Join this ALCTS e-Forum for a lively discussion on what linked data means for libraries. Linked Data refers to practices for publishing and linking data—cataloging data; research or government data; subject heading lists and authority files; and the riches of the World Wide Web. Using linked data methods (cataloging standards such as RDF, as well as Web protocols such as HTTP), the scope of the linked, and always further linkable, data space is incomprehensibly large—the potential is thrilling! The hope for libraries is that we can move our data into this massive data space and thereby increase the global interoperability of library data. Many benefits are anticipated!
Topics will include basic linked data definitions and information, current linked data activities in libraries, how workflows may change or have changed due to linked data, challenges with transitioning to a linked data environment, what will linked data mean for catalogers in the future, and more.
To prepare for the e-forum, the following list of resources are recommended for an introduction to the topic of linked data:
- Carl S. Hess, “Linked Data In Libraries Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Web,” April 26, 2012 (presentation): www.slideshare.net/carlstephenhess/linked-data-in-libraries.
- Virginia Schilling, "Transforming Library Metadata into Linked Data," Research Topics in Cataloging & Classification, www.ala.org/alcts/resources/org/cat/research/linked-data.
- Philip Evan Schreur, "The Academy Unbound: Linked Data as Revolution," Library Resources & Technical Services, 55, no. 4 (October 2012): 227-37: http://alcts.metapress.com/content/u63u261g73n7150n/.
- Karen Coyle, "Linked Data Tools: Connecting on the Web," Library Technology Reports, 48, no. 4 (May/June 2012): http://alatechsource.metapress.com/content/m52426p206uu/?p=6b8f0d12b99b436cb71d95b10d587a33&pi=13 (requires subscription).
Hosts
Theo Gerontakos has been a Metadata Librarian since 2002, and is currently Metadata Librarian at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is also currently Co-Chair of the American Library Association's interest group on Linked Library Data (ALCTS/LITA).
Brad Gulliford started as a cataloger at United Technologies Corporation, and then moved to the University of Texas at Arlington, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. After years in collection development for science and engineering, he proposed a library role with data (refined by an earlier ALCTS e-forum), and his present appointment involves curating data sets, both internal and public.
Jeremy Myntti is the Head of Cataloging and Metadata Services at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library. He is responsible for optimizing metadata creation for the library's physical and digital collections as well as identifying innovative solutions for cataloging and metadata projects. Current research interests and projects that he is working on include authority control for digital collection metadata and transforming MARC and non-MARC metadata into linked data.
Registration
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Tech Requirements
Internet connection with email address. You can manage your subscription to this list following the online instructions.
Credits
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