XML Organic Bibliographic Information Schema

The preprint for the paper XOBIS – an Experimental Schema for Unifying Bibliographic and Authority Records is available.

XOBIS is an XML schema which reorganizes bibliographic and authority data elements into a single, integrated structure. It explores balancing valuable traditions with new technologies to create a potential foundation for future access to information in a distributed digital environment. It also attempts to determine a middle path between the complexity of MARC and the oversimplification of the Dublin Core. XOBIS represents an experimental effort focused on addressing metadata as the critical bridge between content and sophisticated access–all three increasingly focused on XML in a digital environment.

DocBook

A version of DocBook has been used to generate a Web site. Those thinking of using XML might be interested.

DocBook is general purpose XML and SGML document type particularly well suited to books and papers about computer hardware and software (though it is by no means limited to these applications).

Seen on Column Two

Digital Collections

A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections from NISO.

The Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections provides a set of high-level principles as a framework for identifying, organizing, and applying existing knowledge and resources to collections of digital resources. It was originally prepared under the auspices of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and released in 2001. It was intended as a resource for grant applicants to the IMLS and other federal funding agencies. However, since its release it has received wide-recognition in the library and museum communities and the endorsement of the Digital Library Federation.

Uniform Titles for Motion Pictures

Draft 3 of a proposed revision to the portion of LCRI 25.5B on Uniform Titles for Motion Pictures, Television Programs, and Radio Programs is now available for review and comment on the CPSO Web site.

The proposed revision is accompanied by a statement describing the stimulus for the revision and delineating the differences between Draft 3 and Draft 2 that was circulated earlier in the period November 2003-January 15, 2004.

Please send comments by May 31, 2004 to the CPSO email account: cpso@loc.gov

Electronic Library Papers

Volume 22 Issue 2 of The Electronic Library has some interesting papers:

• A simple relevancy-ranking strategy for an interface to Boolean OPACs by Christopher S.G. Khoo; Kwok-Wai Wan
• RoMEO studies 5: IPR issues facing OAI data and service providers by Elizabeth Gadd; Charles Oppenheim; Steve Probets
• Metadata for harvesting: the Open Archives Initiative, and how to find things on the Web by Philip Hunter; Marieke Guy
• OPAC vs card catalogue: a comparative study of user behaviour by M.S. Sridhar

Info Career Trends

The May issue of Info Career Trends is now available. Contents include:

• Career Q&A From the Library Career People (transferring life experience & job hopping)
• Back to School
• Managing the Business of the Library: How an MBA Benefits Librarians
• Lifelong Learning in Librarianship: Classes and Beyond
• Keeping Up as a Solo Librarian
• Share and Share Alike
• What's Online? Recommended Resources
• But I Want To Hold It In My Hand!
• Reviews

Joint Steering Committee

There have been a couple of changes to the Joint Steering Committee for Revision of the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.

• New Chair Sally Strutt, the British Library representative, was selected as the new JSC Chair at the April 2004 meeting. Her term begins on July 1, 2004
• New ALA representative Jennifer Bowen, the University of Rochester, is the new ALA representative. Her term begins on July 1, 2004 following the ALA Annual Conference.

Why does ALA have a representative but SLA doesn't? Thanks Ian for bringing this to my attention.

Privacy

An excellent edition of the Sceeen Savers aired last night, April 28. It dealt with on-line privacy. Tips on encription, WiFi security, password protection, and more. If you have some responsibility with public computing in your institution this would be a good read. If you are concerned with your own privacy while on-line this is a good introduction.

Washington DC

This summer we are vacationing in Washington DC. I'm thinking of visiting the Folger Shakespeare Library. We have been several times before and have seen all the normal sites and the Baltimore and Ohio Canal (delightful). Any other suggestions? We have heard music at Wolf Trap and the Kennedy Center; any other venues/concerts worth hearing in early June? It would be nice if there was a chamber recital at LC or someplace else worth visiting. Flute is best. We are just in the early stages of planning the trip so any suggestions would be welcome.

Anyone want to take over this 'blog while I'm gone? Just let me know. I find it fun and interesting to have a guest host.

Frankfurt Principles

The Korean translation of the "Frankfurt Principles" has been posted on the IFLA website.

MARC Code Lists for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions

Additions to the MARC Code Lists for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions
Network Development and MARC Standards Office Library of Congress

The subject source code listed below has been recently approved for use in MARC 21 records. This new code will be added to the online MARC Codes Lists for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions. The code should not be used in exchange records until after June 27, 2004. This 60 day waiting period is required to provide MARC 21 implementers with time to include newly defined codes in any validation tables they may apply to the MARC fields where these codes are used.

MARC Term, Name, Title sources

Addition:

• itrt- International Thesaurus of Refugee Terminology (subfield $2 in Bibliographic and Community Information fields 600-651, 655, 656) [use only after June 27, 2004]
• asth - Astronomy thesaurus (subfield $2 in Bibliographic and Community Information fields 600-651, 655-658) [use only after June 28, 2004]

Dublin Core

In addition to the links to RDF metadata on all pages on the DCMI Web site, we now also have embedded metadata on our pages, following the recommendation for XHTML encoding of Dublin Core metadata.

They are using unqualified. It is nice to see how the pros do it. Looking at examples can often explain better than instructions.

SLA

I've posted this last week, but as a reminder....

Are cataloging and/or metadata part of your professional routine? The SLA Committee on Cataloging is conducting a survey of all members in order to receive input for future committee activities and consideration.

It is the first part of a two-step survey by the committee to find out about SLA members' interests in cataloging and metadata before considering specific aspects of cataloging and the impact that technology has had on it in more detail.

Taking only 5 minutes to complete, responses to the survey will help the Committee tremendously.

OAI

The Institutional Archive Registry tracks the number and size of open-access eprint archives. Gives the name, location, URL, and type of contents as well as showing a graph of the number of items in the collection. Provides the ability to submit sites for them to include.

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