[CODE4LIB] ActiveSierra - Gem for connecting to III Sierra db
My colleague Sean Crowe and I have written a simple Rails engine with models for the Postgresql database backend to Innovative Interfaces Inc. Sierra ILS. Within a host rails app, it can be used to spin up mediated access to the database via Ruby objects. With a few additional controllers, it would also be straightforward to enable the serialization of database contents over http via json or xml. Though there is a pending release of API functionality for Sierra, this gem offers broader and more granular access to the database. See the github repo: https://github.com/uclibs/active_sierra/ We’re both primarily tech services librarians, and our first use cases for this gem have focused on back-end workflow. For example, we’re developing a Rails app to track and report lost, missing, or long-overdue items in Sierra. With a rake task, a webapp will query Sierra monthly and build a local database of targeted item record numbers and values, which will be served to a site for use in making decisions about replacement. Other possible use cases could be record quality control reports. Out of security concerns, we've purposefully excluded models for patron tables but we haven’t ruled out adding these once we can ensure the security of this data. We still have some short-term development planned, but we noticed that the repo was getting some attention yesterday, and thought it would be a good time to share. Some of our planned work includes: - Developing tests for the models and methods - Adding more scopes and methods to abstract the tables (we have a goal of making our testing application backend as friendly as possible to other tech services staff, and so we’d like the code to be readable to anyone who is familiar with both MARC cataloging and III system conventions) - Modeling additional tables Please feel free to use, fork or contribute. We are very open to comments and suggestions (especially from experienced Rails developers who may be able to offer some perspective on our direction – we both started learning about Rails at Code4Lib2013). And of course we welcome any questions. Thanks! James James Van Mil Collections Electronic Resources Librarian University of Cincinnati Libraries Telephone: (513)556-1410 vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] ActiveSierra - Gem for connecting to III Sierra db
Hi Cristina, III wasn¹t directly involved in this code, but Sierra customers to have access the the Postgresql database behind the ILS. It¹s read-only so there¹s no risk of breaking all your things. Thanks, James James Van Mil Collections Electronic Resources Librarian University of Cincinnati Libraries Telephone: (513)556-1410 vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edu On 5/8/14, 2:38 PM, Salazar, Christina christina.sala...@csuci.edu wrote: We don't run III Sierra but I'm still finding this news to be very interesting. You don't mention how III was involved (IF they were involved) and I'm curious to hear about that piece. For our vendor (not naming names) certain things that you might think to do with the database voids our maintenance agreement and I'm just wondering if that situation applies with III's Sierra. Thanks for sharing the news. Christina Salazar Systems Librarian John Spoor Broome Library California State University, Channel Islands 805/437-3198 -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Van Mil, James (vanmiljf) Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 11:29 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] ActiveSierra - Gem for connecting to III Sierra db My colleague Sean Crowe and I have written a simple Rails engine with models for the Postgresql database backend to Innovative Interfaces Inc. Sierra ILS. Within a host rails app, it can be used to spin up mediated access to the database via Ruby objects. With a few additional controllers, it would also be straightforward to enable the serialization of database contents over http via json or xml. Though there is a pending release of API functionality for Sierra, this gem offers broader and more granular access to the database. See the github repo: https://github.com/uclibs/active_sierra/ We're both primarily tech services librarians, and our first use cases for this gem have focused on back-end workflow. For example, we're developing a Rails app to track and report lost, missing, or long-overdue items in Sierra. With a rake task, a webapp will query Sierra