Good to see practical suggestions for this.
There are many platforms for storing data and making it accessible. The OCLC registry thingy possibly isn't suitable because it doesn't seem to support open data. The data would have to be made available under an open licence (e.g. the open government licence). The current terms and conditions don't seem to support that. Libraries are already proficient in submitting public data to third parties, who block that date being made open, so it may be worth avoiding another.
Of course the point about joining up the process of publishing to these places is very sensible. Perhaps with a well-maintained open data repository the OCLC would be interested in pulling that data in to their registry.
Ultimately though, the platform is not the issue. This is about data management and an open data culture. If people can update data on OCLC they can update it on an open data portal. The task is to update it at all.
For local government, the local government transparency code (http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/local-transparency/-/journal_content/56/10180/3825810/ARTICLE) sets out instructions for publishing data:
"all data held and managed by local authorities should be made open and available to local people unless there are specific sensitivities to doing so."
'Specific sensitivities' could be used in a wide set of excuses, but I believe it's more reasonably used for sensitivities such as personal data or security risks:
"Local authorities should start from the presumption of openness and disclosure of information, and not rely on exemptions to withhold information unless absolutely necessary."
For all its flaws and ultimate failure in this particular task, the Taskforce have pushed libraries to publish open data, and initiated conversations about the data held by libraries. But this is not the responsibility of the Taskforce, this is the role of everyone who works in local government. The failure of this particular dataset is very sad :-( but blaming the Taskforce seems a little easy. Why did the authorities not make their library returns open when they completed them?
Even if the process of library open data started out as patchy, inconsistent repositories, this would be a good start. There's a lovely couple of datasets over at ToonLibraries open data repository which has libraries over the ages, and current libraries. Check it out https://github.com/ToonLibraries/library-open-data/tree/master/library-buildings
Dave
Tw: @librarieshacked
Web: https://england.librarydata.uk
Hope this isn't one of those messages followed by a wave of unsubscribe requests. If so though, I believe sending an email to the list is ineffective - you need to go on some website or something.
From: Ken Chad
Sent: 31 March 2017 17:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Disappointment over 'basic' Taskforce dataset | The Bookseller
I'm not sure to what extent the OCLC world registry of libraries might be an alternative or be a help to the Task force dataset. It is "a free global directory for libraries, consortia, archives and museums." A lot of UK public libraries are already registered on it. http://www.oclc.org/developer/develop/web-services/worldcat-registry.en.html .
The registry can be accessed by anyone and in addition it provides "developer-level access" via APIs so it can be embedded in external services. Sure it's not perfect either but why doesn't everyone just update that? Or maybe the task force data and the registry data could be linked--it would be nice to have just one place to update and one place to go for authoritative data.
The registry is used by Local Government Library Technology (LGLibTech) to make a link from the library authority to the library details -eg Calderdale (just as an example) on this page of LGLibTech https://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/Library+Authorities-C
takes you to the registry entry http://worldcat.org/registry/Institutions/65807 it provides individual branch profiles.
Ken
Ken Chad Consulting Ltd Tel: +44(0)7788727845 http://www.kenchadconsulting.com Twitter: @kenchad
Skype: kenchadconsulting
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of DESMOND CLARKE
Sent: 31 March 2017 12:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Disappointment over 'basic' Taskforce dataset | The Bookseller
The Bookseller
Disappointment over 'basic' taskforce dataset
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/disappointment-over-basic-taskforce-dataset-518276
