The document provides an overview of linked data and libraries. It discusses basic principles of linked data such as reusing and linking data to make it reusable, easy to correct, and potentially useful to others. The document also discusses how linked data fits into the semantic web vision by allowing machines to better understand and utilize data. Finally, it discusses getting started with linked data through terminology, advantages, and modeling library data in linked data formats like RDF.

1. Making the Digital Connection:
Linked Data and Libraries
Robin Fay, UGA
Laura Akerman, Emory
Doug Goans, Georgia Tech
Georgia COMO 2012 October 4, 2012 Macon, GA

2. Head/Database
Maintenance
University of Georgia
Libraries
Robin Fay
@georgiawebgurl
libraries
social
media

3. Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries
Agenda:
● Gain a basic understanding of linked data
● Discover new library projects
● Gain a better understanding of how linked data will drive our future
systems and how it fits into the future of the web -- the semantic web
What we will talk about:
● Quick overview of semantic web and linked data (more
terminology in the glossary)
● Getting started with Linked data and the Semantic Web
● Making some connections with bibliographic data - a
case study

4. ● What is linked data and open data
o Linked data is about reusing data
o We already do some linked data in our library
catalogs and even in our daily lives
o The link in a bibliographic record (like an authority
record link) is linking data
o A link that we share to our friends on facebook is
linked data (of sorts)
● Linked data is a link to a record/data/content
that can then be utilized in some way
● Open data is data that available to be used
in some way with no barriers to access
(licensing, etc.)
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

5. Basic principles of linked data
● It keeps us from having to re-enter or copy information
o Making our data:
 reusable
 easy to correct (correct one record instead of multiples)
 efficient
 and potentially useful to others
● It can build relationships in different ways - allowing us to create temporary
collections (a user could organize their search results in a way that makes
sense to them) or more permanent (collocating ALL works by a particular
author more easily; pulling together photographs more easily)
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

6. How it fits in with the semantic web
The Semantic Web is based upon more precise utilization of data
and is heavily dependent upon
 The code
 The metadata and its metadata schemas (rules)
 The ability for machines (including devices and home
appliances) to talk to each other and make sense of
that communication
Linking data makes this process easier since we do not have to
re-enter data, we can just link to it. Linking data will make the
Semantic Web happen.
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

7. ● Terminology
o RDF/XML (language - post MARC world)
o URIs (Uniform Resource Identifer) linking point to
our data)
o Serialization (store data; re-use later)
o Triples (Simple semantic structure; Subject-
Predicate-Object)
o SPARQL (QL = Query Language)
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

8. ● Advantages (reusable data, potential to
provide and built relationships,
discoverability)
● How library data fits into linked data
o FRBR ( a bibliographic FRAMEWORK which is more
semantic by nature) RDA ( metadata rules which are
not tied to a programming language such as MARC
but can work with semantic web standards like
XML); IRs, and CMS like Drupal which have
semantic web capabilities
● RDA expressed as RDFa
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

9. Getting Ready for LOD
Doug Goans
Head of Library IT and Development
Georgia Institute of Technology

10. Readiness: What, Why and How
Linked is an approach to data.
Open is a policy.
Data is a technology and a set of standards.
Source: http://www.scholarslab.org/digital-libraries/introduction-to-
linked-open-data-at-rare-books-school/
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

11. Readiness: What
Discussions of data and services
Catalog, archives, repositories, library use data
LOD emerging services/data in general
● WorldCat
● DBpedia
● data.gov
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

12. Readiness: Data Records (MARC, etc.)
SOURCE: Getting triples from records: the role of ISBD
http://www.slideshare.net/scottishlibraries/isbd-record2triples
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

13. Readiness: Data Records (MARC, etc.)
SOURCE: Getting triples from records: the role of ISBD
http://www.slideshare.net/scottishlibraries/isbd-record2triples
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

14. Readiness: Why
Discovery (Google Semantic Search, Facebook Open
Graph)
Empowerment (library development, local and global)
Peripheral issues (important)
● Data Use Policies / Licensing your data
● System Readiness
● Teaching, Learning, Research (use cases and service
development)
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