monthly and build a local database of targeted item record numbers and values, which will be served to a site for use in making decisions about replacement. Other possible use cases could be record quality control reports. Out of security concerns, we've purposefully excluded models for patron tables but we haven't ruled out adding these once we can ensure the security of this data. We still have some short-term development planned, but we noticed that the repo was getting some attention yesterday, and thought it would be a good time to share. Some of our planned work includes: - Developing tests for the models and methods - Adding more scopes and methods to abstract the tables (we have a goal of making our testing application backend as friendly as possible to other tech services staff, and so we'd like the code to be readable to anyone who is familiar with both MARC cataloging and III system conventions) - Modeling additional tables Please feel free to use, fork or contribute. We are very open to comments and suggestions (especially from experienced Rails developers who may be able to offer some perspective on our direction - we both started learning about Rails at Code4Lib2013). And of course we welcome any questions. Thanks! James James Van Mil Collections Electronic Resources Librarian University of Cincinnati Libraries Telephone: (513)556-1410 vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] local APIs atop III's Sierra DB
Hi Jason, I've started looking into using ActiveRecord in Rails to plug into the Sierra Postgres tables. I'm still learning how to work with Ruby and Rails, but initial experiments are working: https://github.com/jamesvanmil/ActiveSierra (really have just written a few simple models with some relationships) James Van Mil Collections Electronic Resources Librarian University of Cincinnati Libraries Telephone: (513)556-1410 vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edu -James -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Thomale, Jason Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 3:29 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] local APIs atop III's Sierra DB Hello Code4lib, I'm wondering if any III Sierra users out there have worked on building an API for accessing their ILS data on top of Sierra's Postgres database. Right now I'm looking into possibly building something to serve local needs and use cases, as we're not terribly confident that III's forthcoming APIs--if they are indeed forthcoming--will really fit the bill. If this is something you're doing or have considered doing and wouldn't mind comparing notes, please drop me a line! Thanks. Jason Thomale Resource Discovery Systems Librarian University of North Texas
Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone have a SUSHI client?
Hi Bill, There's a lightweight python client: http://sourceforge.net/projects/sushipy/ (I haven't used it, just know *of* it) Thanks, James James Van Mil Collections Electronic Resources Librarian University of Cincinnati Libraries Telephone: (513)556-1410 vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edu -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill Dueber Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 5:44 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Anyone have a SUSHI client? [Background: SUSHI http://www.niso.org/committees/SUSHI/SUSHI_comm.htmlis a SOAP protocol for getting data on use of electronic resources in the COUNTER format] I'm just starting to look at trying to get COUNTER data via SUSHI into our data warehouse, and I'm discovering that apparently no one has worked on a SUSHI client since late 2009. UnlessI'm missing one? Anyone out there using SUSHI and have a client that works and is up-to-date and has some documentation of some sort? I'd prefer ruby or java, but will take anything that'll run under linux (i.e., not C#) at this point. I'm desperately trying not to have to deal with the raw SOAP and parsing the XML and such, so any help would be appreciated. -- Bill Dueber Library Systems Programmer University of Michigan Library
Re: [CODE4LIB] Anyone have a SUSHI client?
We also have a developers listserv, if you run into any challenges: http://www.niso.org/lists/sushidevelopers/ (I'm on the SUSHI maintenance committee) Thanks, James James Van Mil Collections Electronic Resources Librarian University of Cincinnati Libraries Telephone: (513)556-1410 vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] ulrich's api?
