Semantic MARC, MARC21 and the Semantic Web

The MARC standard for exchanging bibliographic data has been in use for several decades and is used by major libraries worldwide. This paper discusses the possibilities of representing the most prevalent form of MARC, MARC21, as RDF for the Semantic Web, and aims to understand the tradeoffs, if any, resulting from transforming the data. Critically our approach goes beyond a simple transliteration of the MARC21 record syntax to develop rich semantic descriptions of the varied things which may be described using bibliographic records. We present an algorithmic approach for consistently generating URIs from textual data, discuss the algorithmic matching of author names and suggest how RDF generated from MARC records may be linked to other data sources on the Web

Libraries and Information Systems Need XML/RDF... but Do They Know It?

This article presents an approach to the uses of XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and Semantic Web technologies in the field of information services, focusing mainly on the creation and management of digital libraries compared to traditional libraries, while paying special attention to the concept and application of metadata, and RDF based integration

Transforming Library Catalogs into Linked Data

Traditionally, in most digital library environments, the discovery of resources takes place mostly through the harvesting and indexing of the metadata content. Such search and retrieval services provide very effective ways for persons to find items of interest but lacks the ability to lead users looking for potential related resources or to make more complex queries. In contrast, modern web information management techniques related to Semantic Web, a new form of the Web, encourages institutions, including libraries, to collect, link and share their data across the web in order to ease its processing by machines and humans offering better queries and results increasing the visibility and interoperability of the data. Linked Data technologies enable connecting related data across the Web using the principles and recommendations set out by Tim Berners-Lee in 2006, resulting on the use of URIs (Uniform Resource Identifier) as identifiers for objects, and the use of RDF (Resource Description Framework) for links representation. Today, libraries are giving increasing importance to the Semantic Web in a variety of ways like creating metadata models and publishing Linked Data from authority files, bibliographic catalogs, digital projects information or crowdsourced information from another projects like Wikipedia. This paper reports a process for publishing library metadata on the Web using Linked Data technologies. The proposed process was applied for extracting metadata from a university library, representing them in RDF format and publishing them using a Sparql endpoint (an interface to a knowledge database). The library metadata from a subject were linked to external sources such us another libraries and then related to the bibliography from syllabus of the courses in order to discover missing subjects and new or out of date bibliography. In this process, the use of open standards facilitates the exploitation of knowledge from libraries.This research has been partially supported by the Prometeo project by SENESCYT, Ecuadorian Government, by CEDIA (Consorcio Ecuatoriano para el Desarrollo de Internet Avanzado) supporting the project: “Platform for publishing library bibliographic resources using Linked Data technologies” and by the project GEODAS-BI (TIN2012-37493-C03-03) supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (MINECO)

Producing Linked Open Dataset from Bibliographic Data with Integration of External Data Sources for Academic Libraries

This paper has focused on transformation of bibliographic data to linked open data (LOD) as RDF(Resource Description Framework) triple model with integration of external resources. Library & Information centres and knowledge centres deal with various types of databases like bibliographic databases, full text databases, archival databases, statistical databases, CD/DVD ROM databases and more. Presently, web technology changes storing, processing, and disseminating services rapidly. The semantic web technology is an advance technology of web platform which provides structured data on web for describing and retrieving by the organization or institutions. It may provide more information from other external resources to the users. The main objective of this paper is transformation of library bibliographic data, based on MARC21, to RDF triple format as LOD with enrichment of external LOD dataset. External resources like OpenLibrary, VIAF, Wikidata, DBpedia, GeoNames etc. We have proposed a Workflow model (Figure-1) to visualize details steps, activities, components for transforming bibliographic data to LOD dataset. The methodology of this work includes the various methods and steps for conducting such research work. Here we have used an open source tool OpenRefine (version 3.2), formally it is known as GoogleRefine. The OpenRefine tool is used for managing and organizing the messy data with different attribute like row-column manipulation, reconciliation manipulation, different format manipulation like XML, JSON, N-Triple, RDF etc. The OpenRefine tool has played the various roles for the research work such as insertion of URI column, link generation, reconciliation data for external sources, conversion of source format to RDF format etc. After conversion of whole bibliographic data into RDF triple format as considerable LOD dataset. At the production page we may find a RDF file of bibliographic data. This LOD dataset may further be used by the organizations or institutions for their advanced bibliographic service

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

Current state of Linked Data in digital libraries

The Semantic Web encourages institutions, including libraries, to collect, link and share their data across the Web in order to ease its processing by machines to get better queries and results. Linked Data technologies enable us to connect related data on the Web using the principles outlined by Tim Berners-Lee in 2006. Digital libraries have great potential to exchange and disseminate data linked to external resources using Linked Data. In this paper, a study about the current uses of Linked Data in digital libraries, including the most important implementations around the world, is presented. The study focuses on selected vocabularies and ontologies, benefits and problems encountered in implementing Linked Data in digital libraries. In addition, it also identifies and discusses specific challenges that digital libraries face, offering suggestions for ways in which libraries can contribute to the Semantic Web. The study uses an adapted methodology for literature review, to find data available to answer research questions. It is based on the information found in the library websites recommended by W3C Library Linked Data Incubator Group in 2011, and scientific publications from Google Scholar, Scopus, ACM and Springer from the last 5 years. The selected libraries for the study are the National Library of France, the Europeana Library, the Library of Congress of the USA, the British Library and the National Library of Spain. In this paper, we outline the best practices found in each experience and identify gaps and future trends.This work was supported by the Prometeo Project from the Secretary of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SENESCYT) of the Ecuadorian Government and by the project GEODAS-BI (TIN2012-37493-C03-03) supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (MINECO). Alejandro Mate´ was funded by the Generalitat Valenciana (APOSTD/2014/064)

An open reply to "What is going on at the Library of Congress?" by Thomas Mann

This is an open response to a report by Thomas Mann at the Library of Congress concerning changes in cataloging. The author contends that, although the current changes at the Library of Congress are suspect, changes are imminent and experienced catalogers must offer positive suggestions for change, otherwise they will be ignored by management

Highlights of library data models in the era of Linked Open Data

Semantic Web technologies and Linked data form a new reference framework for libraries. The library community aims to integrate its data with the Semantic Web and as a result new library data models have been developed. In this context, significant research effort focuses on the alignment between the library models with relevant models developed by other communities in the cultural heritage domain. However there exist several issues concerning the interoperability between all these data models. This paper seeks to contribute in the interoperability of four models, namely FRBR, FRBRoo, EDM and BIBFRAME. It highlights the commonalities and the divergences between them by using a case bibliographic record and by exploring how this record is represented by each one of them

Positioning Library Data for the Semantic Web: Recent Developments in Resource Description

Recent developments in resource description standards and technologies have aimed at moving cataloging practice to the web environment and making library data available for exchange and reuse on the Semantic Web. As the library community looks outward and forward, library standards and technologies are converging with Web practices in three areas: content description, data models, and data exchange. This article captures the essence of the core standards and technologies that underlie the daily work of practitioners of library service, including Resource Description and Access (RDA), Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR), the Linked Data environment, Resource Description Framework (RDF), and the Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative (BIBFRAME). The article will discuss their intersections with existing practice during this period of transition, as well as their potential impacts on the future cataloging practice

LCSH, SKOS and Linked Data

A technique for converting Library of Congress Subject Headings MARCXML to Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) RDF is described. Strengths of the SKOS vocabulary are highlighted, as well as possible points for extension, and the integration of other semantic web vocabularies such as Dublin Core. An application for making the vocabulary available as linked-data on the Web is also described.Comment: Submission for the Dublin Core 2008 conference in Berli