Jonathan Rochkind said:
"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...
Note that a URI does not necessarily need to dereference to a web page!
Even if it does, that doesn't mean we're "replacing our authorities with
web pages'."
Jonathan, I would really like to get a handle on all of this stuff much
better. On which cataloger lists have you, Karen Coyle, and Diane
Hillman been arguing and explaining this?
Thanks,
Nathan Rinne
Media Cataloging Technician
ISD 279 - Educational Service Center (ESC)
11200 93rd Ave. North
Maple Grove, MN. 55369
Work phone: 763-391-7183
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
[mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Jonathan Rochkind
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 8:56 AM
To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Author Identification/Disambiguation [was:Next
Gen Catalog and FRBR]
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 - 08:53:15 EDT