RESTful API for the Alma Link Resolver
Hello,
I think it would be great to provide a RESTful API for the Alma Link Resolver which delivers all relevant holding data for titles with physical and electronic holdings in a JSON format.
Matthias Einbrodt
shared this idea
The existing BIB related API have been enhanced to include a ‘resolution_url’ which can be used to direct end users to the full text resource
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The March 2017 Release includes new options as part of the RESTFul APIs Alma provides.
Full text links can now be retrieved using an API. The links are included in the resolution_url field in the CTO API: https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/integrations/discovery/services_page
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Matthias Einbrodt
commented
If you intend to vote for this idea please give your vote to the following idea instead: "More flexibility needed for display of locations" (see: http://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308176-primo/suggestions/17131978-more-flexibility-needed-for-display-of-locations). It is much better explained there why a data API for the Alma Link Resolver is needed. Furthermore, it has much more votes already.
If you already voted for this, please remove your votes from this idea and add it to the aforementioned idea intead.
Thx, Matthias
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Matthias Einbrodt
commented
Hi Asaf,
thanks for the comment.
In conjunction with the GET /almaws/v1/bibs/{mms_id}/holdings/{holding_id}/items I'm able to get the complete holding information for each item of a title.
For electronic titles, however, this doesn't seem to get me far. Here a result I get with the method you proposed:
<datafield ind1=" " ind2=" " tag="AVE">
<subfield code="m">ProQuest Safari Tech Books Online</subfield>
<subfield code="u">publishing_base_url undefined?u.ignore_date_coverage=true&rft.mms_id=99221025965001241</subfield>
<subfield code="t">Proquest</subfield>
</datafield>While I get the name of the source I don't get any link that could lead me there.
Furthermore when I want to get my data in JSON format the method you proposed returns a stringified representation of the MARCXML part in the field "anies" which makes it difficult to handle.
However, the most important thing is, that using this method I still don't have access to the results of the uResolver configurations which can be imposed in the Alma backend. (see here: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/Alma_Online_Help_%28English%29/Fulfillment/Configuring_Fulfillment/Discovery_Interface_Display_Logic)
This last point is very important and I realize I didn't make it clear at all in the description of the idea. The beauty of the uResolver is, that it doesn't only give you holding information of a title but also other services based on a variety of conditions. Having a RESTful API that would return all this information would in my opinion be a huge benefit for the developers and ExLibris as well (no more iFrames).
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Our GET /almaws/v1/bibs/{mms_id} API can return availability information:
• AVA field is added per holding record as following
• AVE field is added per portfolioSee the developers network for more details: https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/bibs/GET/gwPcGly021om4RTvtjbPleCklCGxeYAf3JPdiJpJhUA=/af2fb69d-64f4-42bc-bb05-d8a0ae56936e