[OpenGLAM] Concerning historic records APIs

Tue Jun 25 04:40:40 UTC 2013

I've run into dead ends today trying to gain programmable access to
historic records via the FamilySearch API (which does not provide access to
the millions of records FS has digitized/indexed) [1] and the private
BillionGraves API (which requires a formal proposal of use to be submitted
before granting API acces) [2]. This has further reminded me of the need to
create and support open projects in the field of genealogy.

I have previously mentioned my interest is heading/steering an Open
Gravestones project to offer an open alternative to BillionGraves and Find
A Grave [3]. That interest remains and I have begun a repository here:
https://github.com/trobbins/Open-Gravestones/

Also feel free to add to the Google Doc of resources/ideas for the project:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dhvmF-WGlqp2T7OU27QM6LRcNdAsJhHzY3_-gW35py0/edit?usp=sharing

For now, what I've created is simply a web presence for the idea at this
point, but I hope to rally a few or more of you to the cause. Let's begin
the discussion here at least.

Cheers!

[1] https://familysearch.org/developers/docs/api/resources

[2] See for instance:
http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2012/06/20/grave-terms-of-use/

[3] Find A Grave recently revived their Terms of Service to prohibited use
of their data and any kind of web scraping as well:
http://www.findagrave.com/disclaimer.html

-- 
Tod Robbins
Digital Collections Librarian, MLIS
todrobbins.com | @todrobbins <http://www.twitter.com/#!/todrobbins>
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