Using APIs to GET data from Vancouver's Open Data Catalogue

Heard the term API but not quite sure how it can help you gather data for research or analysis? This beginner‑friendly presentation and workshop will introduce the basics of how APIs work and give you hands‑on practice making simple data requests using the most common type of API, called a REST API.

By the end of the workshop, active participants will be able to:

1. Recognize the different parts of an API request link (URL)
2. Make a basic API request using an online tool called Postman
3. Write or adjust an API request link to include your own search terms
4. Understand data that comes back in JSON format
5. Know the general meaning behind response codes starting with 2, 4, and 5
6. Explain what authentication, pagination, and response headers are in the context of APIs

Cairo Sanders is UVic Libraries Data Analyst supporting the Libraries with organizational analysis, including data collection and reporting