W3C Library Linked DataIncubator Group

(LLD XG)

Antoine Isaac

EuropeanaVrije Universiteit Amsterdam

aisaac@few.vu.nl

SWIB10, Nov. 29 2010

Let’s start with a Linked Data cloud!

Linked Library Cloud beginning 2008

[Ross Singer, Code4Lib2010]

http://code4lib.org/conference/2010/singer

Linked Library “sector” in 2010

Linking Open Data cloud diagram, by Richard Cyganiak and Anja Jentzsch. http://lod-cloud.net/

Useful vocabularies

Available• Dublin Core• SKOS• BIBO• OAI-ORE...In progress• RDA vocabularies• FRBR@IFLA

dublincore.org/www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/

bibliontology.com/www.openarchives.org/ore/

metadataregistry.org/rdabrowse.htm

Growing interest for linked data in the library community

Libraries and LD, the perfect match?

• Libraries have been producing metadata for ages• Libraries (often) produce high-quality metadata

Libraries and LD, the perfect match?

• Library metadata was locked in records• While it does maintain links to the outside world

• Bibliographic and web references• Shared vocabularies• Same books!

Unleash library data!

Johan Stapel, Koninklijke Bibliotheek

A vision for the Dutch National Library

But there are obstacles

Emerging best practices?

• What vocabularies are being used, and is there emerging consensus about which to use?

• What licenses (if any) are associated with the data?• How much linking and interlinking is going on?• What sorts of mechanisms does the publisher offer for getting the data:

sitemap, feeds, SPARQL, bulk download?• What is the quality of the data: granularity, link integrity, vocabulary

usage.• What approaches to identifiers for “real world things” have publishers

taken: hash, slash, 303, PURLs, reuse of traditional identifiers, etc.• What are the relative sizes of the pools of library linked data?• How are updates being managed?

Ed Summershttp://inkdroid.org/journal/2010/04/18/research-ideas-for-library-linked-data/

Connecting to more general LD Issues

Mike Uschold’s “semantic elephants”• Proliferation of URIs, Managing Coreference• Overloading owl:sameAs• Versioning and URIs

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-lod/2010May/0012.html

Also, gospel is needed

NAHSL2009

Stuart Weibel

What’s this I hear about the Semantic Web?

• What is the Semantic Web?

• What does it have to do with bibliography?

• Does it make life better for patrons?

• Does it strengthen libraries?

• Is it practical?

• Where can we get some?

http://www.slideshare.net/stuartweibel/semantic-web-technologies-changing-bibliographic-descriptions

Determine use case & business models

• Libraries may just publish data, but they can do more– Connect library data to other data– Integrate data from external sources in library systems

• Potential data consumers deserve some help, too

Linking strategy

Linking strategy

• Links to library-originated sources– VIAF, LCSH, DDC, UDC, Worldcat, PND…

• Links to resources from our cultural environment– Museums, archives– Scientific communities: bibliographic data & research data– Publishers– Europeana and other aggregators

Need for charting the LLD landscape

W3C incubator (XG) activity

• Short-lived groups: 1 year

• Light administration

• Not W3C Recommendations, but “innovative ideas for specifications, guidelines, and applications that are not (or not yet) clear candidates as Web standards”

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/

LLD Steps

1. CharterCo-chairs: Tom Baker, Emmanuelle Bermès, Antoine Isaac10 W3C initiating members

Aalto University HelsinkiDERI GalwayCompetence Centre for Interoperable Metadata (KIM)Library of CongressLos Alamos National LaboratoryMIMOSOCLCTalisUniversity of Applied Sciences PotsdamVrije Universiteit Amsterdam

To help increase global interoperability of library data on the Web, by

bringing together people involved in Semantic Web activities—focusing on Linked Data—in the library community and beyond,

building on existing initiatives, and identifying collaboration tracks for the future.

