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GeoBTAA API & Linked Data

DRAFT Specification / Work in Progress

This portion of the BTAA GIN site, our GeoBTAA API, and our Linked Data offerings are a WORK IN PROGRESS. Please reach out if you have questions or wish to participate in bringing these resources to public release.

Welcome to the GeoBTAA API and Linked Data homepage. This comprehensive platform provides both a RESTful API for geospatial metadata discovery and a collection of linked data assets for the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) geospatial data infrastructure.

Overview

The GeoBTAA API platform consists of two primary components: 1) the GeoBTAA API and 2) our Linked Data Assets

GeoBTAA API Architecture

BTAA API Presentation

Review a slide deck from the original presentation. Google Slides - BTAA Geodata API

GeoBTAA API

A read-only, OpenGeoMetadata API-compliant web service for programmatically accessing, searching, and retrieving metadata records that conform to the BTAA GIN's GeoBTAA extended-OGM Aardvark schema.

GeoBTAA API Documentation

Key Features

  • RESTful Design - Predictable, cache-friendly URLs
  • OpenGeoMetadata API Compliance - Built on open standards
  • Faceted Spatial Search - Full-text, faceted geospatial discovery
  • Structured Metadata - JSON-LD formatted responses
  • Client-Friendly - Powers search interfaces and GIS applications

Linked Data Assets

A collection of semantic web resources that provide standardized data models and schemas for BTAA geospatial metadata.

Linked Data Asset Documentation

Available Assets:

  • Contexts - JSON-LD context files for data modeling
  • Profiles - JSON-LD data profiles and specifications
  • Schemas - JSON Schema definitions for validation

Quick Start

For API Users

  1. Read the API Documentation - Complete specification and examples
  2. Check Authentication - API key requirements
  3. Explore Endpoints - Available API operations
  4. Review Rate Limits - Usage guidelines

For Linked Data Developers

  1. Browse Linked Data Assets - Contexts, profiles, and schemas
  2. Check Schemas - JSON Schema validation
  3. Review API Reference - Technical specifications
  4. Explore Standards - Compliance and interoperability

Use Cases

Academic Libraries

  • Power geospatial discovery interfaces, like the BTAA Geoportal
  • Integrate with existing library systems
  • Provide standardized metadata access

Researchers

  • Automate metadata discovery workflows
  • Access structured geospatial data
  • Build reproducible research pipelines

Developers

  • Create GIS applications and plugins
  • Build search and discovery tools
  • Integrate with existing geospatial workflows

Data Providers

  • Standardized metadata formats
  • Ensure interoperability
  • Improve data discoverability

Example API Integrations

BTAA Geoportal (New React Frontend)

A prototype React frontend was created to display the feature parity of the new backend API with GeoBlacklight.

BTAA Geoportal - API Backend, React Frontend

QGIS Plugin

A prototype QGIS Plugin was developed to display the potential to reuse and integrate GeoBTAA data directly into the tools GIS researchers use on a daily basis.

QGIS Plugin

Claude Desktop (MCP Integration)

A proof-of-concept integration into Claude Desktop displays the potential for integrating GeoBTAA resources into cutting-edge AI/LLM research tools.

Claude Desktop - MCP Integration

Getting Started

API Access

# Example API request
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
     https://api.geobtaa.org/resources

Support & Community

This project is part of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Geospatial Data Infrastructure.