The role of the Wikidata librarian in a renewed Bibliographical Universe: “next generation metadata”, next generation librarians

Boccone, Alessandra The role of the Wikidata librarian in a renewed Bibliographical Universe: “next generation metadata”, next generation librarians. JLIS.it, 2022, vol. 13, n. 2, pp. 45-57. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English abstract

Starting from a brief analysis of the OCLC Research report "Next generation metadata", the contribution proposes a reflection on the librarian metadata and the new centrality of its role in the LIS; among the various declinations that can assume such professional figure, One of the most interesting is the Wikidata librarian, of which a first definition is outlined. Following some international experiences of the use of Wikidata as a tool for new working methods, already consolidated in many library institutions, and as a particularly suitable environment for experimentation, thanks to its features of open, free, collaborative, easy to understand and use system. While information professionals and a large part of the academic and scientific environment have understood the potential of Wikidata, some weaknesses of this instrument have been highlighted, which must be corrected and recalibrated in the name of universally accessible and reusable knowledge, also taking into account the requirements contained in the Semantic Web Manifesto by the Cataloging and Indexing Study Group of the Italian Association of Libraries.

Italian abstract

Partendo da una breve analisi dell’OCLC Research report “Next generation metadata”, il contributo propone una riflessione sul metadata librarian e sulla nuova centralità del suo ruolo in ambito LIS; fra le varie declinazioni che può assumere tale figura professionale, una delle più interessanti risulta essere il Wikidata librarian, di cui si delinea una prima definizione. Seguono alcune esperienze internazionali dell’uso di Wikidata come strumento alla base di nuove metodologie di lavoro, già consolidate presso molte istituzioni bibliotecarie, e come ambiente particolarmente adatto alla sperimentazione, grazie alle sue caratteristiche di sistema aperto, libero, collaborativo, di facile comprensione e utilizzo. Se da un lato i professionisti dell’informazione e una buona parte dell’ambiente accademico e scientifico hanno compreso le potenzialità di Wikidata, dall’altra sono stati evidenziati alcuni punti di debolezza di tale strumento, che vanno corretti e ricalibrati in nome di una conoscenza universalmente accessibile e riutilizzabile, tenendo conto anche delle prescrizioni contenute nel Manifesto per il Web Semantico a cura del Gruppo di studio Catalogazione ed indicizzazione dell’Associazione Italiana Biblioteche.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Wikidata librarian; Metadata librarian; Semantic web; Wikidata; Metadati; Web semantico
Date deposited: 15 Sep 2026 05:10
Last modified: 20 Sep 2026 22:24
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/48886

References

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