Ed, thanks for the pointer to this. It does indeed look to be something libraries should get involved with.
Using SKOS, conceptual resources can be identified using URIs, labeled with lexical strings in one or more natural languages,documented with various types of note, linked to each other and organized into informal hierarchies and association networks, aggregated into concept schemes, and mapped to conceptual resources in other schemes. In addition, labels can be related to each other, and conceptual resources can be grouped into labeled and/ or ordered collections.
On Jan 30, 2008, at 9:21 PM, Ed Summers wrote:
Just a quick heads up about the Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) Reference was just released as a W3C Public Working Draft [1]. I apologize if you've already seen this announcement elsewhere. SKOS is aimed at making a range of knowledge organization systems (classification schemes, thesauri, subject heading lists, folksonomies) available on the web in a machine readable form--so it's really quite relevant to libraries, archives and museums. This is a public working draft so the SKOS folks are looking for feedback on this document. Details on where to send comments are below in the official announcement. The SKOS Reference is a normative reference so it may seem a bit deeply technical. There is also a Primer in the works that is aiming to be more of an entry point for people who are new to SKOS. //Ed [1] http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/WD-skos-reference-20080125/ --- W3C Semantic Web Deployment Working Group We are pleased to announce the publication of the SKOS Reference as a W3C First Public Working Draft: http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/WD-skos-reference-20080125/ This is a substantial update to and replacement for the previous SKOS Core Vocabulary Specification W3C Working Draft dated 2 November 2005 [1]. We ask at this stage feedback and reviews on this draft specification. All comments are welcome and may be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED]; please include the text "SKOS comment" in the subject line. Note especially that there are a number of open issues, which are indicated in the document. Please forward this announcement to any other groups which may be interested. Abstract: """ This document defines the Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS), a common data model for sharing and linking knowledge organization systems via the Semantic Web. Many knowledge organization systems, such as thesauri, taxonomies, classification schemes and subject heading systems, share a similar structure, and are used in similar applications. SKOS captures much of this similarity and makes it explicit, to enable data and technology sharing across diverse applications. The SKOS data model provides a standard, low-cost migration path for porting existing knowledge organization systems to the Semantic Web. SKOS also provides a light weight, intuitive language for developing and sharing new knowledge organization systems. It may be used on its own, or in combination with formal knowledge representation languages such as the Web Ontology language (OWL). This document is the normative specification of the Simple Knowledge Organization System. It is intended for readers who are involved in the design and implementation of information systems, and who already have a good understanding of Semantic Web technology, especially RDF and OWL. For an informative guide to using SKOS, see the upcoming SKOS Primer. """ For more information on SKOS, the Semantic Web Deployment Working Group, or the W3C Semantic Web Activity, please see the following links: http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos http://www.w3.org/2006/07/SWD/ http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/ Kind regards, Alistair. [1] http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-swbp-skos-core-spec-20051102/ -- Alistair Miles Research Associate Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 0QX United Kingdom Web: http://purl.org/net/aliman Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: +44 (0)1235 445440
