Functional requirements for bibliographic linked data: the FR family

Functional requirements for bibliographic linked data: the FR family and the Semantic Web Gordon Dunsire Presented to the ALCTS FRBR Interest Group, ALA Annual, 24 June 2011

Overview Background Resource Description Framework Representing Functional Requirements for the Semantic Web Some issues

Legacy catalogue records

FRAD FRBR Does not cover “authorities”

Does not cover subjects

FRSAD

FR Consolidated model

Semantic recapitulate 1998Web versions 2009 2010 this sequence: 2012? * * * *

Earlier models in use before later models published Later models re-use elements from earlier models Reflects semantic development over time Provides learning curve for FRBR Review Group

Background RDA: resource description and access is based on FRBR and FRAD Bibliographic metadata content guidelines

DCMI RDA Task Group asked to develop an RDF representation of RDA Following the “London” meeting in April 2007

Stimulated creation of “FRBR namespaces project” To develop RDF representation of FRBR

RDF Resource Description Framework Basis of the Semantic Web

Metadata expressed as “atomic” statements A simple, single, irreducible statement The creator of this work is R. Shankar

Constructed in 3 parts “Triple”

RDF triples The creator of this work is R. Shankar Subject of the statement = Subject: This work Nature of the statement = Predicate: has creator Value of the statement = Object: R. Shankar

This work – has creator – R. Shankar subject – predicate – object

RDF requires the subject and predicate of a triple to have machine-readable identifiers Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) Object of triple can be a URI, or a literal string like a title

RDF properties and classes A predicate is called a property Properties link two things A specific work with a specific creator This work R. Shankar

A generic type of thing is called a class Works, Persons, Places, etc.

Properties can specify which class the subject and object of a triple should belong to Subject “domain”; object “range”

Methodology (1)  Open Metadata Registry used for basic representation in RDF Same approach as RDA Provides URI assignment; labels, definition, scope note, property range and domain

 FR family are entity-relationship models Entity => RDF Class E.g. FRBR Work

Entity attribute => RDF property E.g. FRBR has-intended-audience

Entity-entity relationship => RDF property E.g. FRBR is-realized-through (Work-Expression)

Classes

Properties FRBR Groups are not (super-)classes [FRBR Review Group] Group 1 entities are not classes [some ontologists]

3.2.5 Person The fifth entity defined in the model is person: an individual. The entity defined as person encompasses individuals that are deceased as well as those that are living.

Entity => Class

4.4.12 Capture mode Capture mode is the means used to record notation, sound, or images in the production of a manifestation (e.g., analogue, acoustic, electric, digital, optical etc.).

Attribute => Property

Label Definition

Scope note

Label Definition Scope note

Verbalised label URI

URI for Manifestation

Spanish translation of label - URI remains the same

Methodology (2)  Terminology of labels, definitions and scope notes based as closely as possible on source documentation E.g. Property label = “has” + attribute name

 Classes and properties declared for prior model(s) reused in current model E.g. FRAD re-uses URIs from FRBR namespace E.g. FRBR Expression; FRBR has-key

 No re-use of RDF resources from external community namespaces such as Dublin Core Terms Equivalences likely to be established later

Methodology (3) FR attribute properties have domain but no range Required by the model for extensibility E.g. FRBR has-key (domain = Work)

Relationship properties have domain and range E.g. FRBR is-realized-through (domain = Work; range = Expression)

General, non-technical issues Consistency within documentation Written for human consumption; evidence of variable phrasing to make it more readable E.g. “prior”, “preceding”, “first”

Consistency of labels of RDF resources E.g. “has a reproduction” (regular) vs “has reproduction” (irregular)

Documentation refers to sub-types of entity E.g. “musical work”, “serial” First pass: sub-type => sub-class But wrong due to semantic overlap

Opaque URIs http://iflastandards.info/ns/fr/frbr/frbrer/P1001 frbrer:P1001 Not http://iflastandards.info/ns/fr/frbr/frbrer/Work

IFLA operates in a multilingual environment Anglophone bias avoided Labels, etc. in English (@en), but no problem in accommodating translations

Allows subsequent changes to alternative and preferred labels without causing confusion URI must not change!

Linking the FR models Relationships between separate FR model classes and properties are declared with RDF equivalence and hierarchical properties E.g. owl:sameAs, rdfs:subClassOf E.g. FRAD class Corporate Body seems to be a sub-class of FRBR Corporate Body

Will inform the consolidated model Which may also require additional classes and properties

RDA issues DCMI RDA Task Group has declared parallel FRBR classes within RDA namespace Could not wait for FRBR RDF resources to be approved JSC to decide whether to substitute FRBR namespace resources, or declare equivalence

Conflict with FRBR in RDA implementation scenarios? RDA Manifestation “embodies” Work and Expression; FRBR allows only Expression

Legacy catalogue records Domain and range of FR (and RDA) properties inhibit use for creating triples from nonFRBRized catalogue records Need separate URIs for each specific Work, Expression, Manifestation, and Item

Solution: equivalent properties with no domain or range Need just a URI for the specific resource described

RDA has such unbounded properties

Thank you [email protected]  FRBR Review Group

http://www.ifla.org/en/frbr-rg  Open Metadata Registry

http://metadataregistry.org/  Library Linked Data Incubator Group

http://www.w3c.org/2005/Incubator/lld/

Sponsors ALA Cataloging & Classification Quarterly MARCIVE, Inc.