John Miedema

OpenBook 3 will be the final version of OpenBook. I have always planned to make a video about how to use OpenBook, so I will be making a good one after the release of version 3. As a trial run, I made a short video that provides a sneak peek at the new features I have been working on. I think you will be pleased. OpenBook 3 makes it very easy to insert instances of OpenBook using a new button and form on the Visual Editor. This version also speeds …

If you have several instances of OpenBook 2 on your WordPress site, you will notice occasional load lags, maybe a few seconds. Currently, when a user visits your website, OpenBook makes a live call to Open Library for the book data before displaying it as HTML. Version 3 of OpenBook promises a major performance upgrade in two ways. One, use of Open Library’s new Books API. Two, a local cache of OpenBook instances.
Open Library is busy upgrading their Books API, so I spent some time looking at the local …

While I’ve been blogging loudly about critical theory and grand narratives, I’ve also been pecking quietly at my OpenBook 3 upgrade.
Faster APIs Implemented. You’re going to like this. I implemented Open Library’s Books API. This is a higher level API that combines book data from different sources into one call. OpenBook calls could triple in speed as result of this enhancement.
Some Display Elements Missing in New API. This API seems to be missing a few display elements, e.g., series, edition, and genre. It is also missing some elements that …

Software is never finished, merely abandoned.
The OpenBook plugin provides an easy way to insert book covers, titles and other bibliographic data into WordPress content. First released over two years ago, it has been downloaded over 4000 times, and the subject of journal articles and library presentations. Currently at version two, I feel there a few significant improvements and features that need to be completed to bring the software to full maturity, so I am undertaking version three. Once I am satisfied it is running smoothly for everyone, I will …

OpenBook has a new discussion list and you are invited to join. The list will be used to provide all future announcements about OpenBook releases. It can be used by members to ask questions, share template snippets, and discuss future development of OpenBook. I look forward to talking with you there.

Librarians use OpenBook to promote books on their library websites or related blogs. With the release of OpenBook 2, you can customize it so that instances of OpenBook link to your library records.
OpenURL Resolver. Many libraries have an OpenURL resolver that websites can use to link to the library’s digital resources, including its catalogue records. The resolver works the way the library has designed it. It may take the patron directly to the catalogue record for the book, or it may provide useful links for finding the book in your …

OpenBook 2 gives you complete control over the book data display. Once you download and install OpenBook in WordPress, go to the Settings panel for OpenBook. Three templates are provided with default display values, as shown in the following figure.

Maybe it looks a little confusing at first, but the templates just contain three things:

HTML. Put whatever HTML you want in the template: style tags, images, etc. If you know CSS, you can put class tags here and control the styling through your WordPress stylesheet.
Text. Place whatever text you like in …

OpenBook 2 has been released to the WordPress server. You can download it now. Existing users will be notified to update by their WordPress plugin manager. The big new features are templates for complete control over content and styling of the display, and the ability to configure an OpenURL resolver for a library. I will be making several posts about this soon. In the meantime, you can find more information at the new OpenBook support wiki. Please report any issues at the support site, or email me at openbook@johnmiedema.ca. Thanks!

Librarians use blogs and other social software tools to promote their collections. Where it is possible, librarians seek to link web pages to their catalogue records so that patrons can check availability and check out items. Unfortunately, the average library catalogue makes it difficult to achieve this kind of linking.
OpenURL is a technology for linking web users to library catalogue resources. It was first developed by Herbert van de Sompel and Patrick Hochstenbach as a method to provide links from citations to a library’s electronic journal articles. It has since …

Many thanks to the 15 beta-testers who put OpenBook through its paces. Particular thanks to Anand, Christian, Dave, Elizabeth, Jay, Mattijs, Milo, Tom, and Victoria. Corrections were made for activation problems and XHTML compliance. Enhancements include increased control over template elements, and a new image option for the OpenURL link. The plugin has been tested up WordPress 2.9 (!) and has future compatibility with upcoming PHP changes. Other suggestions have been earmarked for future releases.
OpenBook 2.1 is nearly ready for general release. Here is a post-build feature list, evaluating the …

OpenBook 2 is running on my website, and will be available for general release in August. Before I release it, I would like to beta test it. How about it? You can try OpenBook’s new administrative panel with templates that let you style every element of the display. If you are a librarian, you can point OpenBook to your library’s records by configuring an OpenURL resolver. If you have a WordPress installation and are interested, please email me or comment here with your email address. If you have already expressed …

Web 2.0 was all about making the web easier to use for people. Web 3.0 is about making the web easier to use for machines, which in turn will make it more convenient for people. When I re-wrote OpenBook (to be released), I thought hard about whether or not to use JavaScript and the implications for Web 3.0. In the end, I did not include any JavaScript in OpenBook for three reasons:
1. Web 3.0 Standards Compliance. The existing version of OpenBook hard codes styling, including a little padding around the …

I am pleased to announce the publication of my article, Linking to Library Records with OpenURL using the OpenBook WordPress Plugin, in Information Standards Quarterly, the print magazine of the National Information Standards Organization (NISO). The article describes how OpenBook uses OpenURL to let libraries connect webpages to their bibliographic records. NISO is a non-profit association accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The association identifies, develops, maintains, and publishes technical information standards. The full magazine is available from the NISO website. NISO has generously provided an excerpt version …

When I started OpenBook 1, I blogged the stages of development. Same for FuzzyCat, and now for OpenBook 2. Is this an original approach?
OpenBook 1 and FuzzyCat were developed cowboy style. Blogging the process helped me think more clearly about what I was doing, and garner feedback from readers. One need not wait till the software is developed to utilize the “many eyes” effect of open source development. By blogging the development process, one can prevent design flaws before the software is released.
OpenBook 2 is proceeding much more methodically …

Many people are interested in using book covers images on their website, but are unsure about the legal aspect. One of the most popular posts on this blog is Book Cover Images and Copyright: What’s the Law? I am not a lawyer, but in that post, I make the case that using a thumbnail sidesteps all of the legal issues. Using a thumbnail is like using a quote for research purposes. For more on that subject, read that post, along with its link to the excellent article at the LibraryLaw …