ark identifiers: lessons learnt at bnf: paths forward
DESCRIPTION
ARK identifiers: lessons learned at BnF and potential changes to the ARK standard.TRANSCRIPT
ARK IDENTIFIERSLessons learnt at BnF
Paths forward
OUTLINE
1. Reminder what are ARKs2. 8 years of implementing ARKs at BnF3. Considerations about evolving the ARK
standard
REMINDER: WHAT ARE ARKS
A maintaining institution A specification
A user registry A discussion listhttp://groups.google.com/group/arks-forum
http://www.cdlib.org/uc3/naan_registry.txt
http://tools.ietf.org/pdf/draft-kunze-ark-18.pdf
REMINDER, 2: ARK ANATOMY
http
://ww
w.fl
ickr.com
/photo
s/jenw
alle
r/2207918246/
Name assigning authority number(NAAN)
Name
the world the naming authority
the resource
> >bpt6k103039fark:/12148/
Scheme
delivery service
http://gallica.bnf.fr/
page variant> >
QualifiersName mapping authority
>/f26.thumbnail
ASSIGN IDENTIFIERSRESOLVE IDENTIFIERS
RESOLVE IDENTIFIERS
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k103039f/f26.thumbnail
8 YEARS LATERLessons learnt at BnF
- for new objects
- for existing objects : preservation repository, linked data services
RISKS IN PRACTICE: WHAT OCCURRED?
- full text OCR- full text search- audio
renderingChanging domain names
- finding aids- illuminations- museographic
descriptions- born digital
documents- virtual exhibitions
Changing technical environment
Changing organization
Originally: ARKs for - digitized items- bibliographic records from the main catalogue
http
://ww
w.fl
ickr.com
/photo
s/jenw
alle
r/2207918246/
New applications New objects Existing apps, additional features
WHAT CONCLUSIONS?
Anything can happen in 8 years, especially unforeseen cases
The only feasible response is organizational: Documentation Commitment Internal advocacy Internal “ARK master” task force
LESSONS LEARNT
DON’T reassign identifiers!
Only reveal what is meaningful for the end user to cite
Be consistent Keep it simple
Stay in touch with ARK usersDocument proceduresAddress needs without overkill
3/ ARK EVOLUTIONS
http://gallica/ark:/12148/btv1b8496236q
ARK REDUXSUGGESTED EVOLUTION
Semantic web best practices : Distinguish the document from the described
object
One way to do it:
This is not compatible with the ARK spec : ARKs can only be followed by “/”, “.” or “?” Could change if nobody used “#” in ARK names
SEMANTIC WEB: NEW ARK QUALIFIERS?
<URI-web-page> <URI-person>
<URI-123456> <URI-123456#classifier>
http://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11908252k
http://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11908252k#foaf:Person
ARK INFLECTIONS
Inflections get A (an ARK) to different things A by itself (no inflection) means get the named
thing A? means get the thing’s metadata A?? means get its commitment statement
Possible landing page debate stopper? A/ means get the thing’s landing page (if any) A./ means get the preferred payload (if any)
mikebaird on flickr
WHAT KIND OF PERSISTENCE IS PROMISED?
ARKs need metadata to express things like: Persistent and unchanging content (rare) Persistent but dynamic content (eg, NLM home
page) Persistent but correctable (eg, most curated
content) Persistent but growing (eg, streaming data,
journal)
And who are you to promise that? Your organizational mission Your private/public/non-profit status Any inspectable track record (eg, link uptime
stats)
GOING FORWARD
Discussion about evolving the ARK specification
Sharing best practices and implementation experiences
Interested? Stay tuned on http://groups.google.com/group/arks-forum
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!BnF implementation
sebastien.peyrard AT bnf.fr
jean-philippe.tramoni AT bnf.fr
ARKs at CDL:
john.kunze AT ucop.edu