Application+Programming+Interfaces+-+APIs

= What are APIs? = toc APIs, or Application Program Interfaces, are blocks of code. The API code allows an application program to interact outside of itself with other programs or software. An API may be more easily understood if the words of the acronym were to be written as “the Interface of an Application Program.” The key word to emphasize is “interface.” As an interface, the API serves as the link between an application program and another system, usually the computer language of the operating system that the application is run on.

media type="custom" key="11296786" width="80" height="80" align="left"As a web technology, APIs are used frequently, and are a hallmark of “Web 2.0” where user engagement and interaction is a key. Since a large part of the web focuses on linking information, APIs serve to intensify such integration of information. Many popular social networking applications make their APIs available for reuse. For instance, Facebook, Flickr, and Google offer APIs that allow many interesting websites to emerge that combine various content. Other popular programs with available API code include Twitter and YouTube. With their APIs, programmers and developers can integrate onto their webpages such features as the Google “Maps” feature. By linking that program with other information such as metadata from digital photographs, they are able to create a “mashup” showing where the photographs were taken.

In a sense, APIs are to “Web 2.0” what hyperlinks are to the first iteration of the web. Where hyperlinks serve to make the web interactive, APIs make the web even more so by allowing combinations of information within webpages. Users no longer need to visit multiple sites to gather certain information and draw conclusions- APIs bring disparate information together, allowing for greater context and additional meaning.

APIs and the “Mashup”
APIs are thus the essential component to a “mashup.” Some of the most common kinds of mashups are those which use APIs to combine maps, video and photos, search and shopping, and news with enhanced information. For instance, anything that has location points for metadata can be added to a mapping mashup. The results can range from people using the API from a photo source like Flickr to pair photographs containing metadata that matches keywords found in news articles, to news sites using syndication feed mashups that combine a user’s feeds into a centralized page. As the web develops, creative new programs and mashups that integrate them are emerging. These mashups not only allow users a whole new level of interaction at the social media level, they also enable a broad range of enhanced user services such as geolocation and analytics programs.

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APIs in the World of Libraries and Information Centers
APIs have been creatively adopted by many libraries and other related information centers or sources. Many university libraries have established a social media presence by creating social media accounts and integrating those social media APIs into their websites. The University of South Carolina maintains a presence on many current social media applications, and has integrated APIs like the Facebook feed as seen on this webpage. Other information centers such as OCLC have made their APIs available for use, enabling people to collect such things as citation information, author information, and ISBN information for books. The webpage for their basic API can be found here.

Other Interesting APIs to Explore
@http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/ This blog is all about creative uses of the Google Maps API. Posts are added daily, and frequently contain several different sites in each post. The number of unique ways people are finding how to exploit Google Maps and other information exemplifies the value-added aspect that APIs offer.
 * Google Maps Mania**

@http://www.librarything.com/services/ LibraryThing is a cloud-based personal cataloging and social networking site for you and your books. The site has several different APIs that can be used in a similar manner to OCLC's mentioned above. Users can get specific book information ranging from authors to even particular book covers.
 * LibraryThing**

**References**
//Definition of: API//. (2011). Retrieved September 21, 2011, from @http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=application+programming+interface&i=37856,00.asp

GoogleDevelopers. (2009, February 19). YouTube API overview [Video file]. Retrieved November 14, 2011, from @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylLzyHk54Z0&feature=related

Lasica, J.D. (2010, May 5). The untapped power of APIs. Retrieved November 7, 2011, from http://www.socialmedia.biz/tag/apis-explained/

Merrill, D. (2009, July 24). Mashups: The new breed of web app. Retrieved Sept. 24, 2011, from [|http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-mashups/index.html]

OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (2010). WorldCat basic API. Retrieved November 4, 2011, from http://oclc.org/developer/services/WCBasic

Orenstein, D. (2000, January 10). Quickstudy: Application Programming Interface (API). Retrieved Sept. 21, 2011, from http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/43487/Application_Programming_Interface

Sims, E. (2007, August 1). Web API’s by example, part 1: Twitter. Retrieved Sept. 24, 2011, from http://evansims.com/15/web-apis-by-example-part-i-twitter/

Starks, A. (2009, December 8). TweetFreq Go language web server (wtf): Browser, console, source [Photograph]. Retrieved November 14, 2011, from @http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajstarks/4168528922/

University of South Carolina. (2011). Social media dashboard. Retrieved November 4, 2011, from http://library.sc.edu/communications/socialMedia.html

Weiss, C. (2010). Understanding APIs and mashups. Retrieved Sept. 24, 2011, from @http://www.astd.org/LC/0211_weiss.htm