Efficient distribution of event data

Publicdrum is a free service that simplifies how event data is distributed.

Overview:
A public service that permits event data to be shared - rather than reentered into multiple web forms. (read more )

Publicdrum is not a calendar:

We are an automated data service - designed for you to use to save time displaying and distrbuting your event information.

We are non-profit, open source, collaboratively developed and all services are free.

Costs and privacy:

There are no costs to use this service - we don't sell data or take advertising and anyone is welcome to use Publicdrum.

Registration:

Registration is not required to use the data. If you want to enter events, or aggregate feeds from multiple organizations, you will need to register. (Registration Form)

After submitting your registration form and responding to the confirming email, you are ready to go. We strongly suggest you describe your organization using the profile form - it will help the public and media find you and your events.

Services:

The data and our open source code are free to use and distribute. We offer a wide range of tools that can be used to find, select, aggregate, extract and display event data. See the sections below to learn how we connect the people involved in bringing event information to the public. Continue reading...

The problem we are addressing:

Most people putting on public events spend hours re-entering event information - into your website, social network pages, your ticketing company, emails - plus all the webforms for the newspapers, broadcasters and web outlets you use.

Why?

Outlets want you to fill out a web form because it saves time - but it doesn't really - it just shifts the burden from the outlet to you.
You end up having to choose which outlets get your information - and thus limiting your public visibility.
Same with your website or social networks - your information needs to be up-to-date because some people will see it - but how much time can you afford to invest?

The fact is, to reach the public today, you need to be as many places as possible - which can be prohibitively time consuming.

Our solution:

Publicdrum gives you a place to enter your event information once - your 'master copy' becomes widely available for use via the web.

This allows you to automate many of your routine promotion tasks - and spend less time filling in web forms.
And, it assures publishers that the event data is reliable, accurate and timely - they have a direct path to the primary source.

We are a technology co-operative created to explore and share the newest technology. We figure it out as a group - so we as individuals don't have to.

YOU can easily:

Automate your website's calendar.
Create more informative emails.
Cross promote with related organizations.
Cut the time required to update your social media (Facebook, Twitter).
Automate distribution of your event information to the media.

Additional Resources.

Learn how Publicdrum can help contributors save time and promote more effectively!

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What we provide:
Publicdrum is an automated database and tools that let you enter, extract, display and distribute the event information it contains. (see how)

We provide a web form where you can enter and manage your event information - doing so creates a 'master copy' of your data that can be used widely on the web.

Then we provide tools that let you use this data - or, if you like, combine it with other users or send to the media.

You can create great looking calendars displaying your events for your web page or put a link in your blog, emails or your social network pages..
You can easily combine the events from any number of other users - cross promote and build audience by creating a 'community calendar' of like minded groups.
You can add your media contacts and they will automatically get a 'heads up' email of your events.
You can extract your data for use in other applications, plus you are availabe for use by aggregators, developers and other web calendars.

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Examples:
See what you can do with the data entered into Publicdrum... (read more)

Example 1: Display your events:

Here is an example: Check out the Ten Pound Fiddle's home page.

This calendar is fully automatic - the web master no longer has to maintain it - the booking manager simply logs in to Publicdrum and enters or revises the event data. The rest is magic (almost)! Show me how...

Lets say you have entered a few events into Publicdrum and want to display them. You do this by telling the data base what data you want - how to display it.

Easiest way is a link

A link can be used almost anywhere - a blog, social network site, email or my own website.

For example, lets say I was user #1. The link to display the events I have entered would be:

http://suapi2.org/api/1/o/tcc/

The key is the user ID ( the /1/ part) and how to display the data ( /tcc/ puts the data into our basic tabular calendar).

A link is nice...

but you can also display the calendar right on a page by enclosing it in an 'i frame'.

Here is the actual code that builds the Ten Pound Fiddle calendar - it gets the data, builds the calendar even sets a background color:

Try it - copy this code and paste it onto a web page. It will give you our basic calendar displaying the events of user #1 (The Ten Pound Fiddle).

Obviously you will want to display YOUR events, just change the /1/ (in the 'src' line) to your (or any other) user ID. Likewise, If you don't like the way the data is displayed, there are several other calendar available that may fit your needs better.

