Re: Search/retrieve access is to library data what Gopher was to the web?

From: Karen Coyle <lists_at_nyob>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:05:47 -0700
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Alexander Johannesen wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 15:47, Karen Coyle <lists_at_kcoyle.net> wrote:
>   
>> Oh, we have and we do. Come on over to:
>>  http://dublincore.org/dcmirdataskgroup/
>>     
>
> Good stuff. Have you got library *and* vendor support for this?
>
>   

Thanks, Alexander. Actually, we have met a few times with the NISO AVIAC 
group, the only library vendor group that I know of. It turns out that 
an ad hoc subgroup was coming to the same conclusions: that we need 
identifiers for our elements and vocabularies, and we need to be able to 
create application profiles. Now, that does not mean the the library 
vendors, who do not move quickly (for a variety of reasons, many beyond 
their control), will jump all over this in the near term. I actually 
have more hope for OSS activities.

An interesting note on the RDA "product." RDA (the rules themselves) is 
being developed into an online product that will allow libraries to 
create their own cataloging profile -- selecting the sections that they 
use, adding their own instructions, etc. In other words, something very 
like application profiles. If nothing else, I think this will help 
people get the "AP idea."

> Briefly looked through them, and some of them look good, but you need
> better structured and clearer instructions.
Ah, this is a part that needs a better explanation. The registered 
elements are intended to be as neutral as possible -- defined 
semantically, but without input instructions. The input instructions 
will be part of the application profile.

I'm not 100% sure this works, but it comes out of the Dublin Core 
Singapore Framework, and I think it's worth a try. I do think it means 
that we'll have to get more specific in our data elements (e.g. 
distinguishing title from title page v. title from cover) to create 
compatibility between communities. I think it's going to take a while to 
get where we want to be. I wish it could happen more quickly, because I 
feel the 'moment of opportunity' slipping away from us sometimes. *sigh*

kc

-- 
-----------------------------------
Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
kcoyle@kcoyle.net http://www.kcoyle.net
ph.: 510-540-7596   skype: kcoylenet
fx.: 510-848-3913
mo.: 510-435-8234
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Received on Mon Aug 25 2008 - 10:32:41 EDT