being used in libraries? It struck me that it could work well for library systems that share resources: two systems that are part of the same consortium or provincial/state system; two neighbouring public systems that let people from one borrow at the other; academic libraries that want to make it easy for visiting profs and grad students to get temporary access to online resources; etc. Say I live in Lower Mowat but one day I'm in Upper Mowat, in the next municipality (or county, or whatever) over, visiting my tailor. The two library systems are separate but share their resources. I pop into the library to update my Twittering friends on my inseam measurement. I don't actually have an account at the Upper Mowat Library, but I log in to one of their computers using my Lower Mowat-supplied OpenID identifier, and the Upper Mowat system recognizes where I'm from and gives me access to everything. Bill -- William Denton, Toronto : miskatonic.org : frbr.org : openfrbr.org
Re: [CODE4LIB] Using OpenID in libraries
That would work if both (or all) library systems shared access to the same online resources equally. Or I suppose one could have a system of automatic forwarding/ authentication based on id? That would be cool, but I wonder how hard would it be to implement? Here in Florida, the State Library provides state-wide access to a lot of online resources. Some libraries have more, based on their own subscriptions, but access to the basic level provided by the State Library is free for everyone who has a library card. Not exactly the same idea, but it is an example of an overarching agency providing more or less seamless access. Carol Bean On Mar 22, 2007, at 10:09 PM, William Denton wrote: I hadn't been too clear on OpenID but a week or two ago I listened to a recording of a talk about that explained it well. I can't find it again, unfortunately, but you can take my word for it that it was pretty good. Is OpenID being used in libraries? It struck me that it could work well for library systems that share resources: two systems that are part of the same consortium or provincial/state system; two neighbouring public systems that let people from one borrow at the other; academic libraries that want to make it easy for visiting profs and grad students to get temporary access to online resources; etc. Say I live in Lower Mowat but one day I'm in Upper Mowat, in the next municipality (or county, or whatever) over, visiting my tailor. The two library systems are separate but share their resources. I pop into the library to update my Twittering friends on my inseam measurement. I don't actually have an account at the Upper Mowat Library, but I log in to one of their computers using my Lower Mowat-supplied OpenID identifier, and the Upper Mowat system recognizes where I'm from and gives me access to everything. Bill -- William Denton, Toronto : miskatonic.org : frbr.org : openfrbr.org
Re: [CODE4LIB] Using OpenID in libraries
Bill, I have thought about this (although not in regards to logging library workstations -- that'd be difficult but awesome), especially now that Georgia Tech is implementing lifetime accounts. The project that we are currently trying to pull together (GaTher -- which is sort of a library building/citation management tool, although a bit more sophisticated than that) intends to use OpenID to allow people to invite non-GT people into their GaTher groups. Now that accounts here are permanent, a GT person can use their GT OpenID without fear of losing their identity when they graduate/move on. -Ross. On 3/22/07, William Denton [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I hadn't been too clear on OpenID but a week or two ago I listened to a recording of a talk about that explained it well. I can't find it again, unfortunately, but you can take my word for it that it was pretty good. Is OpenID being used in libraries? It struck me that it could work well for library systems that share resources: two systems that are part of the same consortium or provincial/state system; two neighbouring public systems that let people from one borrow at the other; academic libraries that want to make it easy for visiting profs and grad students to get temporary access to online resources; etc. Say I live in Lower Mowat but one day I'm in Upper Mowat, in the next municipality (or county, or whatever) over, visiting my tailor. The two library systems are separate but share their resources. I pop into the library to update my Twittering friends on my inseam measurement. I don't actually have an account at the Upper Mowat Library, but I log in to one of their computers using my Lower Mowat-supplied OpenID identifier, and the Upper Mowat system recognizes where I'm from and gives me access to everything. Bill -- William Denton, Toronto : miskatonic.org : frbr.org : openfrbr.org
Re: [CODE4LIB] Using OpenID in libraries
