Re: Library data is expressed primarily as text strings

I'm not sure I'm super-happy with "unique alphanumeric strings" regarding ISBNs, essentially due to hyphenation, etc. But I like the main message here. :) -Jodi

On 3 Sep 2011, at 20:48, Tom Baker wrote:

> I found the point "Library data is expressed primarily as text strings" to be
> vague as written, so I have sharpened the point [1] to emphasize the difference
> between "unique alphanumeric strings" such as ISBNs and "display-oriented text"
> such as "words and names".  Please read the following paragraph and raise a
> flag if I have somehow "overinterpreted"...:
> 
>    Most information in library data is encoded as display-oriented text
>    strings. Some of the resource identifiers used in library data are based on
>    unique alphanumeric strings, such as ISBNs for books, but most
>    identification is done using words and names.  Some data fields in MARC
>    records are coded uniquely, but there is no clear incentive to include
>    these in all records as few of them are used for library-system functions.
>    Some data fields, such as authority-controlled names and subjects, have
>    associated records in separate files, and these records have identifiers
>    that could be used to represent those entities in library metadata;
>    however, the data formats in current use do not always support inclusion of
>    these identifiers in records, so many of today's library systems do not
>    properly support their use.
> 
> Note "authority-controlled" with hyphen.
> 
> Tom
> 
> [1] http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/lld/wiki/index.php?title=Draft_issues_page_take2&diff=6098&oldid=6090
>

Received on Saturday, 3 September 2011 20:04:06 UTC