Purpose
This document is to help you connect your library's RBdigital collection to your Library Simplified circulation manager.
Getting Access
To connect your library's RBdigital account to your Library Simplified circulation manager, you must have two key data elements:
RBdigital's numeric ID for the library
An API access token
Finding the Numeric ID
Assuming the library has registered with RBdigital for service, you can find its RBdigital numeric id by searching the RBdigital API with a non-authenticated request. Let's assume the library's name is "Somewhere County Library". Search the API by copying the following URL into your web browser to submit the request.
http://api.rbdigital.com/v1/suggestive/libraries?q=somewhere
You will receive a response that looks something like the following document. Obviously, this is just an example, with 'St' being a two-letter state abbreviation. If the distinctive portion of the name you search for is really distinctive, you may only receive one result; however, you may also receive multiple "similar" results as shown.
[ { "url": "somewherest.rbdigital.com/", "id": "888", "category": "ST", "value": "somewhere-county-library", "label": "Somewhere County Library" }, { "url": "somewheretx.rbdigital.com/", "id": "9999", "category": "TX", "value": "somewhere-public-library", "label": "Somewhere Public Library" }]
Requesting an Access Token
RBdigital used basic HTTP authentication for securing access to its API. You will need an access token provided by RBdigital staff to facilitate the authentication in API requests. The "basic token" is a UUID value of the form AB71A495-49D1-2C8E-417A-EBB7FB66F51E. The exact letter values may be different, but the form will be the same.
The best method of communication to obtain the token is email. We've provided a basic email template you can use below. The To field address (yoursupport@recordedbooks.com) is correct. For the rest of the message, substitute your library's information for the values shown in angle brackets.
To: yoursupport@recordedbooks.comFrom: <personal emailname>@<somewherecounty.com>
Subject: RBDigital API Credentials for SimplyE Partner Library
Our library is implementing the SimplyE platform to provide aggregated access to our ebook and audiobook resources. To integrate our RBdigital collection, we need to obtain an access token (UUID). Specific library information is included below.
RBdigital numeric ID: <888>
<Somewhere County Library123 W. Anywhere Ave.Somewhere, ST 99999>
Thank you for your assistance.
In case there is any confusion or problems, the street/mailing address will serve to uniquely identify the library.
Once you submit your email, you will receive an automated response with a case number within just a few minutes. Approximately one day later you can expect to receive a second email indicating your request has been escalated to the developer team for assistance. You can expect the response from the developers to take longer, perhaps several days. Because obtaining the access token can take a while, we recommend making the request as early in your implementation process as possible.
Configuring the Circulation Manager
- Open a web browser and enter the URL to your Circulation Manager's Admin interface: for example, https://simplye.libraryname-state.org/admin
- In the top menu bar, click System Configuration to enter into the Configuration Manager portion of the Admin interface.
- Click the Collections item from the left menu.
- Click Create a new collection
- Select the RBDigital item from the Protocol drop down field
Fill in the configuration form
Under Name, enter a descriptive phrase for the collection: for example, Somewhere County Library - RBdigital
Under Basic Token, enter token provided by RBdigital (as shown above)
Under Library ID, enter the RBdigital library ID you found for your library above
- Add your library record to the configuration:
Select your library from the Add Library drop down list
(Optional, to assist in estimating hold/due periods) Enter a value in days into the Audiobook Loan Duration field
(Optional, as above) Enter a value in days into the Ebook Loan Duration field
Click the Add Library button to attach your library record to the collection
- Click the Submit button to save the RBdigital collection configuration
