Course Information
| Session |
|---|
| Credits | 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs |
|---|---|
| Registration dates | We accept registrations through the first week of classes, unless enrollment is full, and unless the class was canceled before it started due to low enrollment. |
Wikidata for Catalogers
$250.00
Dates: October 6 - November 2Credits: 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs
Wikidata is a collaborative linked open data repository that is free for anyone to use, edit, or copy. It acts as a central storage for structured data used by Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia – or, to use more cataloger-focused language – it acts as a source of authority records for Wikipedia. Due to its popularity, it also serves as a de facto hub for standard identifiers, including (but by no means limited to limited to) Library of Congress Control Numbers (LCCNs), ISBNs, ORCID iDs, VIAF IDs, WorldCat Identities, and so on. This interlinking of identifiers creates a comprehensive and interconnected knowledge base than can be used to enrich library catalog data, break out of data silos, and increase overall accessibility for our users.
This course is designed specifically for library catalogers who would like to learn more about Wikidata.
In this course, you will learn:
- What is Wikidata and why it is important for libraries and library catalogers;
- How to create and edit Wikidata items through hands-on experience;
- A beginner’s guide to querying Wikidata with SPARQL;
- The differences between traditional authority control and linked data identities management as demonstrated by Wikidata;
- The answers to frequently asked questions that catalogers have when working in Wikidata;
- What role Wikidata can play a) for you as an individual contributor, b) at your institution, and c) in the wider library world;
- How contributing to Wikidata can impact access, equity, and representation.
Students should spend an average of 4 hours per week on the course. Required texts will be provided by the instructor. Students will be expected to create a free Wikidata account (if they do not already have one) as part of the course.
No previous knowledge of Wikidata is required. Librarians and metadata professionals from all types of institutions are welcome, but be aware that the course presumes some basic familiarity with MARC cataloging and authority work.
Course Description
Wikidata is a collaborative linked open data repository that is free for anyone to use, edit, or copy. It acts as a central storage for structured data used by Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia – or, to use more cataloger-focused language – it acts as a source of authority records for Wikipedia. Due to its popularity, it also serves as a de facto hub for standard identifiers, including (but by no means limited to limited to) Library of Congress Control Numbers (LCCNs), ISBNs, ORCID iDs, VIAF IDs, WorldCat Identities, and so on. This interlinking of identifiers creates a comprehensive and interconnected knowledge base than can be used to enrich library catalog data, break out of data silos, and increase overall accessibility for our users.
This course is designed specifically for library catalogers who would like to learn more about Wikidata.
In this course, you will learn:
- What is Wikidata and why it is important for libraries and library catalogers;
- How to create and edit Wikidata items through hands-on experience;
- A beginner’s guide to querying Wikidata with SPARQL;
- The differences between traditional authority control and linked data identities management as demonstrated by Wikidata;
- The answers to frequently asked questions that catalogers have when working in Wikidata;
- What role Wikidata can play a) for you as an individual contributor, b) at your institution, and c) in the wider library world;
- How contributing to Wikidata can impact access, equity, and representation.
Students should spend an average of 4 hours per week on the course. Required texts will be provided by the instructor. Students will be expected to create a free Wikidata account (if they do not already have one) as part of the course.
No previous knowledge of Wikidata is required. Librarians and metadata professionals from all types of institutions are welcome, but be aware that the course presumes some basic familiarity with MARC cataloging and authority work.
Abby Dover
Abby Dover (she/they) is the Linked Data Librarian at Northwestern University, a position they have held since late 2022. Prior to that, Abby was Head of Cataloging at Southern Methodist University, and has over 15 years of cataloging experience. She holds a Masters of Library Science from the University of North Texas. Abby took part in the creation of the Cataloging Code of Ethics (2021) and the Queer Metadata Collective’s Best Practices for Queer Metadata (2024). She currently serves as a member of the PCC SCT Task Group on Linked Data Training and is co-coordinator of the NACO/SACO Comics and Fiction Funnel. Before entering the library world, she taught English as a Second Language in Japan and Texas, and enjoys bringing that teaching background to her present-day work in helping catalogers learn about linked data.
How to Register
To enroll yourself or other participants in a class, use the “Register” button that follows the description of each course. If the “Register” button does not show up, try loading the page in a different web browser. Contact us if you have technical difficulties using our shopping cart system or would like to pay for an enrollment using another method. On the payment page in the shopping cart system, there is a place to add notes, such as the names and email addresses of participants you wish to enroll. We will contact you to request this information in response to your processed payment if you do not include it in the “notes” field. Prior to the start of the workshop, we will send participants their login instructions.Payment Info
Our shopping cart system allows you to pay with a credit card or with PayPal.Alternatively, if it is an institutional payment, we can arrange to invoice you. Contact us by email, and we can make arrangements to suit your institution's business processes.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.