datos.bne.es and MARiMbA: an insight into Library Linked Data

Purpose – Linked data is gaining great interest in the cultural heritage domain as a new way for publishing, sharing and consuming data. The paper aims to provide a detailed method and MARiMbA a tool for publishing linked data out of library catalogues in the MARC 21 format, along with their application to the catalogue of the National Library of Spain in the datos.bne.es project. Design/methodology/approach – First, the background of the case study is introduced. Second, the method and process of its application are described. Third, each of the activities and tasks are defined and a discussion of their application to the case study is provided. Findings – The paper shows that the FRBR model can be applied to MARC 21 records following linked data best practices, librarians can successfully participate in the process of linked data generation following a systematic method, and data sources quality can be improved as a result of the process. Originality/value – The paper proposes a detailed method for publishing and linking linked data from MARC 21 records, provides practical examples, and discusses the main issues found in the application to a real case. Also, it proposes the integration of a data curation activity and the participation of librarians in the linked data generation process

FRBR, Facets, and Moving Images: A Literature Review

Annotated bibliography on resources related to FBRB, facets and moving images

New ways of creating and sharing bibliographic information: an experiment of using the Wikibase Data Model for UNIMARC data

Starting from the consideration that UNIMARC (and in general the MARC) is in fact an ontology, this contribution proposes to make it explicit and to convert it – only at a syntactic level – in Linked Data / RDF structures through the use of the Wikibase data model. The outcome could therefore become not only the publication of data as LOD, but also an environment for the production of bibliographic data, that allows different ontological approaches. We illustrate the possibility to achieve a restructuring of the UNIMARC record into distinct items by data type (potentially referred also to the different FRBR entities), retaining the possibility to recover all the information of the original format. Then we highlight the Wikibase solutions that become exploitable for the MARC: “usable version” of the record, with explicitation of the encoded values, and definitions connected to the data in the same system; identification of univocal data with URIs, as required in the context of the semantic web; source of the data recorded for each field; statistics on the presence of fields and subfields; new storage format natively designed for collaborative editing; export of all elements in standard RDF; support of modification via open API.Starting from the consideration that UNIMARC (and in general the MARC) is in fact an ontology, this contribution proposes to make it explicit and to convert it – only at a syntactic level – in Linked Data / RDF structures through the use of the Wikibase data model. The outcome could therefore become not only the publication of data as LOD, but also an environment for the production of bibliographic data, that allows different ontological approaches. We illustrate the possibility to achieve a restructuring of the UNIMARC record into distinct items by data type (potentially referred also to the different FRBR entities), retaining the possibility to recover all the information of the original format. Then we highlight the Wikibase solutions that become exploitable for the MARC: “usable version” of the record, with explicitation of the encoded values, and definitions connected to the data in the same system; identification of univocal data with URIs, as required in the context of the semantic web; source of the data recorded for each field; statistics on the presence of fields and subfields; new storage format natively designed for collaborative editing; export of all elements in standard RDF; support of modification via open API

Using metadata record graphs to understand controlled vocabulary and keyword usage for subject representation in the UNT theses and dissertations collection

An important function of metadata for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) is supporting the discovery of related documents through linking of data values in the fields of metadata records. While benefits of the ETD format allow for full-text searching, metadata is still an important and necessary component of the global ETD infrastructure because it is often not possible to share the full documents in aggregations such as the Global ETD Search for the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. The metadata field that has the most potential to assist users in discovery is the subject field used to represent what a resource is about. Over the years there has been much discussion of the value of author-generated keywords versus adding subject terms from controlled vocabularies by information professionals as documents are submitted to the University repository. This research seeks to explore this problem with the help of network analysis method not used for such analyzes before by building and analyzing metadata record graphs for the University of North Texas theses and dissertations. This paper reports on the characteristics of keyword-based and controlled-vocabulary-based metadata record networks and discussions insights that can be gained from this approach to metadata quality analysis. This research seeks to explore this problem with the help of network analysis method not used for such analyzes before by building and analyzing metadata record graphs for the University of North Texas theses and dissertations. This paper reports on the characteristics of keyword-based and controlled-vocabulary-based metadata record networks and discussions insights that can be gained from this approach to metadata quality analysis. This research seeks to explore this problem with the help of network analysis method not used for such analyzes before by building and analyzing metadata record graphs for the University of North Texas theses and dissertations. This paper reports on the characteristics of keyword-based and controlled-vocabulary-based metadata record networks and discussions insights that can be gained from this approach to metadata quality analysis

Report of the Stanford Linked Data Workshop

The Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources (SULAIR) with the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) conducted at week-long workshop on the prospects for a large scale, multi-national, multi-institutional prototype of a Linked Data environment for discovery of and navigation among the rapidly, chaotically expanding array of academic information resources. As preparation for the workshop, CLIR sponsored a survey by Jerry Persons, Chief Information Architect emeritus of SULAIR that was published originally for workshop participants as background to the workshop and is now publicly available. The original intention of the workshop was to devise a plan for such a prototype. However, such was the diversity of knowledge, experience, and views of the potential of Linked Data approaches that the workshop participants turned to two more fundamental goals: building common understanding and enthusiasm on the one hand and identifying opportunities and challenges to be confronted in the preparation of the intended prototype and its operation on the other. In pursuit of those objectives, the workshop participants produced:1. a value statement addressing the question of why a Linked Data approach is worth prototyping;2. a manifesto for Linked Libraries (and Museums and Archives and …);3. an outline of the phases in a life cycle of Linked Data approaches;4. a prioritized list of known issues in generating, harvesting & using Linked Data;5. a workflow with notes for converting library bibliographic records and other academic metadata to URIs;6. examples of potential “killer apps” using Linked Data: and7. a list of next steps and potential projects.This report includes a summary of the workshop agenda, a chart showing the use of Linked Data in cultural heritage venues, and short biographies and statements from each of the participants

BIBFRAME, Europeana and DPLA: The Future of Open Cultural Heritage?

This paper offers an in-depth look at current issues and challenges faced by libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions, including current trends in metadata harvesting, public access, and institutional interoperability to develop a deep understanding of the current practice and way forward for cultural heritage information access

Volume 32, Number 4, December 2012 OLAC Newsletter

Digitized December 2012 issue of the OLAC Newsletter