This briefing paper will provide a high level overview of key concepts relating to the Semantic Web, semantic technologies, linked and open data; along with references to relevant examples and standards. The briefing is intended to provide a starting point for those within the teaching and learning community who may have come across the concept of semantic technologies and theSemantic Web but who do not regard themselves as experts and wish to learn more. The examples and links are intended as starting points for further exploration.
Source: JISC CETIS, the Centre for Educational Technology and Interoperability Standards
See Also: Ralph LeVan from OCLC Research Conducted a Webinar re: Linked Data on May 27, 2010
Linked Data is a hot topic. It provides a mechanism to expose library data in a way that is understandable to non-librarians, thereby facilitating community development of services that go beyond traditional library resources and creatively exploit library data in valuable new ways. In this webinar, OCLC senior research scientist Ralph LeVan explains what Linked Data is about and how OCLC produces it, using examples from VIAF (The Virtual International Authority File). He also talks about topics such as Real World Objects, Generic Documents, Content Negotiation and RDF.
The mission of the Library Linked Data incubator group is 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.
The group will explore how existing building blocks of librarianship, such as metadata models, metadata schemas, standards and protocols for building interoperability and library systems and networked environments, encourage libraries to bring their content, and generally re-orient their approaches to data interoperability towards the Web, also reaching to other communities. It will also envision these communities as a potential major provider of authoritative datasets (persons, topics…) for the Linked Data Web. As these evolutions raise a need for a shared standardization effort within the library community around (Semantic) Web standards, the group will refine the knowledge of this need, express requirements for standards and guidelines, and propose a way forward for the library community to contribute to further Web standardization actions.
You can find the Library Linked Data Incubator Group homepage here and their Wiki here. The wiki includes links to a mailing list archive, member info, linked data events, and more.
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