New Directions in Information Organization: Volume 7

This chapter aims to help librarians understand the underlying rationale for Resource Description and Access (RDA) and recognize the great potential of the Semantic Web for libraries.

It explains the linked data model and Semantic Web technologies in basic, informative terms, and describes how the Semantic Web is constructed. Semantic Web standards and technologies are discussed in detail, including URI, RDF, and ontologies. The study also traces the development of RDA and some of the major library Semantic Web projects. The authors explore how RDA shapes bibliographical data and prepares it for linked data in the Semantic Web. In addition, this study examines what libraries in the United States and the rest of the world have achieved in implementing RDA since its release.

RDA is the correct approach libraries should take.

This is the first and only chapter that covers the development of RDA in other countries as well as in the United States. It is highly informative for anyone who wishes to understand the RDA and Semantic Web and their relevance to libraries in a short period of time.

To raise consciousness among librarians and library directors about the need to structure our descriptive data for library resources in a way that is machine-actionable in the Semantic Web, not just the library silos of MARC-based systems.

Narrative overview.

By assuring library metadata is in a well-formed structure, libraries can place access to their collections on the Web where their users are.

The new cataloging code, Resource Description and Access (RDA), is one step in the direction toward more interoperability in the Semantic Web.

New perspective on this issue is to urge librarians to work with systems people and vendors for next generation systems that build on the relationships and identifying characteristics of well-formed metadata arising from use of the RDA.

This chapter covers the significant developments in subject access embodied in the Functional Requirements (FR) family of models, particularly the Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data (FRSAD) model.

A structured literature review was used to track the genesis of FRSAD. It builds on work by Pino Buizza and Mauro Guerrini who outlined a potential subject access model for FRBR. Tom Delsey, the author of Resource Description and Access (RDA), also examined the problem of adding subject access.

FRSAD seemed to generate little comment when it appeared in 2009, despite its subject model which departed from that in previous FR standards. FRSAD proposed a subject model based on “thema” and “nomen,” whereby the former, defined as “any entity used as the subject of a work,” was represented by the latter, defined as “any sign or sequence of signs.” It is suggested in this chapter that the linguistic classification theory underlying the PRECIS Indexing System might provide an alternative model for developing generic subject entities in FRSAD.

The FR family of models underpin RDA, the new cataloguing code intended to replace AACR2.Thus issues with FRSAD, which are still unresolved, continue to affect the new generation of cataloguing rules and their supporting models.

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the basic concepts and principles of linked data, discuss benefits that linked data provides in library environments, and present a short history of the development of library linked data.

The chapter is based on the literature review dealing with linked data, especially focusing on the library field.

In the library field, linked data is especially useful for expanding bibliographic data and authority data. Although diverse structured data is being produced by the library field, the lack of compatibility with the data from other fields currently limits the wider expansion and sharing of linked data.

The value of this chapter can be found in the potential use of linked data in the library field for improving bibliographic and authority data. Especially, this chapter will be useful for library professionals who have interests in the linked data regarding its applications in a library setting.

This is an attempt to introduce proactive changes when creating and providing intellectual access in order to convince catalogers to become more social catalogers then they have ever been in the past.

Through a brief review and analysis of relevant literature a definition of social cataloging and social cataloger is given.

User contributed content to library catalogs affords informational professionals the opportunity to see directly the users’ perceptions of the usefulness and about-ness of information resources. This is a form of social cataloging especially from the perspective of the information professional seeking to organize information to support knowledge discovery and access.

The user and the cataloger exercise their voice as to what the information resources are about, which in essence is interpreting the intentions of the creator of the resources, how the resource is related to other resources, and perhaps even how the resources can be, or have been, used. Depending on the type of library and information environment, the weight of the work may or may not fall equally on both user and cataloger.

New definitions of social cataloging and social cataloguing are offered and are linked back to Jesse Shera’s idea of social epistemology.

This chapter aims to discuss the issues associated with social indexing as a solution to the challenges of current information organization systems by investigating the quality and efficacy of social indexing.

The chapter focuses on the study which compared indexing similarity between two professional groups and also compared social tagging and professional indexing. The study employed the method of the modified vector-based Indexing Consistency Density (ICD) with three different similarity measures: cosine similarity, dot product similarity, and Euclidean distance metric.

The investigation of social indexing in comparison of professional indexing demonstrates that social tags are more accurate descriptions of resources and reflection of more current terminology than controlled vocabulary. Through the characteristics of social tagging discussed in this chapter, we have a clearer understanding of the extent to which social indexing can be used to replace and improve upon professional indexing.

