Semantic Web-Linked Data and Libraries

Journal of Information Science, 2015

The Semantic Web encourages institutions, including libraries, to collect, link and share their data across the Web in order to ease its processing by machines to get better queries and results. Linked Data technologies enable us to connect related data on the Web using the principles outlined by Tim Berners-Lee in 2006. Digital libraries have great potential to exchange and disseminate data linked to external resources using Linked Data. In this paper, a study about the current uses of Linked Data in digital libraries, including the most important implementations around the world, is presented. The study focuses on selected vocabularies and ontologies, benefits and problems encountered in implementing Linked Data in digital libraries. In addition, it also identifies and discusses specific challenges that digital libraries face, offering suggestions for ways in which libraries can contribute to the Semantic Web. The study uses an adapted methodology for literature review, to find da...

2013

The term linked data is entering into common vocabulary and, as most interests us in this instance, into the specific terminology of library and information science. The concept is complex; we can summarize it as that set of best practices required for publishing and connecting structured data on the web for use by a machine. It is an expression used to describe a method of exposing, sharing and connecting data via Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) on the web. With linked data, in other words, we refer to data published on the web in a format readable, interpretable and, most of all, useable by machine, whose meaning is explicitly defined by a string of words and markers. In this way we constitute a linked data network (hence linked data) belonging to a domain (which constitutes the initial context), connected in turn to other external data sets (that is, those outside of the domain), in a context of increasingly extended relationships. Next is presented the Linked Open Data cloud (LOD), which collects the open data sets available on the web, and the paradigm of its exponential growth occurring in a very brief period of time which demonstrates the level of interest that linked data has garnered in organizations and institutions of different types.

International Journal of Librarianship

For the past ten years libraries have been working diligently towards Linked Data and the Semantic Web. Due to the complexity and vast scope of Linked Data, many people have a hard time to understand its technical details and its potential for the library community. This paper aims to help librarians better understand some important concepts by explaining the basic Linked Data technologies that consist of Resource Description Framework (RDF), the ontology, and the query language. It also includes an overview of the achievements by libraries around the world in their efforts to turn library data into Linked Data including those by Library of Congress, OCLC, and some other national libraries. Some of the challenges and setbacks that libraries have encountered are analyzed and discussed. In spite of the difficulties, there is no way to turn back. Libraries will have to succeed.

Proc. of 32nd Library …, 2008

I would like to describe some interesting experiments that appear in many European countries. Firstly, I will refer shortly to the first steps into the implementation of the BIBFRAME standard conception (developed by the Library of Congress in the US). Secondly, the Swedish National Library started to convert its national catalogue to Linked Open Data and semantic web compatible structure. The Oslo Public Library have also built up a service model based on linked open catalogue data. The National Széchényi Library in Hungary also made projects in this field. Thirdly, the Hungarian Museum of Fine Arts is a main partner of the ALIADA project that offers simple tools for cultural heritage institutions to convert and share their data to semantic web and linked open data compatible format. I would like to introduce the initial idea of a Hungarian research and development project plan (the contributors currently applying for EU-funds) that includes the combination of a semantic data editor and converter tool, an advanced OPAC with semantic based elements and a data visualisation tool that can describe the semantic graph in a 3D development. I would like to realize the main ways and challenges to introduce and implement new semantic paradigms through data exchange formats and other tools, and in connection with it, showing some ways we can re-establish the traditional structures. Transition from MARC to the new semantic-web based structures also means a paradigmatic change of professional mind.

2012

Nowadays, the social networks are spreading abroad different application domains. Also, the digital libraries are improving how their users exploit the catalog services with social capabilities. More recently, the Linked Data model defines a novel vision for the near future web applications. Our paper approaches a solution for managing users in a digital library with a semantic fashion.

Sir Tim Burners-Lee created quite the stir with the introduction of Linked Data. Instead of having hyperlinks link to static documents online, Burners-Lee proposes that data be linked together semantically online in a concept he calls Linked Data. This paper will explore the many facets of Linked Data. This will be accomplished with an overview of the principles and standards of Linked Data to include concepts such as RDF, OWL, and SPARQL. To provide the audience with a better understanding of how Linked Data can function, it will illustrate current projects such as DBpedia, BabelNet, and MeLOD. Finally, there will a discussion on how libraries are impacted by Linked Data and some initiatives being explored such as BIBFRAME.

New Library World, 2012

PurposeThe 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/approachThis 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 argu...

Developments in the Semantic Web are of increasing significance to information professionals. As well as having useful applications within digital libraries, information professionals have an emerging role to play in the development and maintenance of the structured data comprising the Semantic Web (e.g. metadata, ontology, etc.). The relevance of the Semantic Web to Library and Information Science (LIS) has been reflected in recent research and dissemination activity by information professionals and many are actively participating in the development of important W3C Semantic Web specifications. E-Learning resources tend to be more and more decentralized. Users increasingly need to be able to use the resources of the web. For this, they should have tools for finding and organizing information in a decentralized way. In this paper, we show how an ontology-based tool suite allows making the most of the resources available on the web and also discusses the role of libraries in the Semantic Web. It provides a brief introduction to the Semantic Web and its technologies, including Resource Description Framework, and their relevance to library metadata.

Science & Philosophy, 2015

What's the Semantic Web? What's the use? The inventor of the Web Tim Berners-Lee describes it as a research methodology able to take advantage of the network to its maximum capacity. This metadata system represents the innovative element through web 2.0 to web 3.0. In this context will try to understand what are the theoretical and informatic requirements of the Semantic Web. Finally will explain Linked Data applications to develop new tools for active citizenship.