Re: MARCXML to Topic Maps? MODS to Topic Maps?

Hi,

Aki Kivela <[email protected]> wrote:
> Therefore I am looking for a mapping from MARCXML [2] to Topic Maps and/or
> MODS [3] to Topic Maps. I know the issue has been touched in many research
> papers, for example [4], but still couldn't find a working implementation
> for these mappings. Do you know any?

I wish I could be more supportive and helpful, but all attempts to
model up MARC (specifically MARC21, not sure if the Finnish MARC is
different) as far as I know have failed (to various degrees). Crikey,
the library world itself are having huge problems just making the
transition from AACR2-based MARC21 to FRBR (and RDA) based normalized
data sets. You have to realize that the MARC model is highly
unnormalized, and relies on huge amounts of prose as field data, and
have *no* notion of identity management. Some data are ok and can be
used, of course, but lots of stuff is worthless unless put in a larger
context.

You could always check with OCLC (they have some converting web
services), and perhaps CODE4LIB have code that does "something" (I
remember at least a better MARC --> MODS converter in Python or
Ruby?). Was it MarcTools? I looked briefly at LibraryThing services,
too, but they are too fluffy for these purposes.

Now, after all that, I did do a MARC directly to Topic Maps / XTM 1.0
converter back in the days, but I'm sure where it is, and I remember
its state as being somewhat, um, flimsy (for the before mentioned
reasons). I've got a ton of MARC data lying around that I meant to
release as linked data, so I've got an interest in this, too. I'll
look into it in more detail over the next few days and report, if
anything.


Kind regards,

Alex
-- 
 Project Wrangler, SOA, Information Alchemist, UX, RESTafarian, Topic Maps
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