NISO Publishes Themed Issue of Information Standards Quarterly on Linked
Data for Libraries, Archives, and Museums 

Contributed articles illustrate both challenges and innovations in
implementing linked data

 

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) announces the
publication of a special themed issue of the Information Standards Quarterly
(ISQ) magazine on Linked Data for Libraries, Archives, and Museums. ISQ
Guest Content Editor, Corey Harper, Metadata Services Librarian, New York
University has pulled together a broad range of perspectives on what is
happening today with linked data in cultural institutions. He states in his
introductory letter, "As the Linked Data Web continues to expand,
significant challenges remain around integrating such diverse data sources.
As the variance of the data becomes increasingly clear, there is an emerging
need for an infrastructure to manage the diverse vocabularies used
throughout the Web-wide network of distributed metadata. Development and
change in this area has been rapidly increasing; this is particularly
exciting, as it gives a broad overview on the scope and breadth of
developments happening in the world of Linked Open Data for Libraries,
Archives, and Museums."

 

The feature article by Gordon Dunsire, Corey Harper, Diane Hillmann, and Jon
Phipps on Linked Data Vocabulary Management describes the shift in popular
approaches to large-scale metadata management and interoperability to the
increasing use of the Resource Description Framework to link bibliographic
data into the larger web community. The authors also identify areas where
best practices and standards are needed to ensure a common and effective
linked data vocabulary infrastructure.

 

Four "in practice" articles illustrate the growth in the implementation of
linked data in the cultural sector. Jane Stevenson in Linking Lives
describes the work to enable structured and linked data from the Archives
Hub in the UK. In Joining the Linked Data Cloud in a Cost-Effective Manner,
Seth van Hooland, Ruben Verborgh, and Rik Van de Walle show how general
purpose Interactive Data Transformation tools, such as Google Refine, can be
used to efficiently perform the necessary task of data cleaning and
reconciliation that precedes the opening up of linked data. Ted Fons, Jeff
Penka, and Richard Wallis discuss OCLC's Linked Data Initiative and the use
of Schema.org in WorldCat to make library data relevant on the web. In
Europeana: Moving to Linked Open Data , Antoine Isaac, Robina Clayphan, and
Bernhard Haslhofer explain how the metadata for over 23 million objects are
being converted to an RDF-based linked data model in the European Union's
flagship digital cultural heritage initiative.

 

Jon Voss provides a status on Linked Open Data for Libraries, Archives, and
Museums (LODLAM) State of Affairs and the annual summit to advance this
work. Thomas Elliott, Sebastian Heath, John Muccigrosso Report on the Linked
Ancient World Data Institute, a workshop to further the availability of
linked open data to create reusable digital resources with the classical
studies disciplines.

 

Kevin Ford wraps up the contributed articles with a standard spotlight
article on LC's Bibliographic Framework Initiative and the Attractiveness of
Linked Data. This Library of Congress-led community effort aims to
transition from MARC 21 to a linked data model.

 

"The move to a linked data model in libraries and other cultural
institutions represents one of the most profound changes that our community
is confronting," stated Todd Carpenter, NISO Executive Director. "While it
completely alters the way we have always described and cataloged
bibliographic information, it offers tremendous opportunities for making
this data accessible and usable in the larger, global web community. This
special issue of ISQ demonstrates the great strides that libraries,
archives, and museums have already made in this arena and illustrates the
future world that awaits us."

 

"Institutions that are just starting to dip their toes in the waters of
linked data will find much in this issue of ISQ to inspire and challenge
them," said Cynthia Hodgson, ISQ Managing Editor. "Those further along the
implementation path can learn how others have addressed the common issues
encountered in making the transition to a linked data model."

 

ISQ is available in open access in electronic format on the NISO website.
Both the entire issue and individual articles may be freely downloaded.
Print copies are available by subscription and as print on demand. For more
information and to access the free electronic version, visit:
www.niso.org/publications/isq.

 

About Information Standards Quarterly

Information Standards Quarterly (ISQ) is NISO's print and electronic
magazine for communicating standards-based technology and best practices in
library, publishing, and information technology, particularly where these
three areas overlap. ISQ reports on the progress of active developments and
also on implementations, case studies, and best practices that show
potentially replicable efforts.

 

 

Cynthia Hodgson

ISQ Managing Editor

National Information Standards Organization

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301-654-2512

 

 


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