Another cool thing about an automatic calendars: they refresh each time it is viewed - any change you make to your event data instantly appears everywhere that data is displayed!.

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Example 2: Combine and display events from multiple users:

The example 1 displays the events entered by one user - but you can also combine (aggregate) the event data from any number of users.

Have a look at Michigan Folk Live's concert calendar. Again fully automatic - any time anyone changes an event at Publicdrum - it instantly updates here. Show me how...

Steve (the owner of Michign Folk Live) simply put this link on his site:

http://suapi2.org/w1.php?wid=2&s=s4&p=m

That's it - even simpler than the previous example!

Steve controls who's events will apear on his calendar by logging into Publicdrum and putting a check by the ones he wants. Beyond that, everything goes on with out any intervention on his part.

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Example 3: Getting the data and building your own calendar:

We can also provide just the data - so if you are handy, you can build exactly the calendar you want. Check out AACTMAD's event calendar, combining the events from dozens of groups in Michigan. Show me how...

Their web page requests their aggregated data as JSON data - and Robert uses Java Script to display it. (Hint: simply look at the page's source code to see how he did it).

He also does something cool - he uses a filter on his data. His calendar does not display all events his users have entered - only those classed as 'dance'. The database permits all sorts of options - you can get pretty much anything you want.

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Example 4: Use your event information in Word, Dreamweaver - any application:

You can copy the event you've entered for use in any other application - no need to ever type it again! Show me how...

Lets say you wanted to make a word document listing your events. Simple, use this link to extract them as html - then cut and paste into any application.

http://suapi2.org/api/1/o/html/

You can get them as text, html, xml, rss, json or ical.

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Other ways people can use Publicdrum.

Community calendaring and advocacy:
If you are a Visitor Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, club or other group, you can easily combine and display the events from many organizations. (see how)

Video:

Learn how to combine events from many organizations into a single 'community calendar'.
Step by step guide to creating a community calendar using Publicdrum.

The problem we are addressing:

Highly visible and trusted advocates like a Visitor Bureau, Chamber of Commerce or region Arts organization play an important role informing visitors and residents

Providing calendar services can be time consuming and expensive. Declining funding makes it even more challenging.
Getting people to submit their events often proves difficult - and the result is time spent seeking data or encouraging participation.

Our solution:

Since we help contributors promote their events in many ways, they are motivated to enter and maintain their data.

We make this data - and open source tools to select, aggregate and display it - available for free to anyone who will display it to the public.
Publicdrum can help cut (or eliminate) the cost of providing a community calendar.

YOU can easily:

Aggregate event data from multiple contributors.
Import event data directly into your current calendar system.
Replace your current calendar system with a free, open source alternative.

Additional Resources.

Learn more with our step by step guide how publicdrum can help third party advocates provide community calendars.

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Museums or galleries:
If you are a Museum or Gallery - simplify how the public searches for exhibits. (see how)

The problem we are addressing:

Most web calendars are designed to handle discrete events - not exhibitions extending for weeks or months.

Most event calendars do not display continuing events - like museum exhibitions.
Publishers seeking story leads or calendar content have no single index of regional exhibitions.

Our solution:

Publicdrum has expanded its data services to include events that extend over long periods of time - typical of museum and gallery exhibitions.

This makes it possible for:

Museums associations to easily create a combined calendar aimed at informing the public about exhibitions throughout the region.
News outlets can quickly find information they may want to publish.
Existing web calendars can add an additional resource to their pages.

The next step:.

Visit our "calendaring for continuing exhibits' section for examples, ideas and 'how to' sample code for your web developer.

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Developer:
If you work with event data - as a developer or with your own calendar or publishing system, you can aggregate and extract event data for use in new or existing applications. (see how)

The problem:

A calendar is only as good as it's content - but getting valid event data in useful formats can be difficult.

Our solution:

Publicdrum allows developers and data managers to offload the task of data acquisition and validation. This permits you to focus on creating new or populating your existing calendar applications.

We are a free, public data service designed with developers in mind.

Get complete access to event data in all common internet formats.
Import selected data into you current application's database or flat file - or embed an API call.
Avoid writing an admin function - instead allow users to maintain their data in a public, shared resource and extract it as a feed.
Provide your clients with a free, open source calendar system for their web or print applications.

Our Services:

Learn about our API.

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