APIs and Agents; MCP and WebMCP, the Next Generation for Scholarly Infrastructure: A 2027 NISO Training Series

Training Series

Scope

The arrival of AI agents has not made APIs obsolete—it has added a second class of consumer to the interfaces our organizations already maintain. This series treats agent access as an extension of API strategy rather than a replacement for it, working from the standards participants know toward the ones now forming, including MCP and WebMCP, COUNTER's optional Agent access method, rights signaling, and trust markers. Each session pairs a working example with a guest practitioner building this in production, including optional hands-on labs for those who want them.

Who Should Take This Course

Ideal for technology professionals, systems librarians, publishers, product managers, and organizational leaders responsible for APIs, digital infrastructure, interoperability, and emerging AI applications.

Training Facilitator

Raymond Yee is a software developer, educator, and consultant who helps people work with AI thoughtfully. He holds a Ph.D. in biophysics from UC Berkeley and has worked at the intersection of technology, data, and education for most of his career. For two decades he has taught and built with web APIs, beginning at the UC Berkeley School of Information, and he served on the Zotero Project's initial advisory board. Much of his current work is in scholarly infrastructure: he is a technical contributor to iSamples, an NSF-funded system for describing and finding physical research samples, and he is modernizing unglue.it, the Free Ebook Foundation's ebook platform, using AI-assisted development. He first taught in UC Berkeley's Academic Talent Development Program in the 1990s and returned in 2026 to teach "Working and Thinking with AI." Raymond is an erstwhile tubaist, admirer of J. S. Bach, and son of industrious Chinese-Canadian restaurateurs.

Course Duration and Dates

The series consists of eight (8) weekly segments, each lasting 90 minutes. Specific dates are:

March 30
April 6, 13, 20, 27
May 4, 11, 18

Each session will be recorded and links to that archived recording will be disseminated to course registrants within 2 business days of the close of the specific session.

Additional Information

Broadcast Platform

NISO uses the Zoom platform for the purpose of broadcasting our live events. Zoom provides apps for a variety of computing devices (tablets, laptops, etc.) To view the broadcast, you will need a device that supports the Zoom app. Attendees may also choose to listen just to audio on their phones. Sign-on credentials include the necessary dial-in numbers, if that is your preference. Once notified of their availability, recordings may be viewed from the Zoom platform.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Registrants may cancel their participation and receive a refund, less a $30 administrative fee, provided written notice is received by NISO at nisohq@niso.org at least seven calendar days before the first scheduled session of the Training Series.

Cancellations received fewer than seven calendar days before the first session are not eligible for a refund.

Broadcast Platform and Recordings

NISO Training Series are delivered through Zoom. Participants may join using a compatible computer, tablet, or mobile device. Telephone audio access is also available, with dial-in information provided in the session instructions.

Session recordings will be made available for viewing through Zoom once they have been processed and released to registrants.

Code of Conduct

All participants are expected to comply with the NISO Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct applies to all NISO events and programs.

Event Dates

March 30, 2026 11:00am – May 18, 2026 12:30pm

Registration

Registration closes on April 19, 2026 05:00pm

To sign up: See our registration page

Fees

Members:

Early bird registration: Register by 11:59 pm EDT March 15 and pay a discounted rate of USD $750.00.
Register on or after March 16 and pay USD $850.00

Non-Members:

Early bird registration: Register by 11:59 pm EDT March 15 and pay a discounted rate of USD $825.00
Register on or after March 16 and pay USD $925.00

Group Rates:

Tier One
- 3-5 individuals - 17% discount
Tier Two
- 6-9 individuals - 25% discount
Tier Three
- 10+ individuals - 30% discount

Global Access Rate:

Applies to libraries in countries defined by the World Bank as low-income (GNI per capita of $1,085 or less in 2021), lower middle-income (GNI of $1,086 - $4,255) or upper middle-income ($4,256 - $13,205).

$100 USD

Please note that it is not possible to register for individual program segments or lectures.

Additionally, please register using an institutional/work email. You can check your institutional membership status here.

Location

Educational events are online programs. NISO uses the Zoom platform for purposes of broadcasting our live events. Zoom provides apps for a variety of computing devices (tablets, laptops, etc.) To view the broadcast, you will need a device that supports the Zoom app.

Attendees may also choose to listen just to audio on their phones. Sign-on credentials include the necessary dial-in numbers, if that is your preference.

Registrants receive sign-on instructions three days prior to the scheduled virtual session If you have not received your instructions by the day before a session please contact NISO headquarters for assistance via email (nisohq@niso.org).

This is an 8-week series, with each weekly segment having a duration of 90 minutes. It is a virtual event. NISO uses the Zoom platform to deliver our virtual events. Please check your system in advance to make sure it meets Zoom (US) requirements.