15. Readiness: How
● Use Cases - http://obd.jisc.ac.uk/
● Integrate LOD into projects (IR, Archives, Web
Presence)
● Explore RDF, RDFa, SPARQL end-points
● Framework approach (empower users and developers
first)
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

16. Readiness: How
Developing Use Cases
http://obd.jisc.ac.uk/
Campus Competition
System Readiness
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

17. Readiness: How
Current Services
Integrate LOD into
projects
Framework and
Services Approach
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

18. Making some
connections
Linked data at Emory Libraries
Laura Akerman

19. First we studied
Connections group formed Nov. 2011
 Core group of 8, open to anyone
 Sponsors: Lars Meyer, John Ellinger
 Learning and planning for linked data important
Classes
 taught every other week
 Based on Linked Data: Evolving the Web into a
Global Data Space (Heath and Bizer)
 High level overview
Programs
 Jon Voss, "LOD-LAM Emory", webinars
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

20. Pilot planning
● We were asked to develop a 3-month pilot project.
● Goal: demonstrate value of linked data for users
and the library
● Goal: get feet wet with "triples" and technology
● With:
o 1 person, 20+hrs/week; 6 others, 1-3 hrs/week
including a couple of "techies"
o Sandbox (repurposed pc/server running Linux)
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

21. Pilot project - approved
●After many ideas, choices -
ofocus on topic (Civil War)
oConvert sample "silo" metadata to linked data
oAdd some "new" metadata as linked data
oLink to some external data
oSome kind of display
●PROJECT BLOG:
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/connections/
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

22. Results:
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

23. Things we learned, #1
Start small
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

24. #2
Working with free software is time
consuming!
● Even if you're a programmer...
● Don't expect it to work the first time!
● Patience, inner peace, get enough sleep!
● Don't let fear of displaying your ignorance keep you
from learning!
● Windows people: learn Linux command line!
● When to "let it go", when to keep trying?
● Tool evaluation is an important step!
● Record what you learn and share!
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

25. Things we are trying:
Sesame - useful but web client limited (no batchload...)
Callimachus - interesting but not ready to put time into it, and very beta
LinkSailor - need to publish your data to use it
Pubby, Djubby - publish your data ??? (not working yet)
Our own scripts to query id.loc.gov - got the basics...
ArchivesHub stylesheet - useful as a starting point, but too
complicated?
Simile MARC to RDF stylesheets - too different from ArchiveHub
LC MARC to RDF stylesheet - Dublin Core too simple but a good
starting point
Simile Welkin - limited but at least it gave us some visualization!
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

26. #3
We need linked data to find connections!
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

27. Learn SPARQL
#4
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

28. Find two resources, name/creator in
one is subject of another
SELECT DISTINCT ?resource1 ?name ?resource2 WHERE{{
{?resource1 dc:creator ?name}
UNION
{?resource1 duch:origination ?person.
?person foaf:name ?name.}
}
{
{?resource2 dc:subject ?name.}
UNION
{?resource2 duch:associatedWith ?concept.
?concept rdfs:label ?name.}}
FILTER(?resource1 != ?resource2)
}
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

29. Some SPARQL resources
SPARQL.PRO
http://en.sparql.pro/wiki/Main_Page
list of SPARQL endpoints with sample queries
XQuery/SPARQL Tutorial
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/XQuery/SPARQL_T
utoria
W3C SPARQL Spec
http://www.w3.org/TR/rdf-sparql-query/
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

30. #5
There are many ways to
model your RDF - all
different!
How do you decide?

