{"id":5304,"date":"2024-04-30T15:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T15:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.oclc.org\/next\/?p=5304"},"modified":"2024-07-17T12:55:44","modified_gmt":"2024-07-17T12:55:44","slug":"linked-data-libraries-online-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.oclc.org\/next\/linked-data-libraries-online-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"How linked data can help libraries make more of an impact online"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Graphic<\/p>\n

In a recent post<\/a>, I introduced the topic of linked data for libraries and OCLC\u2019s plans for moving forward. Today, let\u2019s dig into the details on how<\/em> linked data amplifies the knowledge in library collections and the tools we can use to make it happen.<\/p>\n

This shift toward linked data isn\u2019t just a technology upgrade, but a long-term strategy for enhancing the findability and accessibility of the important materials that libraries curate and manage. It\u2019s a technical challenge, yes. But I also believe it\u2019s a chance to better promote our values.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Easy to publish, hard to promote<\/h2>\n

We all know that for every piece of good, reliable information, we often have to wade through thickets of lower-quality work, dubiously sourced materials, unreliable second-hand summaries, and other bad options. We also find that excellent information from underrepresented communities can be harder to locate and access within the tangles of lower-quality, mainstream, dominant content.<\/p>\n

The web has done a great job of democratizing the production and publication of content. If you want to share a blog post, podcast, videos, or music? There are all kinds of free options. And if your goals are personal\u2014sharing photos with family, keeping a journal, tracking ideas for a neighborhood group\u2014then findability isn\u2019t an issue.<\/p>\n

While it is possible to publish anything on the open web, the sheer volume of content available makes finding unique, curated content\u2014often stored in stand-alone data silos\u2014harder to find unless it\u2019s provided through a platform that\u2019s heavily advertised or very popular (in the sense of content that \u201cgoes viral\u201d).<\/p>\n

These options are rarely, if ever, possible for works that libraries uniquely curate. Which is where linked data fits in.<\/p>\n

Automating connections<\/h2>\n

When information is published as linked data, it can be found and used by automated content generation systems in many more ways.<\/p>\n

Linked data has been used like this for years to facilitate both discovery and economic transparency. Linked data facilitates a kind of \u201cautomated collaboration\u201d among participating organizations. Examples include:<\/p>\n