| Chapter 3: Resources | |
| Karen Coyle | |
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| Abstract |
The rise of a new information environment—the World Wide Web—has revealed the downside of the long history that libraries have with metadata. The question that we must face, and that we must face sooner rather than later, is how we can best transform our data so that it can become part of the dominant information environment that is the Web. This issue of “Library Technology Reports” examines how this transformation can occur, and what can be done to help facilitate it. The movement of library data into the linked data cloud is not as far off as it might seem. Like the scientific databases, the metadata already exists and is in a data format. Some transformation of the data to a format compatible with the semantic Web will be necessary, but the encoding that has already been done (mainly in the MARC format) and the degree of vocabulary control that exists facilitate the transformation. It truly is a matter of transformation, at least in a first step. After that, the only limits are those of the imagination of information seekers all over the globe. |
Caplan, Priscilla. Metadata Fundamentals for All Librarians. Chicago: American Library Association, 2003.
A basic introduction to metadata concepts with an emphasis on metadata used in the cultural heritage and learning communities. The text covers the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), Dublin Core, Encoded Archival Description (EAD), and government and geospatial metadata. In addition, it addresses categories of metadata beyond resource description, such as administrative and rights metadata.
Hillmann, Diane, and Elaine Westbrooks, eds. Metadata in Practice. Chicago: American Library Association, 2004.
The sixteen essays in this book cover a wide range of metadata projects. The emphasis is on the decisions that go into successful metadata development. The editors cite these primary lessons: change happens in this area too rapidly for one to wait for concrete standards to emerge before embarking on metadata development; and it is vital to document any variance from standards so that others can understand and potentially share metadata.
Berners-Lee, Tim, James Hendler, and Ora Lassila. “The Semantic Web.” Scientific American Magazine, May 2001. Available for purchase at www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-semantic-web (accessed Nov. 19, 2009).
The Semantic Web was introduced to the general public in this Scientific American article by Tim Berners-Lee and colleagues.
World Wide Web Consortium. W3C Semantic Web Activity. www.w3.org/2001/sw.
The development of standards for the Semantic Web is based in the World Wide Web Consortium. The project includes numerous individual standards, such as the Resource Description Framework (RDF), Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS), and the Web Ontology Language (OWL). Few of the standards documents are suitable for novices in the area. A possible starting point is “RDF Primer” (www.w3.org/TR/rdf-primer) by Miller and Manola.
Calhoun, Karen. The Changing Nature of the Catalog and Its Integration with Other Discovery Tools. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, March 17, 2006. www.loc.gov/catdir/calhoun-report-final.pdf (accessed Nov. 19, 2009).
This analysis of the decline of library catalogs in the increasingly Web-based world was highly disruptive when issued, but also opened the door to new thinking about catalogs, cataloging, and the future. Calhoun used structured interviews with leaders in the library field to surface key issues facing libraries in these times. This report is valuable for its methodology as well as its conclusions. Includes a significant bibliography on the topic.
On the Record: Report of The Library of Congress Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, January 9, 2008. www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future/news/lcwg-ontherecord-jan08-final.pdf.
Convened by the Library of Congress, the Working Group considered bibliographic control in general and investigated issues relating to management of library data and catalogs as well as the current technology context. As the Library pursues recommendations from the report, these are presented on the Working Group website: www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future.
Tillett, Barbara. Resource Description and Access: Background/Overview (webcast). Washington, DC: Library of Congress, May 14, 2008, www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4320 (accessed Nov. 19, 2009).
Tillett, Barbara. Cataloging Principles and RDA: Resource Description and Access (webcast). Washington, DC: Library of Congress, June 10, 2008, www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4327 (accessed Nov. 19, 2009).
In these two webcasts, Barbara Tillett introduces RDA (Resource Description and Access), the next-generation cataloging code designed for the digital environment. The first presentation covers the general principles that guided the creation of RDA and gives information on the structure of new code. It also places RDA in its historical context in relation to prior cataloging codes. The second webcast talks about the International Cataloging Principles and emphasizes the role of such principles in creating successful catalogs.
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