On 19 May 2011 15:58, Jonathan Rochkind <rochkind_at_jhu.edu> wrote:
> I think it's an interesting and good idea. I suspect it could not become
> the only 'library (catalog) interface', but it would be a very useful
> service, providing more access to our resources from the wider world. And I
> agree that if done right, along the lines you specify, it would enhance
> rather than clutter wikipedia itself, and wikipedia shouldn't mind.
> (Wikipedia already does other kinds of linking out to third party
> databases).
A quick clarification: this isn't an OCLC-driven project as far as I'm
aware, and my understanding is that the aim is primarily to get the
authority control numbers into the page metadata.
The current implementation has a visible link to Worldcat identities
as well as to four other repositories for different identifiers, but
it's quite possible that future versions would resolve the LCCN link
to a different site, or be entirely invisible to the casual reader and
used solely for people to build external services on.
(I am of two minds on this issue, personally - Worldcat is "the best
we have" as a single lookup point, but it has significant issues, both
practical and conceptual. If it wasn't for the fact that the LoC
authorities website is terrible, the link would probably point to that
- the German PND link resolves to the Deutsche Bibliothek website, for
example.)
--
- Andrew Gray
andrew.gray_at_dunelm.org.uk
Received on Fri May 20 2011 - 10:57:03 EDT