As investment in professionally developed web directories diminishes, it becomes even more critical to understand the characteristics of social tagging and to obtain benefit from it. In future research, the examination of subjective tags needs to be conducted. A survey or user study on tagging behavior also would help to extend understanding of social indexing practices.

The chapter aims to highlight developments in photography over the last two centuries, with an emphasis on the switch from analog to digital, and the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies, online photo management sites, and camera phones.

The chapter is a culmination of some of the key literature and research papers on photography, Web 2.0, Flickr, camera phones, and tagging, and is based on the author’s opinion and interpretation.

The chapter reports on how the switch from analog to digital has changed the methods for capturing, organizing, and sharing photographs. In addition, the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies and camera phones have begun to fundamentally change the way that people think about images and the kinds of things that people take photographs of.

The originality of the chapter lies in its predictions about the future direction of photography. The chapter will be of value to those interested in photography, and also to those responsible for the future development of photographic technology.

The chapter aims to present a case study of what is involved in implementing the VuFind discovery tool and to describe usability, usage, and feedback of VuFind.

The chapter briefly documents Western Michigan University (WMU) and University of Richmond’s (UR) experience with VuFind. WMU Libraries embarked on a process of implementing a new catalog interface in 2008. UR implemented VuFind in 2012. The usability result and usage of Web 2.0 features are discussed.

The implementation processes at WMU and UR differ. At WMU, users’ input was not consistent and demanded software customization. UR strategically began with a very focused project management approach, and intended the product as short-term solution. The usability and feedback from several sites are also presented.

The benefits of using open source software include low barrier and cost to entry, highly customizable code, and unlimited instances (libraries may run as many copies of as many components as needed, on as many pieces of hardware as they have, for as many purposes as they wish). With the usability studies presented, VuFind is proved to be a valid solution for libraries.

The chapter provides a unique account of library’s experience providing an alternative catalog interface using open source software. It also uniquely reports on VuFind usability and initial testing results and evaluation.

In recent years, aceted search has been a well-accepted approach for many academic libraries across the United States. This chapter is based on the author’s dissertation and work of many years on faceted library catalogs. Not to hope to be exhaustive, the author’s aim is to provide sufficient depth and breadth to offer a useful resource to researchers, librarians, and practitioners about faceted search used in library catalogs.

The chapter reviews different aspects of faceted search used in academic libraries, from the theory, the history, to the implementation. It starts with the history of online public access catalogs (OPACs) and how people search with OPACs. Then it introduces the classic facet theory and its relationship with faceted search. At last, various academic research projects on faceted search, especially faceted library catalogs, are briefly reviewed. These projects include both implementation studies and the evaluation studies.

The results indicate that most searchers were able to understand the concept of facets naturally and easily. Compared to text searches, however, faceted searches were complementary and supplemental, and used only by a small group of searchers.

The author hopes that the facet feature has not only been cosmetic but the answer to the call for the next generation catalog for academic libraries. The results of this research are intended to inform librarians and library information technology (IT) staff to improve the effectiveness of the catalogs to help people find information they need more efficiently.

This case study describes how one library leveraged shared resources by defaulting to a consortial catalog search.

The authors use a case study approach to describe steps involved in changing the catalog interface, then assess the project with a usability study and an analysis of borrowing statistics.

The authors determined the benefit to library patrons was significant and resulted in increased borrowing. The usability study revealed elements of the catalog interface needing improvement.

Taking advantage of an existing resource increased the visibility of consortial materials to better serve library patrons. The library provided these resources without significant additional investment.

While the authors were able to identify other libraries using their consortial catalog as the default search, no substantive published research on its benefits exists in the literature. This chapter will be valuable to libraries with limited budgets that would like to increase patron access to materials.

Quality, an abstract concept, requires concrete definition in order to be actionable. This chapter moves the quality discussion from the theoretical to the workplace, building steps needed to manage quality issues.

The chapter reviews general data studies, web quality studies, and metadata quality studies to identify and define dimensions of data quality and quantitative measures for each concept. The chapter reviews preferred communication methods which make findings meaningful to administrators.

The chapter describes how quality dimensions are practically applied. It suggests criteria necessary to identify high priority populations, and resources in core subject areas or formats, as quality does not have to be completely uniform. The author emphasizes examining the information environment, documenting practice, and developing measurement standards. The author stresses that quality procedures must rapidly evolve to reflect local expectations, the local information environment, technology capabilities, and national standards.

This chapter combines theory with practical application. It stresses the importance of metadata and recognizes quality as a cyclical process which balances the necessity of national standards, the needs of the user, and the work realities of the metadata staff. This chapter identifies decision points, outlines future action, and explains communication options.