Request an API WSKey

Find out how to request an API WSKey from the OCLC Developer Network.

Request a custom API WSKey

You can request a production or sandbox WSKey from the Developer Network WSKey user interface.

  1. Navigate to the Developer Network WSKey user interface.
  2. Search for your institution by OCLC symbol, institution name, or zip code, and then click CONTINUE.
  3. Enter your User Name and Password, and then click SIGN IN. The WSKeys screen opens.
  4. Click Request A WSKey in the left navigation.
  5. Click Request A Custom Key.
  6. Select the type of key you want to request and then click Next.
    • Production - Production WSKeys will need approval from OCLC.
       Note: The Sandbox WSKey for the Metadata API should be requested as a Production WSKey. A Sandbox WSKey will be included with it.
    • Sandbox - Sandbox WSKeys will be created immediately.
  7. Select an application type and then click Next.
    • I Don't Know
    • Native App - A mobile or desktop app that runs natively in a device (e.g., iOS, Android).
    • Single-Page App (SPAs) - A JavaScript application that performs most of its user interface logic in a web browser, communicating with a web server primarily using APIs (e.g., AngularJS + Node.js, React).
    • Regular Web App - A traditional web application that performs most of its application logic on the server (e.g., Express.js, ASP.NET).
    • Machine-to-Machine (M2M) App - A non-interactive application, such as command-line tools, daemons, IoT devices, or services running on your back-end. Typically, you use this option if you have a service that requires access to an API or you are building an application where you don’t expect the user to login.
  8. Select the API(s) you want this WSKey to have access to and then click Next. You may request a WSKey with access to one or more services.
     Note: Contact the OCLC Developer Network Support team if you don't see an API you were expecting to find and think your institution is eligible for.
  9. Complete the following text fields and then click Next.
    1. Enter a name to help you identify this WSKey (e.g., the name of the project or application you're working on) in the WSKEY Name text field.
    2. Enter a Redirect URI for this WSKey. If you are building an application that will utilize one of our OAuth 2 flows, enter the redirect URI that your web or mobile application will use to respond to and catch user logins. For more information, see the Access Token documentation.

       Note: You will not be asked for a redirect URI if you choose Machine-to-Machine (M2M) App as your application type.

    3. Provide a reason for your request in the What is the reason for this request? text field. This field has a 300 character limit.
  10. Read the terms and conditions for the application, select all checkboxes on the screen, and then click Accept.

Request a community API WSKey

You can request a production WSKey for popular community or OCLC applications from the Developer Network WSKey user interface.

 Note: Contact the OCLC Developer Network Support team if you don't see a community application you were expecting to find.

  1. Navigate to the Developer Network WSKey user interface.
  2. Search for your institution by OCLC symbol, institution name, or zip code, and then click CONTINUE.
  3. Enter your User Name and Password, and then click SIGN IN. The WSKeys screen opens.
  4. Click Request A WSKey in the left navigation.
  5. Click the Request button for the community application you want to request.
    • MARCEdit - Integration between MARCEdit application and WorldCat Search API. This key will have access to:
      • Read data from WorldCat Registry
      • View brief bibliographic data, summary library holdings, and library holdings; manage bibliographic data, local bibliographic data, and local holdings data
    • MatchMARC - MatchMARC integration with WorldCat Search and Metadata APIs. This key will have access to:
      • Search WorldCat Data
      • View brief bibliographic data, summary library holdings, and library holdings; manage bibliographic data, local bibliographic data, and local holdings data
    • Parallelogram - A Cloud App for Alma developed by Princeton University that generates parallel fields for bibliographic records. This key will have access to:
      • View brief bibliographic data, summary library holdings, and library holdings; manage bibliographic data, local bibliographic data, and local holdings data
    • WMS Label Application - Label application for WMS Customers. This key will have access to:
      • Search WorldCat Data
      • Manage institution local holding data records
  6. Click Next after you have read that access the key will provide.
  7. Enter a name to help you identify this WSKey (e.g., the name of the project or application you're working on) in the WSKEY Name text field. 
  8. Read the terms and conditions for the application, select all checkboxes on the screen, and then click Accept.