location-aware mobile search

mj suhonos

Toronto Public Library

location-aware mobile search

simple problem:

where is the closest copy of an itemto where I am standing now?

i have only an iphone

TPL

questions to start with

do we have an API to access the catalogue?can we present human-readable results?can we make it feel like a “native” app?can it work on multiple kinds of devices?

as simple as possible for the user

web service-style three-tier

simpler is better

transformation pipeline

free libraries: yaz, xslt, domxml, iuiopen standards: marcxml, mods, html5

http://mytpl.ca

unofficial side-projectrunning in my living room

works for any library with z39.50works in any browser with html5 geolocation

look around you

old != badnew != good

open technology = critical

sometimes a butter knife makes a pretty decent screwdriver

full story in code4lib journal issue 10source code available now under GPL3

http://github.com/mjsuhonos/mytpl/

mj@suhonos.cahttp://datalogue.wordpress.com

sharing is good