MADS authority data in RDF

Forwarding from the MODS listserv, where discussion is taking place. I  
would like to encourage responses to LoC from folks with LD and RDF  
experience -- this RDF may become the underlying format for important  
data sets like LCSH and LC name authorities.

********** Forwarded Post **************

A MADS/RDF ontology developed at the Library of Congress is available  
for a public review period until Jan. 14, 2011.  The MADS/RDF  
(Metadata Authority Description Schema in RDF) vocabulary is a data  
model for authority and vocabulary data used within the library and  
information science (LIS) community, which is inclusive of museums,  
archives, and other cultural institutions. It is presented as an OWL  
ontology.

Documentation and the ontology are available at:  
http://www.loc.gov/standards/mads/rdf/

Based on the MADS/XML schema, MADS/RDF provides a means to record data  
from the Machine Readable Cataloging (MARC) Authorities format in RDF  
for use in semantic applications and Linked Data projects. MADS/RDF is  
a knowledge organization system designed for use with controlled  
values for names (personal, corporate, geographic, etc.), thesauri,  
taxonomies, subject heading systems, and other controlled value lists.  
It is closely related to SKOS, the Simple Knowledge Organization  
System and a widely supported and adopted RDF vocabulary. Unlike SKOS,  
however, which is very broad in its application, MADS/RDF is designed  
specifically to support authority data as used by and needed in the  
LIS community and its technology systems. Given the close relationship  
between the aim of MADS/RDF and the aim of SKOS, the MADS ontology has  
been fully mapped to SKOS.

Community feedback is encouraged and welcome. The MODS listserv -  
MADS/XML is maintained as part of the community work on MODS (Metadata  
Object Description Schema) - is the preferred forum for feedback:   
http://listserv.loc.gov/listarch/mods.html.  Kevin Ford, the primary  
architect of the model, will be responding on that forum in order to  
have an open discussion.

**************************
Sally H. McCallum
Chief, Network Development and Standards Office
Library of Congress,  101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540  USA
smcc@loc.gov<mailto:smcc@loc.gov>
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Tel. 1-202-707-5119 -- Fax 1.202-707-0115
**************************

Received on Saturday, 4 December 2010 11:33:29 UTC