I just checked the SS Support Center and it is included with a sub to Ulrichsweb. I had confused this with the XML data service (which *does* cost extra), so I never followed up. Thanks for mentioning! -James -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ranti Junus Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2012 4:34 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] ulrich's api? Huh, that's a good question. We happen to subscribe to Ulrich and I don't know if it's included by default. I didn't even know about this API until Andrew Nagy mentioned it when I visited their booth at ALA conference to discuss something else. In my experience, after I signed the document and sent it back, they sent me back a link to the documentation page along with the login information. I have not been using it, regrettably. This is something I put on my goals and objectives for the coming year. On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 4:15 PM, Jonathan Rochkind rochk...@jhu.edu wrote: Thanks! It is indeed something included with library's ulrich's subscription? Do they send you documentation too? Have you been using it? Feel like giving us a brief review of what it does and how well it works? On 12/27/2012 3:48 PM, Ranti Junus wrote: Hi Jonathan, The Ulrich XML API is already in place. You just need to contact their support team through their support form to get the access. They will send you a Terms of Use document to sign and send back to them (it might involve a fax machine. ;-) ) ranti. On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 12:22 PM, Jonathan Rochkind rochk...@jhu.edu wrote: Hi Code4lib'ers. The SerSol Ulrich's marketting page at: http://www.serialssolutions.com/en/services/ulrichs/ulrichsw eb http://www.**serialssolutions.com/en/**services/ulrichs/ulrichswebh ttp://www.serialssolutions.com/en/services/ulrichs/ulrichsweb Says: New API for Easy Integration A new API with XML and JSON options allow librarians and technical staff to easily integrate Ulrich’s data into their library’s web pages and discovery services in order to provide researchers and staff with reliable, continuously updated information about electronic and print serials. * This implies that there may be an Ulrich's API that comes with library licensing of Ulrich's? (And that was 'new' whenever this online brochure was written, heh, who knows how new that is now, there's no date on the page). Does anyone know anything about this? Or where more info about this might be found? Or a good contact at SerSol/Ulrich's to ask about it? Jonathan -- Bulk mail. Postage paid.
Re: [CODE4LIB] ulrich's api?
If you already have access to other SS APIs, you'll find documentation behind a password, here: http://xml.serialssolutions.com/docs/Ulrichsweb/v1.0/index.html I haven't activated this one yet, but in the past I've gotten the 360 Link and Summon API Terms of Use agreements via Ask a Question: http://support.serialssolutions.com/app/ask There's limited info in the Support Center: http://support.serialssolutions.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2311/kw/ulrichs%20api -James -Original Message- From: Jonathan Rochkind [mailto:rochk...@jhu.edu] Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2013 1:31 PM To: Code for Libraries Cc: Van Mil, James (vanmiljf) Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] ulrich's api? Ah, did you find docs in the SS Support Center that cover how to access the API and what it's functionalty is? Have any direct links to such? Yeah, last time I asked SerSol (a couple years ago), the XML data service was all that was available -- and not only does it cost extra, ti is actually VERY expensive (I think it's targetted at other vendor-like users, who will basically be reselling the data). So yeah, I'm curious about this newer one too! On 1/2/2013 10:53 AM, Van Mil, James (vanmiljf) wrote: I just checked the SS Support Center and it is included with a sub to Ulrichsweb. I had confused this with the XML data service (which *does* cost extra), so I never followed up. Thanks for mentioning! -James -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ranti Junus Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2012 4:34 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] ulrich's api? Huh, that's a good question. We happen to subscribe to Ulrich and I don't know if it's included by default. I didn't even know about this API until Andrew Nagy mentioned it when I visited their booth at ALA conference to discuss something else. In my experience, after I signed the document and sent it back, they sent me back a link to the documentation page along with the login information. I have not been using it, regrettably. This is something I put on my goals and objectives for the coming year. On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 4:15 PM, Jonathan Rochkind rochk...@jhu.edu wrote: Thanks! It is indeed something included with library's ulrich's subscription? Do they send you documentation too? Have you been using it? Feel like giving us a brief review of what it does and how well it works? On 12/27/2012 3:48 PM, Ranti Junus wrote: Hi Jonathan, The Ulrich XML API is already in place. You just need to contact their support team through their support form to get the access. They will send you a Terms of Use document to sign and send back to them (it might involve a fax machine. ;-) ) ranti. On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 12:22 PM, Jonathan Rochkind rochk...@jhu.edu wrote: Hi Code4lib'ers. The SerSol Ulrich's marketting page at: http://www.serialssolutions.com/en/services/ulrichs/ulrichs w eb http://www.**serialssolutions.com/en/**services/ulrichs/ulrichsweb h ttp://www.serialssolutions.com/en/services/ulrichs/ulrichsweb Says: New API for Easy Integration A new API with XML and JSON options allow librarians and technical staff to easily integrate Ulrich’s data into their library’s web pages and discovery services in order to provide researchers and staff with reliable, continuously updated information about electronic and print serials. * This implies that there may be an Ulrich's API that comes with library licensing of Ulrich's? (And that was 'new' whenever this online brochure was written, heh, who knows how new that is now, there's no date on the page). Does anyone know anything about this? Or where more info about this might be found? Or a good contact at SerSol/Ulrich's to ask about it? Jonathan -- Bulk mail. Postage paid.
