Hi, Eric, ISNI does offer API, documentation available at http://www.isni.org/content/documents-related-database-enquiry
OCLC Research task group on representing organizations in ISNI<http://www.oclc.org/research/themes/research-collections/isni-organizations.html> will release its report soon. Supporting Linked Data is one of the issues we discussed. Stay tuned for upcoming report and webinar. Jing > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf > Of Eric Lease Morgan > Sent: Friday, April 15, 2016 5:17 AM > To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU<mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU> > Subject: [CODE4LIB] authority work with isni > > I am thinking about doing some authority work with content from ISNI, > and I have a few questions about the resource. > > As yo may or may not know, ISNI is a sort of authority database. [1] > One can search for an identity in ISNI, identify a person of interest, > get a key, transform the key into a URI, and use the URI to get back > both human- readable and machine readable data about the person. For > example, the following URIs return the same content in different forms: > > * human-readable - http://isni.org/isni/0000000035046923 > * XML - http://isni.org/isni/0000000035046923.xml > > I discovered the former URI through a tiny bit of reading. [2] And I > discovered the later URI through a simple guess. What other URIs exist? > > When it comes to the authority work, my goal is to enhance authority > records; to more thoroughly associate global identifiers with named > entities in a local authority database. Once this goal is > accomplished, the library catalog experience can be enhanced, and the > door is opened for supporting linked data initiatives. In order to accomplish > the goal, I believe I can: > > 1. get a list of authority records > 2. search for name in a global authority database (like VIAF or ISNI) > 3. if found, then update local authority record accordingly > 4. go to Step #2 for all records > 5. done > > My questions are: > > * What remote authority databases are available programmatically? I > already know of one from the Library of Congress, VIAF, and probably > WorldCat Identities. Does ISNI support some sort of API, and if so, > where is some documentation? > > * I believe the Library Of Congress, VIAF, and probably WorldCat > Identities all support linked data. Does ISNI, and if so, then how is > it implemented and can you point me to documentation? > > * When it comes to updating the local (MARC) authority records, how > do you suggest the updates happen? More specifically, what types of > values do you suggest I insert into what specific (MARC) > fields/subfields? Some people advocate $0 of 1xx, 6xx, and 7xx fields. > Other people suggest 024 subfields 2 and a. Inquiring minds would like to > know. > > Fun with authorities!? And, “What’s in a name anyway?" > > [1] ISNI - http://isni.org > [2] some documentation - http://isni.org/how-isni-works > > — > Eric Lease Morgan > Lost In Rome
