Fun with Dick and Jane (and RDA): Creating linked data for Jane Austen and Blade Runner
Friday, January 30, 2015, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting, Chicago, Illinois REGISTER <http://www.rdatoolkit.org/janeathon> You've heard about hackathons--but have you ever heard of a Jane-athon? Drawing on the hackathon model of bringing people together to explore new ideas by setting them to task equipped only with software and their collective gumption and enthusiasm, ALA Publishing and the RDA Development Team announce the first ever event designed to catalog Jane Austen resources with software specifically designed to use RDA: Resource Description and Access. In addition to building practical experience with 'native' (not MARC-based) RDA, participants will explore the very real issues inherent in using Resource Description Framework (RDF) statements in aggregated "packages" ready to contribute to the Linked Data world. The new version of RDA in Many Metadata Formats (RIMMF3) allows you to create pure RDA data from scratch or import data from MARC21 records and edit it, and export RDA data as linked data using the RDA element sets. During the session you will: . See a demonstration of RDA and RIMMF used to describe the motion picture film Blade Runner and related works such as the original Philip K. Dick short story, sequels, and the music created by Vangelis for the soundtrack. . Work in small groups to create RDA data for a variety of Jane Austen materials and related works such as motion picture films. . Export the RDA data as RDF data and see how the output of each group can be aggregated into a linked set of Jane triples. . Discuss issues you have identified from your use of RIMMF and RDA. . Discuss the big issues facing library linked data and shared cataloging. . Discuss how to build on the Jane data and extend it (6 degrees of Colin Firth!). We expect the working groups to contain 3-5 members with varying experience of using RDA and RIMMF, so that all can participate. There will be experts in RDA and RIMMF on hand to provide assistance. Each group will start with a specific category of Jane resources, such as the original novels, films of the novels, spin-off fiction (zombies!), and works about Jane and her writings. Before the session you should prepare to be an active participant (all these suggestions are optional but recommended to make the most of the Jane-athon): . Download RIMMF3 [not yet available] accompanied by some basic data for Jane resources and related entities that will be available before the event; . View tutorials on how to relate Work, _expression_, Manifestation, Item, and Agent (PFC) data [not yet available]. . Practice the tutorial steps on as many Jane-related resources as you can. . Bring examples of any Jane-related resources that you used for practice and additional ones that you can use in the session; we will provide guidelines for the format of these examples. . Bring your laptop, optionally loaded with RIMMF and any Jane data you have prepared. . After the session you will have: . A better appreciation of the functionality and utility of RDA without the constraints of the MARC format. . An understanding of the basics of library linked data. . An understanding of the issues facing collaborative cataloging in the Semantic Web. . A local set of Jane data structured as pure RDA in RIMMF format, to play with, build on, and share with colleagues. . A set of Jane linked data triples available on a special 'Jane-athon' section of the RDA Registry, to play with, build on, and share with colleagues and Jane-ite friends. Disclaimer: We will not be teaching RDA, but we are confident that everyone will learn a great deal about relationships and linked data in RDA. Visit our event page for updates on the Jane-athon. <http://www.rdatoolkit.org/janeathon> James Hennelly Managing Editor ALA Digital Reference 1-800-545-2433, ext 5051, or 312-280-5051 [email protected]
