Challenges of mapping digital collections metadata to Schema.org: Working with CONTENTdm

Abstract

As digitized materials stored in content management systems become more prominent as a mode of resource access, the library community is experimenting with linked data to make these collections available in new ways. Applying Schema.org semantics to curated digital collections allows for enhanced search engine discovery, as well as the dissemination of metadata in ways that can connect resources across the internet. This paper shares the challenges encountered when mapping unique digital collections metadata to Schema.org semantics, and lessons learned from experimentation on CONTENTdm collections metadata at both the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana Library and OCLC.