Wikipedia:Forward to Libraries
This is an information page. It is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines; rather, its purpose is to explain certain aspects of Wikipedia's norms, customs, technicalities, or practices. It may reflect differing levels of consensus and vetting. |
This page in a nutshell: Forward to Libraries finds books on a Wikipedia article's subject at a reader's local library. |
Owner | Wikimedia Foundation |
---|---|
Created by | John Mark Ockerbloom and the Wikimedia community |
URL | toolforge:ftl/cgi-bin/ftl |
Commercial | No |
Registration | none |
Launched | May 15, 2013 |
Content license | Free license |
Forward to Libraries (FTL) is a service provided to Wikipedia readers to find books on an article's subject. The service links an article's subject to a search of books at that reader's local library in their city. It is configured by the reader using
Usage
The first time a reader clicks on a "resources in your library" FTL link from a Wikipedia article, the reader is taken to a landing page on
When the reader chooses a library, they will be sent to a search for the Wikipedia article's subject in that library's catalog, discovery search, or website. If remembered, the preferred library is recorded in a cookie in the readers' web browser. The next time the reader clicks a "resources in your library" link in a Wikipedia article, they will be taken directly to a search in their preferred library, and see what books and other resources the library has on the subject of the article.
Readers can also search in any other library known to the system, by choosing "resources in other libraries" links instead of "resources in your library" links. Readers can also change their preferred library at any time, by clicking on a "resources in other libraries" link and then choosing the "set a different preferred library for future searches" link from the landing page. Users can suggest additional libraries to be added to the system, or request an update of an existing library's configuration, via a request form.
The FTL searches can also search by author, so when a reader is viewing the article about the author Dean Koontz, they can search for books about Dean Koontz or search for books written by Dean Koontz.
In addition to finding books at a reader's local library, the service can also find free-licensed books online about a subject by using data from the Online Books Page.
Adding libraries
Libraries are regularly added to the FTL database. Users can request a specific library be added by using the request form at onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu.
Overview
The software was developed by
Software
Forward to Libraries uses the
The software is available on GitHub at github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl.
Templates
The service is currently used on Wikipedia through the following templates.
- {{Library resources box}}
- {{Library resources about}}
- {{Library resources by}}
- {{Library link about}}
- {{Library link by}}
Further reading
- Ockerbloom, John Mark (4 March 2013). "From Wikipedia to our libraries". Everybody's Libraries. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
Developer's public announcement. - ----- (5 November 2013). "Forward to Libraries: Experiences connecting digital libraries, local libraries, and Wikipedia" (PDF). Retrieved 11 September 2015.
Quick graphic overview, with screenshots of various templates at work. From Ockerbloom's talk at Digital Library Federation forum in Austin, TX. - Doctorow, Cory (5 March 2013). "Wikipedia and libraries: a match made in heaven". Boing Boing. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
Influential writer's early response to announcement. - The Interior (18 March 2013). "Meeting in the middle: Wikipedia and libraries". The Signpost. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
Interview with developer.