Linked Data for libraries

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to provide recommendations for making a conceptual shift from current document-centric to data-centric metadata. The importance of adjusting current library models such as Resource Description and Access (RDA) and Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) to models based on Linked Data principles is discussed. In relation to technical formats, the paper suggests the need to leapfrog from machine readable cataloguing (MARC) to Resource Description Framework (RDF), without disrupting current library metadata operations. Design/methodology/approach -This paper identified and reviewed relevant works on overarching topics that include standards-based metadata, Web 2.0 and Linked Data. The review of these works is contextualised to inform the recommendations identified in this paper. Articles were retrieved from databases such as Emerald and D-Lib Magazine. Books, electronic articles and relevant blog posts were also used to support the arguments put forward in this paper. Findings -Contemporary library standards and models carried forward some of the constraints from the traditional card catalogue system. The resultant metadata are mainly attuned to human consumption rather than machine processing. In view of current user needs and technological development such as the interest in Linked Data, it is found important that current metadata models such as FRBR and RDA are re-conceptualised. Practical implications -This paper discusses the implications of re-conceptualising current metadata models in light of Linked Data principles, with emphasis on metadata sharing, facilitation of serendipity, identification of Zeitgeist and emergent metadata, provision of faceted navigation, and enriching metadata with links. Originality/value -Most of the literature on Linked Data for libraries focus on answering the "how to" questions of using RDF/XML and SPARQL technologies, however, this paper focuses mainly on answering "why" Linked Data questions, thus providing an underlying rationale for using Linked Data. The discussion on mixed-metadata approaches, serendipity, Zeitgeist and emergent metadata is considered to provide an important rationale to the role of Linked Data for libraries.

O papel das bibliotecas no Linked Data

“…Por fim, a adoção do Linked Data pelas bibliotecas seria vantajosa ao permitir serendipidade a partir dos resultados de busca, ou seja, a descoberta acidental de recursos. (LAURENCE, 2013;ALEMU et al, 2012;CARRAGÁIN et al, 2015;GONZALES, 2014;CATARINO;SOUZA, 2012…”

Estudio de la adaptación a RDA y BIBFRAME en el ámbito de las bibliotecas españolas

“…Uno de los principales culpables de esta situación es MARC, ilustre estándar concebido por y para la comunidad bibliotecaria, inteligible y procesable solo dentro de este ámbito. Su uso ha dado pie a lo largo de los años a problemas de duplicidad, inconsistencia y complejidad en los datos (Alemu et al, 2012). La forma en que plasma su contenido, por medio de tablas organizadas en campos, etiquetas, indicadores y códigos de subcampo, lo hace inflexible y no apropiado para expresar relaciones asociativas, de pertenencia o jerárquicas, vital para el despliegue de información en el seno de internet.…”

“…El destierro de MARC y las antiguas reglas de catalogación para dar la bienvenida a un nuevo ecosistema de formatos y estándares para la generación, tratamiento y publicación de datos bibliográficos que mueva a las bibliotecas hacia la web es un proceso que ha de afrontarse de forma gradual, emprendiendo cambios parciales e iterativos, lo que hará que MARC todavía conserve su protagonismo por un largo tiempo (Alemu et al, 2012). Las nuevas piezas del puzle son:…”

Are Canadian Libraries Ready to Transition from MARC to BIBFRAME?

“…Libraries will need to develop or build systems that can create and search BIBFRAME linked data, library staff will need training to understand how to describe items with the BIBFRAME vocabulary, and workflows will need to be adjusted accordingly. Linked data offers benefits that make the investment worthwhile: open standards for storing and querying linked data; links to other datasets such as Wikidata that provide additional data (including images and audio) that can enrich descriptions of items with contextual information about authors, subjects, and events; and of particular interest in the context of a multilingual country such as Canada, the ability for each link to offer labels in multiple languages (Alemu, Stevens, Ross and Chandler 2012;Allison-Cassin and Scott 2018).…”