A Promising but Complex Idea
When Book Corners was launched, the idea was straightforward: allow users to submit public libraries that would then be shared worldwide via OpenStreetMap (OSM). OSM, with its thousands of already mapped libraries, provided Book Corners a solid starting point. However, syncing new Book Corners data back to OSM proved more complicated than anticipated.
The Challenges of Contributing to OSM
Contributing to OSM isn't just about API connectivity. It requires adherence to strict guidelines concerning external data imports. Even if data is verified by an administrator, it might be considered external by OSM. This imposes numerous requirements:
- Create and maintain a dedicated import account on OSM.
- Publish a detailed import plan on the OSM Wiki.
- Document the data source, licensing, duplicate detection, and quality procedures.
- Open a proposal on the OSM Community Forum and contact relevant local communities.
- Maintain permanent links between the import account, plan, discussions, and changesets.
Legal and Quality Implications
Besides technical requirements, licensing questions complicate matters. For example, obtaining explicit user consent to share their contributions can be legally complex. Additionally, ensuring data quality to avoid duplicates or errors requires significant resources.
Why Syncing Was Abandoned
After reviewing these challenges, the Book Corners team decided not to proceed with automatic syncing of contributions to OSM. The administrative process and legal implications were too burdensome compared to the expected benefits. They chose to focus on improving the user experience within the app itself.
Conclusion
While the idea of syncing Book Corners contributions with OSM is appealing, the technical and legal realities made it unviable. This underscores the importance of thoroughly assessing community and legal requirements before undertaking such integration.
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