Linked Open Data for Libraries, Archives, and Museums

An aggregators view.

Richard J. Urban, Assistant ProfessorSchool of Library and Information StudiesFlorida State Universityrurban@fsu.edu@musebrarian

American Association of MuseumsMay 2, 2012Minneapolis, MN

Digital Collections & Content Project

IMLS DCC

SowingCulture

Opening

History

DPLA Beta

Sprint

This project is a collaboration among:• University of Illinois Library• Graduate School of Library

and Information Science (Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship)

http://imlsdcc.grainger.illinois.edu

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IMLS Digital Collections & Content

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Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting

•Federated (Z39.50)

•Aggregated

•CIMI•ArtStor•IMLS DCC/OAISter•DLF Aquifer•Museum Data Exchange

7WWW - documents with simple relationships

8Linked Open Data

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Linked Open Data

LibraryIMLS DCC

Museum

Archive

DPLA

ShareableMetadata

Consistency • Use controlled vocabularies. • Use open, linked vocabularies

where available.• Use new tools to clean up

messy and inconsistent data.

Coherence • Does your data follow a logical model?

• Ontology: a model of your interpretation of the world– Resource Description

Framework– CIDOC-CRM

• Data models: how information is represented– Dublin Core Abstract Model– Europeana Data Model (EDM)– Future Linked Data versions of

CDWA/VRACore?

Context • Do your models fit the environment you are sharing with?

• Collections/Institutions as important context.

• Collections aren’t silos, they are important nodes in a network. They provide important context to resources.

ContextualMass

Contextual mass places the emphasis on collecting materials that work together as a system of sources, with meaningful interrelationships between different types of materials and subjects, to support research inquiry....selection is based on criteria that produce dense, rich, and cohesive groupings of sources for research and analysis.

Local

history

Educati

on

War

or milit

ary hist

ory

Govern

ment h

istory

Native

American

history Art

Archite

cture

Transp

ortation hist

ory

State

history

Women

's hist

ory

Agricu

lture

and ra

nching

Religio

n history

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Top Subject Categories in IMLS DCC & Opening HistoryN

umbe

r of a

t-le

ast-

inclu

sive

colle

ction

s

Communication • We need to translate human-readable content standards into machine-understandable representations.– Validation of rules– Consistency/coherence checks

• Will we open our vocabularies to the world?

• Don’t just publish data. Publish:– Your models– How local vocabularies extend

shared vocabularies.

Trusted Linked Data

• Libraries, archives, and museums have traditionally been trusted sources of information on the Web.

• In an “anybody can say anything about anything” world, how do we build a reputation as a source of trusted Linked Open Data

Getting Started with

Linked Open Data

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Explore Open Data

http://usnris.freebase.com/

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Make Connections

http://www.freebase.com/view/en/minnesota_historical_societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Historical_Society

http://dpla.grainger.illinois.edu/Results.aspx?st=ciname&pt=browse&id=14 http://dbpedia.org/page/Minnesota_Historical_Society

Represent Yourself!

Vessel

Hagley Library

DE State

Archive

Library of Congress

NARA

Wikipedia

dbPedia

USN Ships

Database

HABS/HAER

WhyLinked Data

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO). (links count)

• Allows integration with emerging linked data services.

• Watch this space:Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative http://www.loc.gov/marc/transition/

Credits• Grain Elevators, Caldwell, Idaho. Courtesy Library of Congress

http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2178285893/• Press Building. Archival Photographic Files, [apf2-05961], Special Collections Research Center,

University of Chicago Library.• Wagner Flagging Dawson. Courtesy Library of Congress • Aerial view of a freeway interchange in Los Angeles, [s.d.] - USC Libraries Special Collections

Doheny Memorial Libraryhttp://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search/controller/view/chs-m22750.html?x=1334678405001

• Workers laying keel. Contract 1091.M.C.303 Built for U.S. Maritime Commission, Pusey and Jones Photograph Collection, 1972.35, Hagley Museum and Library http://digital.hagley.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p268001coll9/id/649