SPK Lab Workshop on API Use Cases

John Woitkowitz presented use case scenarios for APIs at the July 19, 2023 API workshop hosted by the SPK Lab of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. The project IN_CONTEXT is developing a concept for a virtual research environment to advance research in the history of colonialism via a linked repository, a collaborative workplace and a set of digital tools. This involves the use of APIs or computational interfaces in various areas of the platform. Data such as references, digitized files or norm data from external institutions and data providers are integrated into the platform. Furthermore, the source portal provides data such as references to holdings, full texts, and digitized material from the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin via OAI-PMH APIs for subsequent use by external institutions. In addition to institutions, the IN_CONTEXT platform also aims to address research groups and individual researchers or interested parties. In this way, REST APIs or knowledge graph endpoints based on research demand will be developed, data will be offered in common formats and made accessible through documentation resources. Different forms of providing information and further resources at the level of API-design related to problematic content is also under consideration.

The workshop provided an excellent platform to exchange experiences among institutions, projects and individual users of APIs. We look forward to participating in future events and to continuing the conversation on the development of APIs for research and the wider interested public.

You can find more information about the SPK Lab at https://lab.spk-berlin.de