Open Data and Linked Open Data in libraries: the semantic enrichment of user collections

Abstract

This article proposes a reflection on Open Data and Linked Open Data initiatives in order to serve innovation for the benefits of library’s users. Any libraries are encouraged to join the French government actions in favor of public open data. With the deployment of Semantic Web, French national bibliographic agencies, bnf and abes, contribute to bibliographic data accessibility though their specific Open Data platforms and web services for contextualizing public Open Data, by means of Web technologies and Linked Open Data mechanisms. Resources traditionally organized into collections according to universal classifications, widely used in library organizations, are attached to innovative “Work” entity of frbr/lrm model. Manifestations, expressions and items contextualize this initial entity, thanks to linked data of partner libraries. In the same vein, at scale of a local municipality or a French department, municipal libraries, and academy libraries for college and high school, perhaps academic libraries, can share their resources in a semantic virtual. library, exploiting wisely Open Data and Linked Open Data technologies. This virtual library will preserve collections, alphabetic and systematic indexations of each partner library, as many semantic points of view for numerous users’ communities. As for them, library physical collections will remain, for a long time yet, relevant knowledge organization principles.