2023-10-25

Unlocking Connections - ExLibris

• Paloma will be attending and recommends Nov 2nd webinar on how Ex Libris is collaborating with the community, addressing the community’s needs, and bringing linked open data into libraries.

Show and tell of the datasets, testing and use cases

Brittany

Katie

Paloma

• Testing notes from Paloma and Katie: working with large sets can be unsustainable given the time to load and limited results displayed per page.
• Katie noted a test set not appearing in an Alma Refine set search, and it appears to be because it was a set with content type "Physical items" - since Alma Refine adds URIs to MARC bib records, it presumably only works with sets with defined "title" content types (e.g. All Titles, Digital Titles, Electronic Titles, or Physical Titles). We are seeing that knowledge of the fine points of creating sets (e.g. content type definitions, set type logical vs itemized) in Alma is a pre-requisite to Alma Refine use.
• Paloma demonstrates how her set was constructed, and a new test set created on the fly was seen by Alma Refine.
• Benn asks MarcEdit's use case. Brittany notes HRC's experience with leveraging MarcEdit and that in UTL's case, given the need for permissions to run jobs in Alma, initial explorations would best be conducted by UTL.

Local Reconciliation Service

• Would be nice to explore an alternative local desktop reconciliation service that has our vocabularies published the way that OpenRefine is expecting to query.  Rather than going to the vast wikidata data set, our local service will have the precise names and identifiers we want. The real reconciliation step would occur outside Alma with a local tool. The benefits of a local reconciliation service include control over our specific data set; reduce burden of making choices on staff working on reconciliation.
• Paloma provides some known options to explore https://github.com/cmharlow/GetUrRecon and https://github.com/okfn/reconcile-csv. Benn will explore options and discuss takeaways with Paloma and group.
• Paloma notes Alma Refine is the only way to add URI into the sets of MARC records. Having a local reconciliation service means the Alma Refine process could be reduced to just adding URIs.

Paloma/Katie

• We will want to think of proper terms for addressing our audience in the report. Is there something more proper than Library Administration?
• The document layout reflects early stages thinking and given a target final report date of ~Jan 2024; not much traction on TDL front; survey of UTL repositories not yet begun, discussion on trimming or adjusting report sections is on the table and group is asked to consider options.
• Katie recommends including prior workshops in the report would be good.
• It would be good to include summaries of other known linked data repos at UTL and campus in the report draft. Albert Palacios and Devon may be able to contribute info about Islandora RDF store implementations. Adam Rabinowitz at Archaeology may also be able to speak to periodO efforts.
• We do know what our recommendations are:
  We have UTL systems that are starting to incorporate LD functionalities that can be used to enrich and enhance discovery in our datasets. UTL and campus affiliates should incorporate LD in their strategic planning. UTL should identify ways in which to put recs into action items. If LD is not an institutional priority then it remains a side job for us and we could miss opportunities to fulfill our institutional mission and goals for participating and contributing to academics and research.
• Paloma's thoughts on a report goal for library administration - determine how to leverage the different pockets of LD implementations on campus that enhance access to collections. Feedback on this goal is sought. We have one specific goal so far.
• For the next meeting maybe we can have report sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.4 finished. We may push the final report target date depending on our progress.

Wikidata event for 2024

Paloma

Katie

• Maybe we want to think of setting up expectations for this group to facilitate an annual event every year or not. We should revisit 2022 reasons and goals for holding the workshop and evaluate if they still hold true and fit with the ethos of the group now.
• Paloma recommends an expectation for workshop attendees could be to get familiar with documentation sent out in advance. The document would be a shorter version than what will be given at the data-thon. This expectation serves as a timesaver, allowing more hands-on time.
• Katie sees the value in repurposing the workshop in terms of already having something to key off of. Katie notes some prior workshop leads aren't in attendance so their input will be sought.
• Katie notes that if skills training in the workforce is in our report and is approved, then the workshop becomes a bona fide institutional practice backed by the administration.
• Holding a workshop has tradeoffs all should consider. The required extra time commitment would hopefully balance out with the benefits gained by UTL leveraging LD sources effectively.