"A rearrangement of the cataloging rules is not the right starting point for libraries. The library catalog has undergone considerable change from a simple finding list to an integrated database that serves both library management and user access functions. For the most part, it continues to be limited to the holdings of a designated library or group of libraries. Prior to elaborating detailed cataloging rules for libraries, we need to decide whether the user will view a general bibliographic tool that connects users and information resources no matter their origin, or continue to view a library inventory, that requires users to look elsewhere for other information they might need. In parallel, we need a concerted effort to work with interested non-library communities to apply principles of systems analysis to define the functional requirements and use cases that can assist in focusing the general principles and general rule development for bibliographic description. Structuring this effort using a proven approach should allow some useful examination of the assumptions that hobble us as we attempt to move forward."
..."explored the question of how pre-literate cultures manage their collective intellectual capital. In particular, I focused on the use of folk taxonomies (not to be confused with "folksonomies"), visual symbol systems, and the cultural effects of the transition from oral to literate cultures."
7train is an XSLT 2.0-based tool for generating Metadata and Encoding Transmission Standard (METS) files from standardized XML inputs.
Version 1 of the tool was designed to transform CONTENTdm Version 4.0 Standard XML exports into METS files conforming to a specific METS profile - http://www.loc.gov/mets/profiles/00000010.xml. However, the tool can be customized to produce METS files from any kind of standardized XML document (e.g, OAI records, etc.).
"The OWL Web Ontology Language is designed for use by applications that need to process the content of information instead of just presenting information to humans."
..."recent work recognizes the importance of context relations,
metadata, annotations for the pedagogical value of a digital library.
This new architecture uses Fedora, a tool for representing complex content,
data, metadata, web-based services, and semantic relationships, as the basis of
an information network overlay (INO)."
"Kowari is an Open Source, massively scalable, transaction-safe, purpose-built database for the storage and retrieval of metadata. More information on Kowari, including its main features, can be found in the Kowari Overview." ... purported to be new backing store for Fedora.
NPR Commentator David Weinberger says a growing trend allows us all to have a say on how to organize the Internet. Weinberger is a fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society.
"RDF and OWL make a strong foundation for Semantic Web applications," said Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web. "Their approval as W3C Recommendations come at a time when new products spring up in areas as diverse as Enterprise Integration and medical decision support.
XMLAD, the XML Acronym Demystifier project, helps you to keep up with the ever growing number of acronyms and terms related to XML, the Extensible Markup Language.
"a DLF working group to define best practices for use of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) and for the metadata shared/exposed by its use. Target audience: OAI data providers, OAI service providers, metadata creators."
Note: This is a revised pre-print version of a paper forthcoming in LITA guide to e-scholarship (working title), ed. Debra Shapiro. Date of this version: February 2005.