Dear GLAM-Wiki professionals and enthusiasts,
The Luxembourg Competency Network on Digital Cultural Heritage is developing a Shared Authority File, to combine the knowledge from national heritage institutions and to increase the impact of the member institutions' digitised collections.
The Shared Authority File uses Wikibase as its main data store and internal user interface, and has created an extension that might be of relevance to the broader GLAM sector: A datatype for Extended Date Time Format compliant statements.
Wikibase contains a datetime representation based on ISO 8601:2004 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601>. The project extended the Wikibase software through an Extended Data Time Format extension, which includes ISO 8601:2019 <https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:8601:-1:ed-1:v1:en>, and their extensions in a new datatype which can then be utilized within a Wikibase instance.
This resulted in two open source products. A library <https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/EDTF> for the validation and humanisation of EDTF dates in PHP, and an extension <https://github.com/ProfessionalWiki/WikibaseEdtf> to WikiBase to use this library. Both are available as open source software for all to use and improve. The humanisation is translated in various languages using Translate.wiki <https://translatewiki.net/wiki/FAQ>.
With this email I’m asking support for the inclusion of this work into the fall release of the Wikibase Docker bundle. You can voice your support through this ticket: Include the EDTF Datatype extension in the Fall 2021 Wikibase Docker release <https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T280656>
This would allow other GLAM initiatives using Wikibase to easily make use of the EDTF standard within their own Wikibase deployments.
Feedback and contributions to the repositories for this extension as a stand alone product are also welcomed!
Thanks for your attention and best wishes,
Maarten Brinkerink
IFLA Wikidata Working Group Structuring and Organizing Meeting
The IFLA Wikidata Working Group would like to extend an invitation to a structuring and organizing meeting on June 22nd, 2021 at 15:00 UTC. The purpose of this meeting is to begin to formalize the Working Group in effort to form an IFLA Special Interest Group and also incorporate a functional structure to support ongoing strategic activities. A representative from IFLA will give an overview of the IFLA structure and governance model. Representatives from allied IFLA Sections and SIGS, such as Subject Analysis and Acces<https://www.ifla.org/subject-analysis-and-access>s, Bibliography<https://www.ifla.org/bibliography>, and Big Data<https://www.ifla.org/big-data>, will join the meeting to give an overview of their work and discuss points of collaboration.
The IFLA Wikidata Working Group<https://www.ifla.org/node/92837> was formed in late 2019 to explore and advocate for the use of and contribution to Wikidata by library and information professionals. To support the integration of Wikidata with library systems, and the development of the technical infrastructure to promote knowledge equity and open bibliographic data, and alignment of the Wikidata ontology with library metadata formats.
IFLA Special Interest Groups: bring together IFLA members with common and continuing interests that they wish to discuss or explore, but which are not included in the mission and goals of an existing Section. These interests can cut across the concerns of multiple sectors, identify and follow an emerging issue or trend, be very specialised, or relevant to a small number of members. However, all Special Interest Groups must strive to explore an interest through a time-bound and goal-oriented approach, demonstrated through clear actions the group plans to undertake in order to meet their identified need. Read more here: https://www.ifla.org/node/9686
To move toward a goal-oriented approach and to begin to model a SIG structure the Wikidata Working group will create sub-working groups formed around specific, time-bound, goal-oriented projects.
The agenda for the meeting will include:
*overview of the IFLA governance structure, activities, and SIG requirements
*introductions from members from IFLA SIGs and Sections.
*discussion of Working Group membership commitments
*update on Working Group activities
*initial formation of working groups structured around functional, high-level activities
Meeting connection information:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83653239590?pwd=Y09YZGZjOFY4eW5NZnlHM3YyNlZpZz09
Meeting ID: 836 5323 9590
Passcode: 631203
Questions or comments to:
Stacy Allison-Cassin, Convenor, IFLA Wikidata Working Group
Stacy Allison-Cassin, PhD
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
Faculty of Information
University of Toronto
Associate Librarian (on leave)
Department of Student Learning and Academic Success
Scott Library, York University