Linked data for Libraries

Linked Data: What it Means for the Future of Libraries

Robin Fay @georgiawebgurlHead, DBM/Cataloging / UGA Libraries

Peter Murray Lyrasis

Draft Content for Discussion group 04.30.2013 / robinfay

Agenda

•Overview of linked data▫What is linked data?▫What are linked data concepts?▫Background: Alistair Croll talk at ALA

Midwinter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic_BlPesEls

•Discussion

Draft Content for Discussion group 04.30.2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic_BlPesEls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic_BlPesEls

•Linked data is: “about using the Web to connect related data that wasn't previously linked, or using the Web to lower the barriers to linking data.”

•Think> related, series records, authority files

•Libraries already using linking behavior.

•Projects such as the NYT Linked Open Data project and the Virtual Authority File project are resources of controlled vocabularies.

•Verified and digital identity accounts such as openID and claimID to differentiate names Draft Content for Discussion group 04.30.2013

Basic principles of linked data It keeps us from having to re-enter or copy

information ▫ Making our data:

reusable easy to correct (correct one record instead of

multiples) efficient and potentially useful to others

It can build relationships in different ways - allowing us to create temporary collections (a user could organize their search results in a way that makes sense to them) or more permanent (collocating ALL works by a particular author more easily; pulling together photographs more easily)


• Advantages (reusable data, potential to provide and built relationships, discoverability)

• How library data fits into linked datao FRBR ( a bibliographic FRAMEWORK which

is more semantic by nature) RDA (Resource Description & Access metadata rules which are not tied to a programming language such as MARC but can work with semantic web standards like XML); IRs, and CMS like Drupal which have semantic web capabilities

• RDA expressed as RDFa Draft Content for Discussion group 04.30.2013

• What is linked data and open datao Linked data is about reusing datao We already do some linked data in our library

catalogs and even in our daily liveso The link in a bibliographic record (like an

authority record link) is linking data behavioro A link that we share to our friends on facebook

is linked data (of sorts)• Linked data is a link to a record/data/content

that can then be utilized in some way • Open data is data that available to be used in

some way with no barriers to access (licensing, etc.)


The RDF Triple: conceptual Examples

same as

author of

Predicate/verb


Tim Berners-Lee’s Four Rules

1. Use URIs as names for things2. Use HTTP URIs so that people can look

up those names3. When someone looks up a URI, provide

useful information, using the standards4. Include links to other URIs, so they can

discover more thingsURIs = Uniform Resource Identifier


What can linked data do for libraries?

• URIs creates methods for classifying that can be used (linked to!) by others

• Library of Congress has released LCSH as linked data, and OCLC has a modified version of LCSH called FAST as linked data

• Linked Data is flexible enough to express entity-relationship relationships such as FRBR/FRAD

• Different databases (ILS, ERMS, IRs, local databases, etc.) allowing sharing of data – potentially more consistent data – allowing for collocation across resources and allowing users to easily find resources regardless of source


Our data in a semantic view

SOURCE: Getting triples from records: the role of ISBD http://www.slideshare.net/scottishlibraries/isbd-record2triples

“Bib” :Record id as

subject

Field role and relationship

Can map to record such as

viaf


A changing library and WEB landscape

•Automation and new technologies•The web has changed •Large scale bibliographic databases•Cooperative cataloging •Administrative desire to decrease costs•Greater variety of media in library

collections (electronic!)•User expectations and needs •FRBR is our data model – semantic

web friendly!


• Our future systems will most likely not use MARC, but a semantic web friendly schema.

• Currently, the Library of Congress has started a project called the Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative

• Why?• We need something that is more flexible, not

flat in file structure, yet works with a semantic framework.

• We need something that works better with different metadata schemas.

• This new framework will provide us with enormous functionality in our catalogs and allow us to fully use RDA. It will allow us to move forward into the semantic web world.

RDA, FRBR, and MARC


Discussion points

•How will using linked data change our workflows, and how will this challenge us?

•Who will be responsible for maintaining the provenance of information?

•How will linked data be graphed? Will a standard bearer like OCLC or LC provide this, or will this be something that libraries will provide?


Education

Linked data for Libraries