This document provides an introduction to the semantic web and library linked data. It discusses how library data is currently siloed but moving towards being published as linked open data using semantic web standards. Key points covered include the principles of linked data using URIs and RDF triples, examples of library linked data projects, and how RDA is being developed to support linked data. The goal is to make library data more accessible and useful by integrating it into the larger web of data.

1. Introduction to the Semantic Web and
Library Linked Data
Marlene van Ballegooie
March 14, 2012

2. Outline

Libraries on the web ... Where are
now?...Where we are heading?
 Linked Data principles
 Building blocks of Linked Data
 Library Linked Data examples
 Linked Data and RDA

3. Where are we now?



Modern library has continually
transformed itself to respond to the needs
of the user.
Library catalogue remains inwardlyfocused, self contained data silo with no
connection to the data on the Web.
Modern user favours search engines (i.e.
Google) as an information platform over
the library.

4. OCLC ‘Perceptions of Libraries, 2010’

5. Working Group on the Future of
Bibliographic Control
(January 9, 2008)

Recommendations:




3.1.1 Develop a More Flexible, Extensible Metadata Carrier
3.1.2 Integrate Library Standards into Web Environment
3.1.3 Extend Use of Standard Identifiers
Desired Outcomes: Library bibliographic data will move
from the closed database model to the open Web-based
model wherein records are addressable by programs and are
in formats that can easily be integrated into Web services
and other computer applications. This will enable libraries to
make better use of networked data resources and to take
advantage of the relationships that exist (or could be made to
exist) among various data sources on the web.

6. Library of Congress
A Bibliographic Framework for the Digital
Age
October 31, 2011



Future of bibliographic control will be based on Linked
Data principles.
Resource Description Framework (RDF) will be the
basic data model.
“Embracing common exchange techniques (the Web
and Linked Data) and broadly adopted data models
(RDF) will move the current library-technological
environment away from being a niche market unto itself
to one more readily understandable by present and
future data creators, data modelers, and software
developers.”

7. Linked Data – The Basics



Linked Data is a method of publishing structured
data so that it can be interlinked and become
more useful.
Built upon standard Web technologies, i.e.
HTTP, URIs.
Linked Data lies at the heart of what the
Semantic Web is all about: the large scale
integration of, and reasoning on, data on the
Web.

8. Principles of Linked Data

Principle #1 - Use URIs as names for things.

URIs are string that uniquely identify a thing or
resource on the web

Advocates use of URIs to identify all things (i.e.
people, places, books, relationship types, etc.)
http://dbpedia.org/resource/Qian_Zhongshu
http://lccn.loc.gov/81110912
http://sws.geonames.org/6167865
http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/knows
URI for person “Qian Zhongshu”
URI for the book “Wei Cheng”
URI for the city of Toronto
URI for the abstract concept of “knowing somebody”

9. Principles of Linked Data

Principle #2 - Use HTTP URIs, so that
people can look up those names.


HTTP URIs allow people to look up these
URIs over the HTTP protocol into a
description of the identified object or
concept.
Principle #3 - When someone looks up a
URI, provide useful information, using
standards (RDF).

10. Principles of Linked Data

Principle # 4 - Include links to other
URIs, so that they can discover more
things.
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/person/Yasunari-Kawabata
http://dbpedia.org/resource/Yasunari_Kawabata
Same As
Subjects
category:Japanese_Nobel_laureates
category:Japanese_novelists
category:Japanese_short_story_writers
category:1899_births
category:1972_deaths
category:Writers_who_committed_suicide
category:Writers_from_Osaka_(city)
Links to more
things

11. Building Blocks of Linked Data

12. Resource Description Framework
(RDF)





Primary data model for Linked Data
It’s not a format; it’s a framework for describing
data.
Can be used to represent information about
things. (i.e. book, person, idea, etc.)
RDF allows you to link a resource to other
resources on the Web.
RDF will enable greater precision in Web
searches.

13. RDF Triples Describe Relationships



In the RDF model the concept of triples is used to describe a
relationship between two things.
subject – predicate – object
Statement: “Yasunari Kawabata is the author of Yukiguni.”
Yasunari Kawabata
(subject)
IsAuthorOf
Yukiguni

Each triple is a statement about a resource.
(predicate)
(object)

14. RDF Triples
http://viaf.org/viaf/97450170/
(predicate)
(subject)
http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/creator
http://lccn.loc.gov/88161165
Yukiguni
(object)

15. RDF triples, create RDF
graphs


Statements combine to form graphs
A graph is of no fixed size and contains no
predetermined types of statements.
Yasunari Kawabata
IsAuthorOf
IsAuthorOf
Mizuumi
Yukiguni
IsPublishedBy
IsPublishedIn
1960
Shinchōsha
IsPublishedBy
IsPublishedIn
Tokyo
Kōdansha

16. RDF graphs create a 'web of
data'
LC Name
Authorities
Yasunari Kawabata
IsAuthorOf
IsAuthorOf
Mizuumi
Yukiguni
IsPublishedIn
1960
IsPublishedBy
Shinchōsha
IsPublishedBy
Kōdansha
Tokyo
VIAF
WorldCat
GeoNames
Publisher
Web Site
DBpedia

17. Linked Open Data Cloud

18. Library Linked Data Examples

19. id.loc.gov

20. Virtual International Authority File (VIAF)

21. LIBRIS – Swedish National Library

22. BL - British National Bibliography

24. Linked Data and RDA – The Future?

25. RDA in RDF

There’s another side to RDA, beyond the
rules
 Developed out of a 2007 meeting
between representatives from the JSC
and DCMI.
 Vision is that RDA data elements could
be the basis for machine interoperation
of library data in a Linked Data
environment in the future.

26. RDA in RDF
http://rdvocab.info

27. The next generation bibliographic
description?

28. The next generation
bibliographic description?

29. Linked Data and Libraries


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Libraries can make an important contribution
to the Semantic Web.
Librarians have a wealth of experience
managing, preserving, describing and
delivering data to users. We are data experts!
The fundamental challenge for the
development of Linked Data is lack of
awareness within libraries.
The technology is ready, are we?

30. Thanks!



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Tom Heath and Christian Bizer (2011) Linked Data: Evolving the Web
into a Global Data Space (1st edition). Synthesis Lectures on the
Semantic Web: Theory and Technology, 1:1, 1-136. Morgan &
Claypool.
Coyle, Karen. (January 2010) “Understanding the Semantic Web:
Bibliographic Data and Metadata.” Library Technology Reports 46,
no.1.
Hillmann, Diane, Karen Coyle, Jon Phipps, and Gordon Dunsire.
(January/February 2010) “RDA Vocabularies: Process, Outcome,
Use.” D-Lib Magazine 16, no. 1/2.
http://dlib.org/dlib/january10/hillmann/01hillmann.html
Tim Berners-Lee: The next Web of open, linked data
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM6XIICm_qo
Linking Open Data cloud diagram, by Richard Cyganiak and Anja
Jentzsch. http://lod-cloud.net/