Linked data has become a punchline in certain circles of the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) community, derided as a much-hyped project that will ultimately never come to fruition. But the fact is, linked data is already happening now, evident in projects from Big Tech and the Wikimedia Foundation as well as the web pages of library service platforms. The goal of exposing cultural institutions’ records to the web is as important as ever—but for the non-technically minded, linked data can feel like a confusing morass of abstraction, jargon, and acronyms. Get conversant in linked data with this basic introduction from the Association of Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS). The book’s expert contributors summarize the origins of linked data, from early computers and the creation of the World Wide Web through RDF; walk readers through the practical, everyday side of creating, identifying, and representing semantically rich linked data using as an example the funk classic Mothership Connection album from the band Parliament; explain the concept of ontologies; explore such linked data projects as Open Graph, DBpedia, BIBFRAME, and Schema.org’s Bib Extension; offer suggested solo and group entry-level projects for linked data-curious librarians who wish to dive deeper; and provide a handy glossary and links to additional resources. This valuable primer on linked data will enable readers at any level of experience to get quickly up to speed on this important subject.

Since it was first published, LIS students and professionals everywhere have relied on Miller’s authoritative manual for clear instruction on the real-world practice of metadata design and creation. Now the author has given his text a top to bottom overhaul to bring it fully up to date, making it even easier for readers to acquire the knowledge and skills they need, whether they use the book on the job or in a classroom. By following this book’s guidance, with its inclusion of numerous practical examples that clarify common application issues and challenges, readers will learn about the concept of metadata and its functions for digital collections, why it’s essential to approach metadata specifically as data for machine processing, and how metadata can work in the rapidly developing Linked Data environment; know how to create high-quality resource descriptions using widely shared metadata standards, vocabularies, and elements commonly needed for digital collections; become thoroughly familiarized with Dublin Core (DC) through exploration of DCMI Metadata Terms, CONTENTdm best practices, and DC as Linked Data; discover what Linked Data is, how it is expressed in the Resource Description Framework (RDF), and how it works in relation to specific semantic models (typically called “ontologies”) such as BIBFRAME, comprised of properties and classes with “domain” and “range” specifications; get to know the MODS and VRA Core metadata schemes, along with recent developments related to their use in a Linked Data setting; understand the nuts and bolts of designing and documenting a metadata scheme; and gain knowledge of vital metadata interoperability and quality issues, including how to identify and clean inconsistent, missing, and messy metadata using innovative tools such as OpenRefine.

In this book, the Association of Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) gathers a stellar list of contributors to help readers understand linked data concepts by examining practice and projects based in familiar concepts like authority control.

In The Old Gringo, Carlos Fuentes brings the Mexico of 1916 uncannily to life. This novel is wise book, full of toughness and humanity and is without question one of the finest works of modern Latin American fiction. One of Fuentes's greatest works, the novel tells the story of Ambrose Bierce, the American writer, soldier, and journalist, and of his last mysterious days in Mexico living among Pancho Villa's soldiers, particularly his encounter with General Tomas Arroyo. In the end, the incompatibility of the two countries (or, paradoxically, their intimacy) claims both men, in a novel that is, most of all, about the tragic history of two cultures in conflict.

The Role of the Electronic Resources Librarian focuses on longstanding hurdles to the transition of libraries from print collections, to online information services, all from an Electronic Resources Librarian (ERL) perspective. Problems covered include cost containment for electronic serials, web design, discovery, customer service, efficiency, and adapting organizations to the needs of contemporary users. The title considers the historical development of the ERL role, how the position emerged in North America in the 1990s, how it is represented within the organizational structure of academic libraries, and how the ERL role maps to technology, information services, and professional identity trends. - Explores the changing role of the Electronic Resources Librarian (ERL) - Identifies long-term trends in Electronic Resource Management - Recommends best practices for the ERL role in modern libraries - Contextualizes the current ERL role in historical and current developments - Maps the ERL role to trends in technology, information services and the shifting professional identity of academic librarians

Western esotericism has been a pervasive presence in Western culture from late antiquity to the present day, but until recently it was largely ignored by scholars and surrounded by misconceptions and prejudice. This accessible guide provides readers with the basic knowledge and tools that will allow them to find their way in this bewildering but fascinating field. What is it that unites phenomena as diverse as ancient gnosticism and hermetism, the "occult sciences" of astrology, alchemy, and magic, rosicrucianism, as well as Christian theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, and the contemporary New Age spiritualities? What can the study of them teach us about our common cultural and intellectual heritage, and what is it that makes them relevant to contemporary concerns? How do we distinguish reliable historical knowledge from legends and fictions about esoteric traditions? These and many other questions are answered clearly and succinctly, so that the reader can find his way into the labyrinth of Western esotericism and out of it again.

Coyle's articulate treatment of the issues at hand helps bridge the divide between traditional cataloging practice and the algorithmic metadata approach, making this book an important resource for both LIS students and practitioners.

In "The Rats in the Walls" by H.P. Lovecraft, a man restores his ancestral estate in England, only to be haunted by mysterious noises within the walls. As he investigates, he uncovers horrifying secrets about his family's dark past and the ancient horrors lurking beneath the mansion.

Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust. Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz. Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope. This title has Common Core connections. Godwin Books

For undergraduate or graduate courses that include planning, conducting, and evaluating research. A do-it-yourself, understand-it-yourself manual designed to help students understand the fundamental structure of research and the methodical process that leads to valid, reliable results. Written in uncommonly engaging and elegant prose, this text guides the reader, step-by-step, from the selection of a problem, through the process of conducting authentic research, to the preparation of a completed report, with practical suggestions based on a solid theoretical framework and sound pedagogy. Suitable as the core text in any introductory research course or even for self-instruction, this text will show students two things: 1) that quality research demands planning and design; and, 2) how their own research projects can be executed effectively and professionally.