Re: FRBRization in LT, was: Personal perspectives on catalog use

Another question. How can we connect all catalogues in one global one. 
Many national
libraries in Europe join WorldCat. Is that the solution in a global world?

Jan

Karen Coyle wrote:
> I agree greatly with Owen. I also think that in reality we are already 
> in a world of inconsistency and duplication, but our approach is to 
> see that as wrong rather than as something to work with.
>
> I think many librarians resist the 'ambiguous linking' capability 
> because in past experience statements of 'these two are the same 
> thing' caused one of them to disappear from view. Instead, links can 
> be just more information about the item, which you can choose to make 
> use of or not. One set of links shouldn't preclude other links, or 
> ignoring links altogether. What we need, desperately, is meaningful 
> links -- that is, links with semantics, not just 'this links to that, 
> who knows why?'
>
> kc
>
> Stephens, Owen wrote:
>> I've posted some thoughts that are around this area at 
>> http://www.meanboyfriend.com/overdue_ideas/2009/02/the-future-is-analog.html 
>> and 
>> http://www.meanboyfriend.com/overdue_ideas/2009/02/a-plethora-of-library-systems.html 
>> - although this is the ongoing construction of a view/argument about 
>> where we should go, and I have some more posts brewing to develop 
>> this view.
>>
>> Essentially I think that we work in a world that is full of 
>> inconsistency and duplication, and that the direction we need to head 
>> in is that one that embraces this. I also think that this means using 
>> linked networks of information - essentially this is what the web is, 
>> and we need to exploit this rather than using it as a means of 
>> point-to-point communication.
>>
>> LibraryThing has some definite strengths, and I'm convinced that it 
>> takes the right approach in allowing individuals to link together 
>> (seemingly disparate) things. I'm not sure (and it is something I 
>> keep meaning to find time to explore) how well this might work if I 
>> want to interact with LibraryThing from the outside - there is 
>> definitely some potential here, as I can link to items in 
>> LibraryThing, so I can say 'this is linked to this' - which is 
>> definitely a start, and somewhat ahead of many OPACs. If there are 
>> any examples of people exploiting LibraryThing 'from the outside' I'd 
>> be very interested in looking at them (I'm not just thinking of 
>> LibraryThing for Libraries, but perhaps more general exploitation - 
>> although LT for L is perhaps an example)
>>
>> Owen
>> Owen Stephens
>> Assistant Director: eStrategy and Information Resources
>> Central Library
>> Imperial College London
>> South Kensington Campus
>> London
>> SW7 2AZ
>>  
>> t: +44 (0)20 7594 8829
>> e: o.stephens_at_imperial.ac.uk
>>
>>  
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
>>> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Bernhard Eversberg
>>> Sent: 17 February 2009 10:38
>>> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
>>> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] FRBRization in LT, was: Personal perspectives on
>>> catalog use
>>>
>>> Stephens, Owen wrote:
>>>    
>>>>> There may even be wide consensus on both the
>>>>> concept and the invented titles, but this "method" would be hard
>>>>> to formulate into a rule that could be incorporated into RDA or
>>>>> any catalog code at all.
>>>>>
>>>>>         
>>>> Maybe there is a lesson in this?!
>>>>
>>>>       
>>> Yes: cataloging should rather be looked upon as less of a science than
>>> RDA or even AACR seems to be aspiring to.
>>> The downside would be a deterioration of predictability and
>>> reproducibility  of its results since it would have to allow for more
>>> individual judgement. IOW, less standardized results, with all that
>>> might mean for interoperability. More duplicates, to mention one thing.
>>> (With whom does LT interoperate, and how, other than via ISBN? Which is
>>> not good enough for libraries in general.)
>>>
>>>
>>> B.Eversberg
>>>     
>>
>>
>>   
>
>

-- 
De åsikter som framförs här är mina personliga 
och inte ett uttryck för Göteborgs universitets-
biblioteks hållning


Opinions expressed here are my own and not
those of the Gothenburg University Library 



Jan Szczepanski
Förste bibliotekarie 
Goteborgs universitetsbibliotek 
Box 222
SE 405 30 Goteborg, SWEDEN 
Tel: +46 31 7861164 Fax: +46 31 163797 
E-mail: Jan.Szczepanski_at_ub.gu.se