[Web4lib] Local Book iPhone application

Thu Jan 7 10:23:45 EST 2010

I have to say, the iPhone does a good job of making web apps "feel" like native applications, with the right UI framework (I like iUI but there are a number out there; http://code.google.com/p/iui/).

Building a "find items close to me" is a recent hobby hack of mine; in TPL's case, we have 99 branches spread across the city, so I wrote a very thin PHP wrapper over our Z39.50 service, which returns holding information -- mapped this using a bit of Google Maps magic under the hood, and the browser's location-awareness, and bingo: local books at TPL.

http://mytpl.ca

I should mention that this isn't an official application, and just something I hacked together in a couple of hours on my Mac Mini at home (so please be gentle).  It's about 4 small PHP files and a bit of XSL, and very much a work in progress.  Maybe 20 hours worth of work (mostly learning Z39.50).

But it should work on any browser, mobile or not, iPhone or not (I know, for example, that the location-awareness works on Firefox).  When you're dealing with live data, targeted web apps seems -- to me, at least -- the way to go.

MJ

On 2010-01-07, at 9:58 AM, Roy Tennant wrote:

> The functionality you describe has been available for a while with the
> WorldCat mobile app -- which is available for many different platforms, not
> just the iPhone. See http://worldcat.org/m for more.
> Roy Tennant
> OCLC Research
> 
> 
> On 1/7/10 1/7/10 • 6:40 AM, "Kraft, Michelle" <kraftm at ccf.org> wrote:
> 
>>> I would think an app like your new app would be much more powerful
>>> if pre-populated with book sources.
>> 
>>> The app is pre-populated with libraries and bookstores - they come from
>>> the LibraryThing Local website.
>> 
>> The problem I found with the app is that it doesn't work at all like the
>> website. As I mentioned earlier the app is called LocalBooks and as titled I
>> expect to find books locally or at least find books somewhere.  I go to LT and
>> I search for a book like Twilight and I get results.  I use the LB app and I
>> search for Twilight and I get nothing about the book but information about
>> events at bookstores 300 miles away.
>> While having event information is nice, I think this app really needs to start
>> adding the book information (at least what I can get from LT) before it is
>> worth using, either that or change the name to BookTalks or BookEvents because
>> that is what it does.
>> 
>> Michelle
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> 
>> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Brian Gray
>> Sent: Wed 1/6/2010 11:30 PM
>> To: David Friggens
>> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
>> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Local Book iPhone application
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The original messages says "For starters, libraries should make sure they're
>> in the database. It is, of course, all user created. You'll probably find
>> you were put in by one of your most fervent patrons."
>> 
>> That means it is NOT pre-populated with everyone bookstore and library.
>> 
>> You also  do NOT need to register with Google Maps to be included. It pulls
>> from many existing sources. It does not require organization or individual
>> entering a library into a database to appear on a map.
>> 
>> Brian Gray
>> mindspiral at gmail.com
>> bcg8 at case.edu
>> 
>> 
>> On Wed, Jan 6, 2010 at 10:38 PM, David Friggens <friggens at waikato.ac.nz>wrote:
>> 
>>> The app is pre-populated with libraries and bookstores - they come from
>>> the LibraryThing Local website.
>>> 
>>>> Seems for every organization to register
>>> 
>>> Every organisation needs to be registered, but it doesn't need to
>>> register itself - the vast majority of listings are entered by users
>>> rather than the organisations. LT Local has pretty good coverage,
>>> ranging to completely comprehensive in some areas.
>>> 
>>>> makes using Google Maps a better choice
>>> 
>>> Google Maps is no different in that organisations need to be registered
>>> appear - which may be done by Google or by the organisation approaching
>>> them.
>>> 
>>>> since I can already enter "library" and "book" and get the needed
>>> results.
>>> 
>>> If it's just a list of libraries and bookstores sure. (Well, maybe not -
>>> at least in New Zealand the results are quite messy and include some
>>> irrelevant listings.) But Google won't give you a single list of
>>> upcoming events at all those organisations...
>>> 
>>> Cheers
>>> David
>>> 
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