Archiving in the networked world: resource description framework
| Published date | 01 March 2013 |
| Pages | 182-188 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07378831311304010 |
| Date | 01 March 2013 |
| Author | Michael Seadle |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Archiving in the networked
world: resource description
framework
Michael Seadle
Berlin School of Library and Information Science,
Humboldt Universita
¨t zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine a project where resource description framework (RDF)
is expected to function both in the short term and over long periods. Because RDF is comparatively
new, the library and information science literature has scarcely addressed the issues.
Design/methodolo gy/approach – The article analyse s RDF from the perspect ive of the
requirements for long term digital archiving, with special emphasis on the need for maintaining
integrity and usability.
Findings – RDF and RDFa (resource description framework in attributes) encoding can be archived,
but the external references that make RDF function may change their meaning or vanish over time,
unless efforts are made to archive them too and to provide time-based context information through
mechanisms like Memento. RDF-based “triple store” databases can likewise be archived.
Originality/value – The value of this article lies in its examination of how RDF and its variants will
work within the constraints of current long term digital archiving systems. RDF is relatively new, but
its proponents see it as a long term enhancement of the web and of internet-connected projects. This
requires some consideration about how it will function in 100 years or more.
Keywords Informationprofession,Learning, Librarians,Informationtechnology, Professionaleducation
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The author is involved in a project to use RDF (Resource Description Framework) to
link content both synchronously in the contemporary time and asynchronously across
time. To make this project work requires some consideration about how well RDF,
RDFa (Resource Description Framework in Attributes) and RDF-based “triple store”
databases can be maintained and archived over periods of 100 years or more. These
terms are explained in the following.
What is RDF?
RDF “is a standard model for data interchange on the web” (RDF Working Group,
2004). The W3C web site has an excellent description of how RDF can work and the
W3schools tutorial (2012a, b) offers excellent insight into how to code RDF and its
variants. There are also several clear and easily read articles explaining RDF that
appeared when it was relatively new, in particular Eric Miller’s, 1998 “An Introduction
to the Resource Description Framework”, which explains its origins and potential, and
the 2002 article by Duval et al. on “Metadata principles and practicalities”, which gives
a good overview of how RDF works in the context of other metadata types and
namespace schemes.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
LHT
31,1
182
Received December 2012
Revised December 2012
Accepted December 2012
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 31 No. 1, 2013
pp. 182-188
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/07378831311304010
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