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Beyond the Looking Glass
Real World Linked Data —  What Does It Take to Make It Work?
Friday, June 26, 2015, 8:30 am – 4:30pm
Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco

Current discussion puts undue emphasis on the philosophy and technology of linked data. Yes, it's cool and demands to be played with. And yes, the library community is late to the party. But what is required for success besides an interesting idea?

This preconference is intended for non-IT library staff, that have a general understanding of linked data, and are ready to engage further in learning and applying data modeling concepts that are central to using/creating linked data in a production environment. Some knowledge of XML and HTML will be assumed (although not required).

8:30–8:45    Introduction, Announcements, & Attendees’ Desired Take Aways

Moderator: Laura Dawson, ISNI; with attendee participation.

8:45–9:45    Designing the Garden: Getting Grounded in Linked Data

Presenter: Jenn Riley, McGill University Library

Re-envisioning library metadata as Linked Data will require far more than data migration and implementation of new technical tools. Our community must re-design itself--working towards a shared understanding of what systems and people working with library metadata do, what success looks like, and how we work with other communities. This presentation will lay the groundwork for the remaining preconference speakers through discussion of high level functions for library metadata staff in a Linked Data environment, metadata pipelines within the library community and with external communities, and the value that cultural heritage organizations can bring to information both digital and analog.

10:00–10:15    Break
Refreshments provided by ALA.

10:15–11:15    An OCLC Perspective on What It Takes to Make Linked Data Work
Presenter: Karen Smith Yoshimura with assistance from Jean Godby, OCLC

From OCLC’s experiences in data mining WorldCat to identify entities that can be exposed to the semantic Web, we’ve learned there’s a lot of data that can be parsed easily and made into “statements” — and sadly, a lot that cannot be without much more effort. Karen and Jean offer some examples from OCLC Research’s multilingual bibliographic structure and performers extraction adventures of what metadata specialists can do now to  make it easier to transform text strings in MARC data into the entity-“things” we later expose as linked data that others can consume.

11:15–11:30    Questions

On Karen’s presentation, as well as how this impacts desired take aways. Hopefully, these Q&A periods at the end of each presentation will help us create a conversation throughout the day, that is summed up and connected in the final take away session.

11:30–1:00    Lunch Break

1:00–2:00    Modeling, Money, & Metrics Or How to NOT Re-Invent the Wheel

Presenters: Nannette Naught, Information Management Team (IMT), Inc; with Laura Dawson, ISNI

Are you wondering what the business case for linked data looks like? Are you asking yourself where to look for working models? Are you uncomfortable justifying modeling activities? Or explaining the real world benefits of this total change in approach? You are not alone. These questions are on Library’s mind today. As experienced resource developers and product managers, Nannette and Laura have learned to answer similar questions in the publishing, standards, and knowledge management worlds. They will share their their thoughts about how to answer questions simply in a way that speaks across discipline and skill level. They will introduce some experience-driven best practices to take back to your institution.

2:00–2:15    Questions

On Nannette and Laura’s presentation, as well as how this impacts desired take aways. Hopefully, these Q&A periods at the end of each presentation will help us createconversation throughout the day, that is summed up and connected in the final take away session.

2:15–2:45    Break

Refreshments provided by ALA.

2:45–3:45    Lessons Learned from a Greenhorn Ontologist, Or How I Couldn't Have Given This Presentation a Year Ago

Presenter: Steven Folsom, Cornell University

Are you a library technical services professional and ever felt uncomfortable about writing to the BIBFRAME list (or other linked data conversation) with a question? This presenter has too.  As a member of the Linked Data for Libraries project (LD4L, a Mellon funded grant between Cornell, Stanford, and Harvard) Steven has had to quickly develop a command of linked data principles and ontology best practices. He will introduce core ontology concepts and recommend strategies for skills building in order for library technical service professionals to participate comfortably in the development and use of ontologies.

3:45–4:00    Questions

On Steven’s presentation, as well as how this impacts desired take aways. Hopefully, these Q&A periods at the end of each presentation will help us create conversation throughout the day, that is summed up and connected in the final take away session.