MODS and RDF Call 2016-06-13

Owned by Bill Branan
Jun 16, 2017
2 min read

Time: 9am PDT / Noon EDT

Call-In Info: 712-775-7035 (Access Code: 960009)

Homework Reminder: 

Moderator: Steven Anderson (Boston Public Library)

Primary Notetaker:  Eben English (etherpad link: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/RDF-MODS-20160613)

Attendees:

Agenda:

  1. Conversion Code Update / Notes Testing 
    1. Curation Concerns code up and running at: http://mods2rdf.xyz/
      1. Added supporrt for table of contents and notes (in addition to existing title, abstract, genre, and subject topics).
    2. Steps for usage:
      1. Create an account on the site
      2. Go to http://mods2rdf.xyz/uploads and upload a MODS XML document.
      3. To view the end result, you can do a normal search (but currently on uses fields CurationConcerns knows about). Otherwise, to view in fedora, the credentials are:
        1. username: darthvader
        2. password: tapdancing
        3. only U. of Alberta and Indiana have uploaded records so far

  2. Identifier Individual Mappings ( Identifier Individual Institution Usage And RDF Conversion)
    1. Emory
      1. Using LofC standard identifier scheme (http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/identifiers.html)
      2. Has "local" identifier predicate
        1. Emory has some local identifiers in metadata that aren't standard
      3. Also using dc:identifier for "main" ARK identifier
    2. BPL
      1. Using identifiers from many different namespaces, depending on identifier
      2. Using schema:url for identifiers which are URIs
      3. Adding string prefix "historic (invalid): " for invalid identifiers
      4. BIBFRAME Lite used, which allows string literals as values (unlike BIBFRAME) – is this vocabulary being maintained?
        1. Was developed by Zepheira
      6. dc:identifier for 'local-other' IDs
      7. Would be willing to change to LoC standard identifier scheme
      8. Accession number is problematic – nobody has a good solution for this
        1. Can this group start tracking desired predicates that the Hydra URI Management Working Group may investigate?
    3. Columbia
      1. Minting identifier objects
      2. Using bf:identifiedBy as predicate on main object; rdf:value for actual identifier string value
      3. local namespace/vocabulary "cul:"
      4. Planning on maintaining own vocabulary
    4. NYPL
      1. Minting identifier objects
      2. Using dc:identifier as predicate on main object
      3. Like minting as it provides consistent use of identifier predicate
      4. Will be maintaining own vocabulary of identifier classes (rather than predicates)
      5. Might consider using bf:identifiedBy instead of dc:identifier
    5. Amherst
      1. Very limited use of identifiers in metadata records
      2. Using dc:identifier

  2. Minting identifiers vs. using identifier-specific predicates
    1. Minting allows for greater flexibility for unique identifier types
    2. Minting increases complexity in managing data
    3. Most institutions are only using a handful of identifier types – is this worth minting?
    4. If minting, would we use BIBFRAME model for identifier objects?
    5. If minting, would we use dc:identifier or bf:identifiedBy as predicate on main object?

  3. MODS Location
    1. Should URLs be identifiers? Or are they locations?
    2. We will tackle <mods:location> at the next meeting

  4. Next meeting: Monday June 27, at 9:00 AM PST / Noon EST.