Why an API?
The IDS Open API was first developed in 2012 to make the extensive bibliographic datasets of two IDS Knowledge Services, Eldis and Bridge accessible programmatically to other organisations and individuals. Our aim was to enable others to repurpose and contextualise this knowledge in new and creative ways so that it could reach new audiences.
As an organisation, IDS strongly supports open access to research materials and believes that access and availability of diverse and relevant evidence is a vital component of effective programme design and policy-making. Making data from our knowledge services available via an Open API supports our strategic priority to champion the use of evidence for social and environmental justice.
What is the data?
Data available through the IDS API is bibliographic information about research documents and other resources relating to global development issues. Typically it contains information such as title, authors’ name, publication date and publisher as well as a brief summary or synopsis of what the documents contain, thematic and geographical information, keywords and links to the full-text (usually PDF) document usually hosted on the publishers own website.
This bibliographic data, compiled by IDS in the delivery of various programmes, is licensed by us under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Please note that copyright and rights relating to the use of the full text documents described by the data remain with the publisher.
The available data is curated by two IDS flagship services:
Eldis, a web portal sharing a broad range of publications on global development research, policy and practice.
BRIDGE, a programme which supported gender advocacy and mainstreaming with print and online information services.
Who we are
The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) delivers world-class research, learning and teaching that transforms the knowledge, action and leadership needed for more equitable and sustainable development globally.
IDS has pioneered approaches to linking up the supply of inclusive research with the demand for evidence from governments, donors, international development agencies, and civil society.
We have over 25 years experience designing and developing innovative digital research communications products. Our Knowledge, Impact and Policy Cluster advises on best practise in the use of digital technologies for knowledge exchange and works with a range of global partners to curate and share diverse evidence to inform policy and practice.
You can find out more about the work of the Knowledge Impact and Policy cluster at IDS and our current projects and programmes on the IDS website.