This eCourse begins on October 15, 2013 and continues for four weeks.
Participants will:
- Understand what an API is and why they are important.
- Understand how APIs have been applied in library settings and ways in which they can be in the future.
- Obtain the coding skills necessary to produce or contribute to API projects of their own.
Week 1:
Introduction to APIs from a general perspective. Introduction to PHP.
Content and assignments:
1. Video lecture setting the stage (30 - 45 minutes)
2. Videos and/or readings illustrating what APIs are and what they can achieve
3. Assignment: Complete Code academy PHP Lessons 1 - 3
Week 2:
Learning PHP and setting up your server space.
Content and assignments:
1. Video lecture discussing web servers and web programming (30 - 45 minutes)
2. Videos and/or readings discussing basics of web servers and web programming
3. Assignment: Complete Code academy PHP Lessons 4 - 5
4. Assignment: Set up web server space with their systems department and write first “Hello World” script.
Week 3:
Working with specific APIs: Twitter & DPLA (Digital Public Library of America).
Content and assignments:
1. Video lecture discussing, with examples, coding with Twitter & DPLA APIs (30 - 45 minutes)
2. Readings: Twitter & DPLA Developer Documentation
3. Assignment: Obtain API Keys for Twitter & DPLA
4. Assignment: Write simple script for Twitter & DPLA APIs which prints out arrays of data.
Week 4:
Bringing it all together with HTML.
1. Video lecture discussing/illustrating a “finished” product with HTML (30 - 45 minutes)
2. Video lecture discussing next steps and possibilities
3. Readings on web programming with PHP and HTML
4. Assignment: Wrap PHP code with HTML for Twitter script.
5. Assignment: Wrap PHP code with HTML for DPLA script.
Instructor(s)
Jason Paul Michel currently is User Experience
Librarian at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where his work centers
around usability, emerging technologies, UX and web design, and
instruction. Author of the ALA Editions book Web Service APIs and Libraries (2012),
he has engineered various API-driven projects and presented on these
at several national library conferences. He was named a 2013 Mover
& Shaker by Library Journal and received his MSLIS from Simmons College in Boston, MA.
Fee
Registration is $195.00
Technical Requirements
Participants in this course will need regular access to a
computer with an internet connection for online message board
participation, viewing online video, listening to streaming audio (MP3
files), and downloading and viewing PDF and PowerPoint files.
How to Register
Registration for this ALA Editions facilitated eCourse, which begins on October 15, 2013, can be purchased at the ALA Store.