Re: [CODE4LIB] What's the descriptive technical terminology?... pdf image of a page. pdf format used with cut paste.
I often employ the word 'raster', along with some other foul language, for any PDFs that don't have manipulate-able text. -James -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Keith Jenkins Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:06 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] What's the descriptive technical terminology?... pdf image of a page. pdf format used with cut paste. I've also heard many people use the term searchable PDF for a text-based PDF. Keith On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:43 PM, Peter Murray peter.mur...@lyrasis.org wrote: That is the same terminology I use as well -- image-based versus text-based. I find that works most times because people can visually see if something looks like a scanned image.
[CODE4LIB] NY Times Bookmarklet
Hi everyone! (first post!)
We've been getting lots of feedback at my library about the problem with the NY
Times paywall and the lack of institutional access to their website, but we do
have a subscription to a Proquest database which includes all current content
that is included in the print addition.
However, every article at the web version of the NY Times that was also
published in the print version includes a reference to the article from the
print edition, including date, page number, and print version title
(information which is all still accessible in the page source when the paywall
blocks access). Additionally, the Proquest database has very clear search
syntax.
So, I wrote a bookmarklet to check whether the article was published in print
and to open a new browser window to search for the article at Proquest. (I know
that there are other work-arounds to the paywall, but I'm interested in one
that our library could ethically promote.)
The code for the bookmarklet is short, so I've included it below. I'd like to
add the option to search the headline in Google News for any articles that
aren't available in the print version, and I need to write some title-string
sanitization to deal with some funky punctuation in the occasional headline. If
anyone has any other feedback, I'd love to hear it. (And I apologize both for
the lack of commenting (bookmarklets don't seem to have room for this) and for
the lack of style (I started learned Javascript yesterday).)
Thanks!
James
James Van Mil
Collections Electronic Resources Librarian
Electronic Resources Department
University of Cincinnati Libraries
PO Box 210033
Cincinnati OH 45221-0033
Telephone: (513) 556-1410
vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edumailto:vanmi...@ucmail.uc.edu
javascript:
(
function()
{ var source = document.documentElement.innerHTML;
var regex1 = /A version of this article appeared in print on
((January|February|March|April|May|June|July|August|September|October|November|December)
([1-2][0-9]|3[0-1]|0?[1-9]), ((19|20)[0-9][0-9])), on page (\w+) of the New
York edition with the headline:(.*)/g;
var match = regex1.exec(source);
if (match)
{
var articleDate = new Date(match[2] + ' ' + match[3] + ', ' +
match[4]);
var articleYear = articleDate.getFullYear();
var articleMonth = articleDate.getMonth()+1;
var articleDay = articleDate.getDate();
var regex2 = /([A-Z]+)(\d+)/g;
var pageMatch = regex2.exec(match[6]);
window.open('https://proxy.libraries.uc.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=305SQ=issn%2803624331%29%20and%20ti%28'
+ match[7] + '%29%20and%20pdn%28' + articleMonth + '%2F' + articleDay + '%2F'
+ articleYear + '%29%20and%20startpage%28' + pageMatch[1] + '.' + pageMatch[2]
+ '%29');
}
else
{
alert(This article hasn't been published in the print version of
the NY Times and isn't accessible through the UC Libraries.);
}
}
)
();