On 22-Mar-07, at 22:09 , William Denton wrote: Say I live in Lower Mowat but one day I'm in Upper Mowat, in the next municipality (or county, or whatever) over, visiting my tailor. The two library systems are separate but share their resources. I pop into the library to update my Twittering friends on my inseam measurement. I don't actually have an account at the Upper Mowat Library, but I log in to one of their computers using my Lower Mowat-supplied OpenID identifier, and the Upper Mowat system recognizes where I'm from and gives me access to everything. Bill, this sounds intriguing. The hard part of this process will be federating the patron databases into the OpenID framework. Right now some ILSs support querying an external LDAP server to authenticate patrons (III does this for logging in to the opac to place holds, for example), and some external systems support querying the patron database to authenticate (certain wireless access points and internet terminal management systems do this). So, when I walk in to my library and set up my library account, instead of them giving me a PIN with which to log in, I give them my OpenID (they might still give me a PIN, so people without OpenIDs can use the system, but I'll ignore it). Then, when I attempt to access services, I will select the log in with my OpenID option, it will pass off to the OpenID infrastructure, which will return 'aye' or 'nay', and then I'll be in, and the ILS will look up my authenticated OpenID in the patron database to find out how much money I owe in fines. It's not clear to me that NCIP comes in to the process, since that's a different (very heavy) way of passing authentication information around that I don't think fits well with the OpenID framework, but that something that I've have to look deeper into. - David -- David J. Fiander Digital Services Librarian
Re: [CODE4LIB] Using OpenID in libraries
Ryan's message (I guess seeing academia) made me think of Athens, which made me further think Hey, Subscription Databases are just ITCHING for OpenID!. I mean, come on... The methods we have for database authentication aren't working well... 1) authenticating to a proxy and browsing the database through it: Extra bandwidth is needed, meaning additional cost 2) HTTP_REFERER: Lots of firewalls are blocking this... not to mention the need to click about 3+ layers of links and potentially entering a library card number before using the resource 3) Registering a service-specific user ID in the library or remote via method 1 or 2: Who wants another username/password? Here's a scenario: I want to access Novelist. So, I go to my library web site. I disable my firewall so that HTTP_REFERER will be passed on. I dig out my library card and enter the number on Ebsco's page. I'm finally where I want to be... Now, if Novelist implemented OpenID, I could simply go straight there (whether or not I've ever been there), I can just go to the Novelist web site and enter the OpenID that I've set up with my library. 1 step, 1 set of credentials. All is good. And, this could potentially be expanded so that if my patron is delinquent, the database can deny him access! Now, come on... who doesn't think OpenID would be GREAT for subscription databases? On 3/22/07, Ryan Eby [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I haven't seen much in library world outside of some talk/discussion. I did come across one academia that did implement it: http://blog.case.edu/jms18/2007/03/09/openid_server_integrated_with_cas Not sure if it's taken off much otherwise in the academic or public sector. I think quite a few are lucky to get any authentication working well. Ryan On 3/22/07, William Denton [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I hadn't been too clear on OpenID but a week or two ago I listened to a recording of a talk about that explained it well. I can't find it again, unfortunately, but you can take my word for it that it was pretty good. Is OpenID being used in libraries? It struck me that it could work well for library systems that share resources: two systems that are part of the same consortium or provincial/state system; two neighbouring public systems that let people from one borrow at the other; academic libraries that want to make it easy for visiting profs and grad students to get temporary access to online resources; etc. Say I live in Lower Mowat but one day I'm in Upper Mowat, in the next municipality (or county, or whatever) over, visiting my tailor. The two library systems are separate but share their resources. I pop into the library to update my Twittering friends on my inseam measurement. I don't actually have an account at the Upper Mowat Library, but I log in to one of their computers using my Lower Mowat-supplied OpenID identifier, and the Upper Mowat system recognizes where I'm from and gives me access to everything. Bill -- William Denton, Toronto : miskatonic.org : frbr.org : openfrbr.org
Re: [CODE4LIB] Using OpenID in libraries
On 3/22/07, Don McMorris [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Ryan's message (I guess seeing academia) made me think of Athens, which made me further think Hey, Subscription Databases are just ITCHING for OpenID!. I mean, come on... The methods we have for database authentication aren't working well... Well, naturally, academia has thought of this and overengineered it to death: http://shibboleth.internet2.edu/ which is why it's taken 7years so far and there is still very few implementations. -Ross.
