Yes, I like using URIs for _identifiers_ for authorities too. Karen
Coyle, Diane Hillman and I have been trying to argue/explain that on
some of the cataloger lists.
Right now we use "Smith, John" as an identifier. A soft transition to
using URIs for identifiers instead has a lot of advantages.
To me this is an entirely different topic though! Note that a URI does
not neccessarily need to dereference to a web page! Even if it does,
that doesn't mean we're "replacing our authorities with web pages".
Jonathan
Casey Bisson wrote:
> Jonathan,
>
> This is nuanced, so hopefully I don't butcher it, but...
>
> I really like the idea of using URIs for authorities, rather than
> "Smith, John."
>
> A user might be able to navigate to that URI and see a web page
> representing a certain, specific author, but to the machine that URI
> is simply a piece of metadata identifying that author.
>
> The URI would open the door to the creation of author records, but
> that's another can of worms...
>
> Don't mistake me though, I'm all for authority control and good
> metadata.
>
> --Casey
>
>
> On May 14, 2007, at 5:46 PM, Jonathan Rochkind wrote:
>
>> I said this before, but I'll say it again. I know what you mean,
>> Thomas,
>> but please don't say that "authorities should morph into web
>> pages". An
>> authority record is _data_ (or metadata, anyway), a web page is a
>> _particular presentation_. We can not replace authority work
>> "with web
>> pages".
>>
>> But we CAN and I agree our systems SHOULD be producing interfaces like
>> you talk about. So the question is how we do that, if the authority
>> data we have now is sufficient to support that interface, what
>> feasible
>> changes can or should be made to our authority control pratices to
>> better support that sort of interface, and other sorts of flexible
>> interfaces we want to provide. We DO need authority data that will
>> support that kind of interface. We don't get that by "making web
>> pages"
>> though. The web pages are the result of good metadata practices, they
>> are a product.
>>
>> We need authority control processes that support multiple flexible
>> interfaces by NOT assuming any one particular interface. Not a card
>> catalog, and not one particular kind of web page either. And 'a web
>> page' is certainly not a substitute for an authority control practice!
>> So I know what you mean, but please stop saying that! It only makes
>> people who think you DO mean it scared that you are trying to
>> dismantle
>> authority control, which seems to be the response anytime anyone
>> brings
>> up modernization ideas.
>>
>> Jonathan
>
>
>
> Casey Bisson
> __________________________________________
>
> Information Architect
> Plymouth State University
> Plymouth, New Hampshire
> http://maisonbisson.com/blog/
> ph: 603-535-2256
>
--
Jonathan Rochkind
Sr. Programmer/Analyst
The Sheridan Libraries
Johns Hopkins University
410.516.8886
rochkind (at) jhu.edu
Received on Tue May 15 2007 - 07:49:35 EDT