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/charter

Planned deliverables

Report presenting the landscape of LD development in the library domain and related sectors, including:

1. Use casesGathering use cases and case studies demonstrating successful

implementation of SW technologies in libraries and related sectors

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/charter

Planned deliverables

Report presenting the landscape of LD development in the library domain and related sectors:

1. Use cases2. Relevant technology pieces

– Identifying relevant data models, vocabularies and ontologies and ways to build or improve interoperability among them

– Identifying the need for the elaboration of new standards, guidelines & best practices

– Identifying the areas of (Semantic) Web technology that could benefit from the expertise of the communities represented in the Group

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/charter

Leaving scope open

The incubator group [scope] is not limited to libraries as institutions, but is meant to involve other cultural heritage institutions, partners from the publishing industry, and other relevant domains.

Potential Links with other communities• W3C eGovernment Interest Group• EDItEUR• Semuse…

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/charter

LLD Steps

1. Charter

LLD Steps

1. Charter2. Gather participants

– 50 participants– 22 W3C member organizations– 13 invited experts

Complete list at http://www.w3.org/2000/09/dbwg/details?group=44833&public=1

Steps

1. Charter2. Get participants3. Start work!

Use Cases

• Call for use cases and case studies

• 45 cases were gathered

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/wiki/UseCases

Use Cases

6 clusters• Bibliographic data• Authority data• Vocabulary alignment• Archives and heterogeneous data• Citations• Digital objects

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/wiki/UseCases

Descriptions focusing on• Goals• Usage scenarios• Application of linked data for the given case• Problems and Limitations

Use Cases

Use Cases

Further curation• Refine into more abstract scenarios• Relate to other similar activities

JISC cases for open bibliographic data http://obd.jisc.ac.uk

• Relate use cases to technology issues

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/wiki/UseCases

Technology issues

• Conceptual ModelsE.g., FR family

• Applying SemWeb Technology to Library DataE.g., Re-using and extending available ontologies

• Semantic Web/LD “Environmental Issues”E.g., Linking across datasets

• Management and Distribution of Data E.g., updates

• Community and Management IssuesE.g., strategic guidance & business models

http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/wiki/Topics

Vocabularies

• Gathering vocabularies used in use cases– “element sets”, ontologies (Dublin Core, SKOS)– value vocabularies (VIAF, LCSH, GND)

• Identifying gaps and overlaps

Datasets

• Starting a reference list of available data• Will feed into the LOD cloud via CKAN

http://ckan.net/group/lld

Dissemination

• Gathering useful materialPresentations, including tuff re-used in this presentation!Resources on terminology

• Relevant events

Looking at the future

• Fostering collaboration among actors interested in porting cultural assets to the Linked Data WebLibraries, museums, archives, publishers

• Proposing a relevant scope and organization for future targeted workIdentify obstacles requiring further work or guidance

Open work process

• Publicly readable LLD XG wikihttp://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/wiki/

• Publicly readable minutes for teleconference calls• Publicly readable LLD XG mailing list

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-xg-lld/

Outside the LLD XG

We try to provide spaces to the wider LLD community• LLD community wiki

http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/wiki/LLD

• LLD community mailing list>100 mails per months on models, datasets, URIs…

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-lld/

• Twitter hashtag#lldata

Thanks!

Acknowledgements: all LLD XG participants

Pictures• http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalarchives/3048286070/• http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/

04031/2D6FEB34557045A39A1D62761DAE00FEAF8B48F0.html• http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/

03903/8C5C6AEFF6B50DCCEDF6A23A99DD3A2D66AEB2CC.html• http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/

03903/1C123C986FDEBFCD0E307AFF8969F07F95BFCA49.html• http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/

03903/78FA3F8B4299B45C25C395345D3D16ED24EA7F4F.html• http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/04031/

CBF262142EAC88529CAA8F8D8A6969B72F8D3541.html• http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/03912/

E9666896A50FDDE5F7F15A17C11219A7FBCBBC50.html• http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/

03903/95D8DA53C17F227BD27BCC148F79238FD6E2443E.html(Europeana links give access to resources on original sites)