As a mumble year Ph.d. student in LIS (ok, on a leave of absence this year) , with a background in computer science, it is possible that I may know less than that (my special area of ignorance is in the LCSH, but I am also unsure about every element of WEMI). Despite this lack of knowledge, I may be able to translate (pace Quine). Simon On Nov 10, 2011 8:06 AM, "DeGeorge, Deborah" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Wonderful to have you here! Not only do you bring valuable knowledge, but > you're the first non-cataloger/non-librarian on this discussion list to > admit that you don't know about cataloging/librarianship. > > I look forward to your contributions! > > Deb > > > Deborah DeGeorge > Rare- and Non-Book Cataloger > University of Michigan Libraries > 320 Hatcher Library N > 913 S. University > Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1190 > 734-764-9361 > dsd@umichedu > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative Forum [mailto: > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ivan Herman > Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 12:31 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [BIBFRAME] Introduction (@W3C) > > As a new member of this mailing list, allow me to introduce myself and the > institution I represent. > > I am what we call in our jargon the Semantic Web Activity Lead at the W3C. > What this means in practice is that I initiate and coordinate most (if not > all) Semantic Web related groups at the W3C and I am also responsible for > the outreach activities around the Semantic Web. > > I was very excited to see the initiative of the US Library of Congress[1]. > From my point of view, this initiative will be an important contribution to > the vision of the Semantic Web or, to use another term, a Web of Data on > which library data at large would at last take its well deserved place. > > I will not repeat that arguments on the benefits for the Library Community > of using Linked Library Data. This has been documented in a report of a W3C > Incubator Group[2]; they have made a much better job that I would ever do. > However, I can express why I believe such a synergy would also be > beneficial for the Semantic Web community. Indeed, the Semantic Web > envisions a Web of Data, i.e., a place where different types of data can be > integrated, used by applications or by end users, regardless of the origin > and the exact location of that data. The Web has given us this for > documents; it is time to have the same for data in general. However, it is > inconceivable to envisage this without the huge amount of data, > repositories, catalogues, accumulated knowledge, etc, that is available in > libraries around the globe. Furthermore, and that may be less obvious to > the library community, the unique experience that this community has in > cataloguing, archiving, and managing resources can bring a hugely important > extra experience and knowledge to the Semantic Web community, research and > development alike. > > I am not a librarian. This means that there are many technical and social > issues discussed on this list that I cannot really contribute to. However, > I would be very pleased to provide feedback, whenever that is necessary, on > specific, Semantic Web related technical questions concerning the > intricacies of RDF, OWL, SKOS, or SPARQL. I would also be happy to take the > problems raised by this group and feed them back to the relevant Working > Groups that are currently active at the W3C (see, for example, [3] for some > of those). I.e., I hope I can be of help. > > Of course, there may specific technical issues and solutions coming up in > future that might require further standardization in future; W3C may have a > role to play then and I will be happy to discuss this if and when the time > comes. > > Sincerely > > Ivan Herman > > > [1] http://www.loc.gov/marc/transition/news/framework-103111.html > [2] > http://www.w3.org/blog/SW/2011/10/27/w3c-library-linked-data-xg-final-report-published/ > [3] http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/ > > ---- > Ivan Herman, W3C Semantic Web Activity Lead > Home: http://www.w3.org/People/Ivan/ > mobile: +31-641044153 > FOAF: http://www.ivan-herman.net/foaf.rdf >