Hands on Linked Data Tools For

Catalogers: MarcEdit and MARCNext

BIBFRAME = Internet of Things

• BIBFRAME is the model, but the devil is in the details

• Reconciliation with legacy data

• Different flavors of the model (kind of like different flavors of MARC, but

not really)

• How do make our data semantic web friendly

• How do we build links (down with strings!)

• What services do we trust and are these services available yet

• How do we experiment to start learning what works and what doesn’t

Where do you start?

• If you are a developer?

• The current toolset is built for you. LC’s tools, SPARQL, system APIs –

as a developer, the raw components that you need to start pulling

together toolsets for experimentation can be found if you look for them.

• If you are a cataloger?

• Find a developer, or start writing scripts yourself…

• Today, very few resources are being developed for practitioners.

Zepheira has a training set and is sponsoring LibHub, LC’s BIBFRAME

site provides examples of data in context, and there is MarcEdit.

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Linked Data Tools in MarcEdit

• MARCNext

• The MARCNext toolset represents an effort to beginning creating a set of tools

that can integrate into existing workflows for Libraries and Catalogers interested

in testing or implementing linked data concepts within their bibliography

environments today.

• Zepheira Training BIBFRAME Transform

• This is a custom plugin that interacts directly with the Zepheira training system. The

plugin is limited to 100 record uploads at a time – but users can utilize the tool to see

how Zepheira is modelling data within the LibHub initiative and allow catalogers an

opportunity to see how different implementers are utilizing the BIBFRAME model.

MarcEdit’s MARCNext Toolset

MarcEdit’s MARCNext Toolset

• Main motivations for making this available

• Exposes a part of a larger framework presently within MarcEdit to support my

research interests in emerging metadata models and linked data concepts in

general.

• To place tools in the hands of catalogers; who are largely pushed to sidelines

when thinking about issues like BIBFRAME and Linked Data

• Lower the barriers for those interested in experimenting with their own data

MarcEdit’s MARCNext Toolset

• BIBFRAME Testbed: a tool utilizing LC’s XQuery transformations to allow users the

ability to visualize their own metadata within various BIBFRAME serializations.

• JSON Object View: a tool allowing users to open a JSON file and visualize the

relationships between objects.

• Link Identifiers: a tool that catalogers can use now to embed URIs into the $0 of

controlled terms

• SPARQL Browser: A Spartan interface for users wanting to test SPARQL endpoints

BIBFRAME Testbed:

• Utilizes LC Model, so output

will reflect those assumptions

• Facilitates transformation from

other metadata formats

• Access to multiple

serializations

BIBFRAME Testbed:

Link Data Tool

• The Last Mile Problem: To take advantage of metadata models designed for the

web, someone will need to “link” the data.

• EZ-Entification: Takes advantage of the current MARC structure to embed $0’s

into the 1xx, 6xx, and 7xx fields.

• Process supports the generation of links to a wide range of authority sources.

• Presently:

• VIAF

• ID.LOC.GOV

• FAST

• MESH

• Embedding OCLC Work ID’s into records

Link Data Tool

• How it works

• In March 2015, I formalized support for linked data resources and created the

melinked_data.dll assembly. This assembly is the engine that drives MarcEdit’s Linked

Data work.

• Within the assembly is a resolution framework, designed to enable plug & play

networks for eventual user definition of new linked data services.

• Framework has been designed to support SPARQL, JSONLD, and OpenSearch

(with Atom or RSS responses)

• As part of the tool, the resolution algorithm has multiple validation layers, with

basic data normalization to ensure optimal communication with the current linking

services.

Link Data Tool

• So what get’s Linked?

• Tool is looking for specific values

• VIAF and LCNAF linking occurs on 1xx and 7xx data elements

• Subject Linking occurs on all 6xx fields

• Linking services are automatically evaluated and processed by utilizing data

found within the second indicator and the $2.

• When working with known services, the tool will evaluate any data found in

the $0 and if a URI isn’t present, will update the value appropriately

Link Data Tool

• Creating Actionable Data

• $0 defined as: Authority record control number or standard number (R)

• Linked Data Tool ignores this utilizing URIs (and will actively convert control

numbers to URIs)

Example:

=650 \7$aMedical policy.$2fast$0(OCoLC)fst01014505

• Converted to:

=650 \7$aMedical policy.$2fast$0http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1014505

Link Data Tool

• Challenges

• Are the Linking Services ready?

• Honestly, many of these services are still evolving. Will a VIAF identify

continue to make the most sense when linking to OCLC person data, or will

the Person Identifiers that they talked about at ALA be more appropriate?

• Id.loc.gov doesn’t handle redirects well through the API – there is (or was

last time I tested) a disconnect between terms that have been replaced.

Link Data Tool

• Challenges

• Linking will also be local – and how will those services be implemented. I’m

hoping SPARQL, but my experience has been all over the map.

• Where is OCLC in all of this. They are working hard on their own internal data

streams, but its actually groups like Zepheira, BibFlow, and LD4P that are actively

engaging catalogers.

.

SPARLQ Browser

• Provides an interface

for querying SPARQL

Endpoints

• Allows users the

opportunity to view data

using multiple

serializations

• Link Data tool utilizes

SPARQL when building

URIs to SPARQL enabled

hosts

Zepheira Training BIBFRAME Transform

• Over the past year, I’ve provided a plug-in at request to LibHub

participants looking to integrate Zepheira testing into their general

workflows. It has been a private plugin limited to LibHub participants at

Zepheira’s request.

• But…before coming to AALL, Eric Miller let me know that we can open

this up. The plugin is throttled (100 records max upload at a time), but

users can now utilize the plugin to visual and explore how data is being

created and utilized within the Zepheira BIBFRAME model.

Zepheira Training BIBFRAME Transform

• Plugin available via the

MarcEdit Plugin Manager.

Zepheira Training BIBFRAME Transform

Zepheira Training BIBFRAME Transform

Contact Me:

Terry ReeseHead of Digital InitiativesUniversity Libraries 175 West 18th Avenue320F 18th Avenue Library,, Columbus, OH 43210614-292-8263 Office / 614-407-4998 Mobilereese.2179@osu.edu / http://library.osu.edu / http://reeset.net