Text Petja Partanen
The libraries of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area have created an open data interface containing the data of more than 3 million books and other materials. The libraries hope that the interface will inspire new mobile services – and also speed up the development of libraries’ own IT systems.
For a long time, libraries have been forerunners in utilising information technology, but their closed IT systems have kept the information hidden, for instance, from the users of search engine Google. Frustrated over the issue, frontman of the Labs.kirjastot.fi project Antti Pakarinen proposed as early as 2008 that library data should be unlocked. This way the small-time developer workshops, who make use of open source, could challenge the big suppliers of library IT systems.
In 2009, the Ministry of Education and Culture, enthusiastic about the issue, granted 120,000 euro for the project.
Now the library collection data of the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen has been unlocked as the first major European public library. What is more, the libraries themselves have programmed an iPhone application for browsing the collections, and independent developers have created an Android app with a barcode search.
According to Antti Pakarinen, the libraries had higher expectations from the unlocking of their data: more new applications had been anticipated. In retrospect, the original hope of having small and agile developers working alongside the present system suppliers seems slightly over-optimistic. For instance, public procurement regulations pose some obstacles to the acquisition of the IT systems from small-time programmers.
But there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. The data opening of 2011 required quite a lot of programming since the present version of the library data system does not offer tools for unlocking data. In the future version of the database, the open interface should exist as a standard. Another cause for celebration is the National Digital Library of Finland, which will be built with open source tools.
“The world is changing for the better, little by little”
Library API interface
Through the HelMet programming interface, anyone can inquire and use the collection data of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area libraries. The user can choose for the search results to be shown in either a JSON or a MarcXMLformat.
http://data.kirjastot.fi/
Supplier: Kisko Labs
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This is how the data was opened
2008 Antti Pakarinen, a project manager at the Helsinki City Library, becomes frustrated with the awkward information systems of the municipal libraries and suggests opening the library data for free use by open source developers.
Spring 2009 The Labs.kirjastot.fi project is launched. The project, funded by the Ministry of Education, seeks to build prototypes for new library services with agile development methods.
June 2010 The first data opening consists of the metadata of 680,000 works. “There had been a lot of talk about this previously, but we were the first major public library in Europe to open its data to the public.”
October 2010 The Helmet barcode scanner using the collection data received an award in the Apps4Finland contest. “It was a really important thing for us and it showed us what could be achieved through opening data.”
June 2011 An application programming interface to the library data is opened.
September 2011 The libraries of Southwest Finland open their collection data on the site data.kirjastot.fi.
January 2012 An outdoor poster campaign in Helsinki, designed to promote public awareness about open data and visualisation, uses library loan statistics to portray the popularity of the most borrowed books in the public libraries.
Who made it happen?
Antti Pakarinen ja Timo Tuominen
Designers in the Labs.kirjastot.fi project. Kirjastot.fi is the joint web service of public libraries, funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
What did it cost?
”Building the interface cost about 15 000 euro.”
Tips for those planning to open their data
1. ”Go ahead and publish. The data doesn’t have to be perfect. We have 670,000 records, and who cares if a few dozen of them contain typing errors.”
2. ”The data that you plan to open does not have to be something that someone needs. It can also be something that just makes the city more fun.”
Why is unlocking data important?
“It may speed up the development of public IT systems.”
Where is the data used?
HelMet barcode scanner
An Android application, with a barcode scanner that helps you to quickly identify the nearest library where a particular book is available.
HelMet pocket Library
A mobile service for iPhone and Android phones. It allows you to renew loans, reserve books and other works and search the HelMet libraries’ collection. The app also has a function that enables the user to borrow books and records directly from a friend, without visiting the library..