Use case:  a slightly longer-range focus via Bukminster Fuller & Norman Foster with an assist by Stephen Jay Gould

 

Submitted by:  Jerry Persons

 

Abstract

Schema.org taken as a whole is one recent example of an emerging web-wide trend toward increasingly well-structured representations of information—all a part of the so-call migration from a web of pages or documents toward a web of data.  Extending the bibliographic segments of this particular schema (filling in the gaps as Phil Schreur suggested) is an important part of improving the navigability of information resources spread throughout references to all manner of cultural heritage resources spread across the web.

 

The use cases outlined here assume that a richly populated web of data  already exists— one that supports facile navigation and discovery of resources connected by links that label the interwoven relationships among people, places, dates, organizations, events, things, ….

 

Full document

One starting-point is a Google search of today’s web Buckminster Fuller Norman Foster; the results of which include an entry for Foster recreates Fuller’s Dymaxion car [can be a slow site]; a web page that begins with this from Foster:

I was privileged to collaborate with Bucky for the last 12 years of his life and this had a profound influence on my own work and thinking. Inevitably, I also gained an insight into his philosophy and achievements.

 

A brief set of slides sketches outlines of a few threads that weave through Fuller’s and Foster’s lives—people, places, events, and dates—in the form of paths considerably less well travelled than their outright collaboration.  Indeed, such relationships and many more like these can be discovered today in the web of pages, but at a considerable investment of both time and patience (about 3 work-days, in the Foster—Fuller example).  Finding these relationships also assumes considerable experience sleuthing amongst cultural heritage resources, a background where the hint of faculty status for Fuller sends one digging through library archives for the papers of a particular faculty administrator. 

 

BTW, do watch the video of Foster driving his copy of Bucky’s car, it’s less than 2 minutes long. 

 

A second starting point is Stephen Jay Gould.  Here, in an interface that’s aimed at information professionals and not well suited to searchers, one can see all manner of threads leading to resources that help illuminate this individual’s life contributions..  And again, the web of pages  does contain most if not all of this information, available to one with the energy, resources, time, and skills to ferret out such links.  On the other hand, this compilation (built by hand, BTW) demonstrates the range of resources that could be made readily accessible if next-generation tools and interfaces had access to a pervasively well-structured web:

·         personal information (who, what, where, when, family, employment, education)

·         memorable quotations

·         TV episodes as a cast member (in this case The Simpsons)

·         films directed (‘’Darwin’s revolution in thought’’ co-directed with Robert DiNozzi)

·         film appearances (‘Life beyond earth’’ and ‘’In search of history:  The monkey trial’’)

·         works written – books, articles, etc. (ca. 300 titles)

·         works edited and contributions to series

·         works written as a contributing author

·         interviews given

·         academic career highlights (appointments, fellowships, honorary degrees, awards)

·         a topical breakdown of works written

·         radio broadcasts about/with the person

·         organizations (membership and leadership roles, committee work)

·         speeches, presentations

·         periodicals edited

·         columns written

 

So, yes, there are many use cases that involve the consumption of improved schema.org markup to the considerable and measurable benefit of those who search today’s web. 

 

It’s also worth reminding ourselves that adjusting the lens to a slightly longer focus gives some inkling of the potential longer-term benefits to be had from this present-day effort to extend schema.org such that library (and dare one suggest all GLAM) resources become integral components of the increasingly well-structured raw materials being consumed by tomorrow’s navigation and discovery environments.