Ontologies in the Time of Linked Data

This paper discusses some of the methodological issues one encounters when creating and using ontologies in the rapidly expanding Linked Open Data (LOD) landscape. Over the years the notion of applied ontologies has transitioned from that of a logically formalized knowledge system with varying degrees of inferencing power to that of a lightweight knowledge representation tool. This shift is reflected in the current lexicon where different actors in the LOD community use the term ontology interchangeably with more generic terms like vocabulary or even namespace or data schema. Applied ontologies have been a key area of research in the context of Semantic Web initiative since the late 1990s. The Semantic Web has recently found a new stream of development in the Linked Data initiative, which is considered its natural evolution (Allemang and Hendler, 2011). While a good deal of literature has been devoted to investigating ontology engineering for the Semantic Web, not enough attention has yet been paid to understanding the nature and role that ontologies play in the linked data context, especially from the lens of knowledge organization research. Based on our ongoing work creating Linked Open Data applications and services for digital resources in the domain of the performing arts, we describe methodological steps and lessons learned in line with the spirit of the linked data initiative, where an agile and pragmatic approach to development is combined with the practice of learning from one another

E-books in academia: Expectations and challenges

This paper reports on the results of a pilot study conducted as part of a larger project aimed at understanding the evolving role of e-books in academia. The study used a survey, a scenario-based usability test, and interviews to collect data on e-book reading habits, specific user expectations, and issues related to the usability of an academic library interface for e-book access. Future work will investigate factors affecting user preferences and patterns of use in context, including routine use of academic e-books.published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewe

The Drawings of the Florentine Painters: From Print Catalog to Linked Open Data

The Drawings of The Florentine Painters project created the first online database of Florentine Renaissance drawings by applying Linked Open Data (LOD) techniques to a foundational text of the same name, first published by Bernard Berenson in 1903 (revised and expanded editions, 1938 and 1961). The goal was to make Berenson’s catalog information—still an essential information resource today—available in a machine­readable format, allowing researchers to access the source content through open data services. This paper provides a technical overview of the methods and processes applied in the conversion of Berenson’s catalog to LOD using the CIDOC­CRM ontology; it also discusses the different phases of the project, focusing on the challenges and issues of data transformation and publishing. The project was funded by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and organized by Villa I Tatti, The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies. Catalog: http://florentinedrawings.itatti.harvard.edu Data Endpoint: http://data.itatti.harvard.ed

Mapping People-centered Properties for Linked Open Data

This paper describes a mapping of linked data vocabularies in the area of person-related information. Aligning vocabulary terms may help curb the problem of property proliferation that occurs in linked data environments. It also facilitates the process of choosing semantics for vocabulary extensions and integration in the context of linked data applications. Although a work in progress, this investigation would provide support for semantic integration and for knowledge sharing and reuse in the area of personal information representation. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on a new generation of knowledge organization systems such as linked data vocabularies that have started to populate the web and are converging with new representation models and discovery tools in libraries and other cultural heritage institutions

Knowledge Organization Landscape: A Content Analysis of Introductory Courses

This paper presents the results of a study examining the subject content of knowledge organization courses taught in ALA-accredited LIS programs. Close to 2,000 course readings of introductory-level knowledge organization courses from 34 Library and Information Science (LIS) schools in the U.S. and Canada were analyzed and indexed. Results indicate that traditional bibliographic methods and practices remain at the core of knowledge organization courses. Findings also show that metadata has become a central component of course content and new topics from information architecture to markup languages and semantic web are becoming part of introductory-level knowledge organization education

Personal Name Vocabularies as Linked Open Data: A Case Study of Jazz Artist Names

This paper describes the process of constructing a vocabulary of personal names of jazz artists in the form of Linked Open Data (LOD). Created as a name directory to support the development of the Linked Jazz project, it provides a case study that demonstrates the value and the challenges of developing a domain-specific vocabulary tool that draws upon the semantics of DBpedia, a major LOD dataset. The paper also addresses possible strategies for enhancing the directory to make it a more robust personal name vocabulary

The Knowledge Organization of DBpedia: A Case Study

Purpose - This paper investigates the semantic structure underlying DBpedia, one of the largest and most heavily used datasets in the current Linked Open Data (LOD) landscape. Our analysis attempts to shed light on this new type of knowledge organization tool. Design/methodology/approach - The research followed a case study methodology to analyze DBpedia using the domain of jazz as the application scenario. Findings - The study reveals an evolving knowledge organization tool where different descriptive and classification approaches are employed concurrently. The semantic constructs employed in the DBpedia knowledge base vary significantly in terms of their degree of formalization, stability, cohesiveness and consistency. As such, they challenge our tolerance threshold for data quality and our traditional notion of authority control. Research limitations/implications - The analysis is conducted on a limited portion of a large knowledge base. Initial findings provide a basis for further research and study. Practical implications - Revealing the knowledge organization underlying DBpedia increases our understanding of its power, its limitations and its implications for the new semantic context provided by LOD. Having an understanding of the range of entities and properties available enables LOD users to formulate queries with higher precision

Linked Jazz: An Exploratory Pilot

This paper reports on a pilot conducted within Linked Jazz, a project that investigates the potential of Linked Open Data (LOD) technology to enhance discovery and visibility of digital cultural heritage materials. The project explores the applicability of the Friend-Of-A-Friend (FOAF) ontology to digital archives of jazz history to expose relationships among musicians and reveal their community’s network. Finding innovative ways of connecting cultural data and making them searchable in an open discovery environment generates unprecedented opportunities to create new meaning and elicit new streams of interpretation. The project consists of multiple phases and is intended to progress in an iterative and experimental way. The first step was to pilot a method to create a dataset of RDF triples representing jazz artists and their social connections