Data Distribution & APIs
HathiTrust distributes information about items in the repository (and items themselves where possible) through a variety of mechanisms.
APIs
Bibliographic API
The Bib API returns bibliographic, copyright, and volume information (including permanent URLs) when queried with a variety of standard identifiers (e.g., ISBN, LCCN, OCLC, etc.). The API has controls to return brief or full bibliographic metadata, and is implemeted as a replacement for the (now deprecated) Rights API.
Data (page images, OCR text, and associated metadata)
HathiTrust has developed a Data API that makes it possible to retrieve page images, OCR text, rights information, and a variety of other data about objects in the repository. A draft specification for the API has been made available for comment from the HathiTrust partners. Please read the most recent Monthly Update for current status information.
OAI
The University of Michigan provides an OAI feed of MARC21 and unqualified Dublin Core records for public domain materials in HathiTrust (see http://www.lib.umich.edu/michigan-digitization-project-oai-harvesting for information about the Open Archives Initiative at the University of Michigan and the UM OAI toolkit for harvesting records).
- These records can be harvested through the following URLs:
- http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/o/oai/oai?verb=ListRecords&metadataPrefix=marc21&set=hathitrust
- http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/o/oai/oai?verb=ListRecords&metadataPrefix=oai_dc&set=hathitrust
In place of "set=hathitrust" at the end of the URLs above, use "set=hathitrust:pdus" to access public domain materials in the United States and "set=hathitrust:pd" to access materials whose status outside of the United States is unknown.
Tab-delimited Files
Metadata identifying the contents of HathiTrust repository are available for download as tab-delimited files. These files include a small number of bibliographic elements to aid an institution in making decisions as to records they want to retrieve. That is, the metadata made available here are a tool that can be used to help obtain records and add links to existing records in local systems. Full documentation on these metadata is available under HathiTrust Metadata. Using the metadata described above, an institution may acquire records through one of the following methods:
- The OCLC identifier can be used to retrieve records either via Connexion or from the OCLC z39.50 server using USE attribute 12.
- The source institution's record number can be used in obtaining records directly from that institution. Contact the source institution directly for further information about access to their data.
- Use the University of Michigan record identifier to retrieve records via z39.50, hostname z3950.lib.umich.edu, port 210, USE attribute 12.
The Bib API can be used in conjunction with these metadata for purposes such as including records in a local catalog. It provides rights and permanent URL information about each volume, in addition to bibliographic information.
HathiTrust and OCLC records
Participating institutions in HathiTrust are working with OCLC to develop a process to add HathiTrust records to OCLC's WorldCat. As this effort progresses, WorldCat should link to more HathiTrust content over time.
