Freeing librarians
Linked Data saves time and improves efficiency for both patron-facing and resource management librarians. Catalogers can add metadata from publishers and other sources automatically, improving accuracy, reducing redundancy and increasing data reliability. This makes it easier to connect resources, generate special collections, collate unique materials, and increase their exposure to patrons. More valuable information is brought directly to the patron, without library staff having to manually make connections or filter results.
Alongside helping customers transition to a more robust ecosystem, Ex Libris continues to provide seamless support for traditional bibliographic record formats. Linked Data will add to your library’s toolbox.
Local and global interoperability
Linked Data in the library creates a common language for communication and discovery among separate siloed systems. This seamless interoperability is built on enriched library records with URIs for language, name, subject, and other identifiers, which can be displayed and exported by various Ex Libris applications.
The ability to connect and manage linked open vocabularies makes it possible to discover and analyze resources held in external systems, as well (such as research facilities, the US Library of Congress, etc.). And those external systems can use the library’s resources to improve the quality and accuracy of their own data.
A worldwide web of exposure
Your catalog becomes discoverable in the global search engines (such as Google, Yahoo!, and others) that your patrons are using on a regular basis to find research and learning resources. With Linked Data, your institution’s assets gain wider exposure in various representations, with no loss of information. They are also easier to query, to use in artificial intelligence algorithms, and to link with relevant resources published by others.
One easy, enriched search
With cataloging and exposure driven by Linked Data, the value of discovery is increased exponentially with the most relevant, informative results coming from one easy search. Patrons zero in on what they are looking for without expending energy on figuring out how to conduct their searches with limited phrases, keywords and Boolean modifiers. Discovery display is enriched with full details from local and external systems, as well as relevant linked sources. This provides the context and balance needed to independently assess search results, which is critical to academic research and learning.
Restoring the joy of serendipity
Navigation from an initial search to other resources related to the same topic or author is seamless and intuitive. Following a built-in chain of related links from their initial search, patrons embark on a journey of “discovery” in the broadest sense of the word. They can (virtually) revive the rewarding experience of exploring the stacks and coming across valuable, unexpected information that enriches their research and expands their horizons.
