Forging New Links: Libraries in the Semantic Web

Abstract

Whether you call it linked data, web 3.0, or the semantic web, the next generation of web technologies is reaching maturity. With major search engines, media outlets, and national governments backing the W3C standard, the semantic web is poised to change the way we think about information discovery. Core themes of metadata, collaboration, and interoperability make linked data a natural philosophical match for libraries. Although semantic web standards are quite complex, the linked data vision offers compelling solutions to some of our major challenges like precise web search, authority control, classification, data portability, and disambiguation, as well as offering intriguing partnership opportunities within the library community and the wider world. This paper will outline some of the benefits that linked data could have for libraries and their user communities, will discuss some of the obstacles we face in moving forward, and will finally offer suggestions for practical ways in which libraries can participate in the development of the semantic web.