APIs
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WorldCat® Entities APIs
This suite of APIs is available to OCLC Meridian® subscribers and enables a variety of functions for creating, managing, and analyzing WorldCat Entities data.
Entity Management API
Create and curate WorldCat Entities linked data.
Entity Search API
Search WorldCat Entities to find identifiers that match descriptive text (strings).
PID Lookup API
Take an identifier from one vocabulary and provide back-matching identifiers in WorldCat Entities and/or other vocabularies.
Entity Changes API
The Entity Changes API provides a feed of changes across WorldCat Entities data, which allows users to update any local cache with the updated data.
Entity Connections API
Retrieve subsets of prescripted data relationships from WorldCat Entities and WorldCat data for use in local discovery applications.
Entity Query API
Query the entire WorldCat Entities dataset to surface connections, comparisons, relationships, and trends that can inform both research and strategic analysis.
WorldCat® Discovery Premium API package
Build and customize a full-featured discovery layer; enrich the discovery of collections on your website; and extend discovery to other websites, systems, and devices.
WorldCat Discovery API
Find search results from both WorldCat and WorldCat Discovery central index data in custom applications and interfaces.
New Titles API
Curate and display materials that libraries have recently cataloged or set WorldCat holdings.
Access Options API
Embed options for obtaining needed items, like e-resources and open access materials, in end user search results.
Citation API
Automate citation creation in applications via use of values like OCLC number, ISBN, and ISSN.
Library Profiles API
Help end users obtain the resources they discover in searches by surfacing library profile information like location and contact details.
Suggestions API
Help end users find materials more easily with automatic suggestions for alternate and preferred vocabulary and search terms.
Lists API
Support uses cases like class reading lists, course reserves, and weeding projects with lists of library materials.
Our API philosophy
- APIs are treated like products and are fundamental to OCLC's product strategy
- API naming, authorization, and other components must be consistent
- API use cases span all library areas and workflows
Our API ecosystem
- Partner applications and integrations
- Library community applications
- OCLC applications
Customer benefits
- Provide the flexibility to optimize workflows
- Create opportunities to extend the library reach
- Drive and sustain library community innovation