31. ArchivesHub handles "subjects"
<associatedWith><!--About the Concept (Person)--><skos:Concept xmlns:skos="http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/core#"
rdf:about="http://duchamp.library.emory.edu/resource/id/concept/person/lcnaf/gearyjohnwhite1819-1873">
<rdfs:label xmlns:rdfs="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#" xml:lang="en">Geary, John
White, 1819-1873.</rdfs:label>
<skos:inScheme>
<skos:ConceptScheme rdf:about="http://duchamp.library.emory.edu/resource/id/conceptscheme/lcnaf">
<rdfs:label xmlns:rdfs="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#" xml:lang="en">lcnaf</rdfs:label>
</skos:ConceptScheme>
</skos:inScheme>
<foaf:focus xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/"><!--About the Person--><foaf:Person
rdf:about="http://duchamp.library.emory.edu/resource/id/person/lcnaf/gearyjohnwhite1819-1873">
<rdf:type rdf:resource="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Agent"/>
<rdf:type rdf:resource="http://purl.org/dc/terms/Agent"/>
<rdf:type rdf:resource="http://erlangen-crm.org/current/E21_Person"/>
<rdfs:label xmlns:rdfs="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#" xml:lang="en">Geary, John White, 1819-
1873.</rdfs:label>
</foaf:Person>
</foaf:focus>
</skos:Concept>
</associatedWith>
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

32. LC's MARCXML to RDF handles
subjects:
dc:subject "Geary, John White, 1819-1873."
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

33. Simile MARCXML to MODS to RDF:
<modsrdf:subject rdf:resource=
"http://simile.mit.edu/2006/01/Entity#Geary_John_White_1
8191873"/>
<rdf:Description rdf:about=
"http://simile.mit.edu/2006/01/Entity#Geary_John_White_1
8191873">
<rdf:type rdf:resource=
"http://simile.mit.edu/2006/01/ontologies/mods3#Person"/>
<modsrdf:fullName>Geary, John
White</modsrdf:fullName>
<modsrdf:dates>1819-1873</modsrdf:dates
</rdf:Description>
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

34. Our learning
No perfect models out there.
A common model for all our sources (with
maybe some special items depending on type
of content) could make things much easier for
us and users of our data!
This is a major undertaking..
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

35. #6 To FRBR, or not to FRBR?
http://metadataregistry.org/schemaprop/list/page/1/schema_id/4.html
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

36. #7 Matching up with external data is tricky!
● DBPedia: not easy to programmatically match up. We
did some "by hand".
oIssue: If only part of LC subject matches, should
you link?
● LC Vocabularies - id.loc.gov - straightforward but have
to skip many final subdivisions.
● VIAF: another interesting target, but not helpful enough
for this pilot.
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

37. question: "Johnson's Island (Ohio)."
Q: Does this mean the island itself or is it referring to the prison
that was located on the island?
o Found something for Johnson Island Civil War Prison
and Fort Site
A: I used a SPARQL query to find the collection linked to this
heading. The Scope and Content Note says letters were written
while someone was imprisoned on the island.
http://dbpedia.org/resource/Johnson_Island_Civil_War_Prison_a
nd_Fort_Site
Should we use "owl:sameAs"?
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

38. #8 To have good linked data, you have to
have... data
____________|1861_________________
No dates, no timeline
(scholars could've found it useful)
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

39. #9
MORE OPEN
LINKED DATA!
Once you get started, you don't want to stop!
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

40. Resources
● LODLAM: http://lodlam.net/
● LODAM CHALLENGE: http://summit2013.lodlam.net/
● LODLAM Zotero Group (Webliography of good stuff): https://www.zotero.org/groups/lod-lam
● GLAMLOD: https://groups.google.com/group/glamlod
● LC Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative: http://www.loc.gov/marc/transition/
● LITA - library linked data interest group: http://connect.ala.org/node/142470
● Use Case Tool: http://obd.jisc.ac.uk/navigate
● Getting triples from records: the role of ISBD http://www.slideshare.net/scottishlibraries/isbd-
record2triples
● Presentation materials at
http://www.delicious.com/georgiawebgurl/metadata_presentation_como
Making the Digital Connection: Linked Data and Libraries

41. Thank You - Q&A
Robin Fay
fay@uga.edu
Laura Akerman
liblna@emory.edu
Doug Goans
doug.goans@library.gatech.edu