Openlibrary.org

pathall

Hi all,

Question: if I go to a book URL on archive.org, Zotero (www.zotero.org) can detect that there is bibliographic info on the page, and allow me to import it.

Those pages link to openlibrary.org, which usually has better data. I end up importing on archive.org, and then updating the imported data into Zotero by hand by referring to the openlibrary page.

I found one reference from 2008 mentioning plans to make it possible to import directly into Zotero from Openlibrary. Did this ever happen? It doesn't seem to be possible currently.

Thanks!

ajlyon

It'll take a little bit of work, since Openlibrary doesn't export any formats that we can import natively, but it appears to export BIBO RDF... I imagine Bruce could comment on this, but does Zotero know how to import BIBO RDF yet?

It'll be possible to make a nice translator, though, since they have a well-defined API and whatnot.

Simon

Zotero 2.1 includes a Bibliontology RDF translator.

ajlyon

In that case, I'll commit to making an Openlibrary translator, once the RDF side of the 2.1 betas is stable and ready to go.

ajlyon

I just started looking at this, and I can't get a single one of the examples at http://bibliontology.com/examples to import with any fidelity.

bdarcus

How does the translator work? Is it something that reads XML syntax, or which maps RDF model? In any case, should we move this to zotero-dev?

ajlyon

The discussion of what may or may not work in the RDF importer should probably move to zotero-dev, I suppose. The translator builds off of Zotero's built-in RDF support, can't say much more since I'm just digging into this for the first time.

Just wanted to post here in part to let people know that OpenLibrary support is neither forgotten nor around the corner.

mikemaehr

I would also be especially interested in having greater Open Library support. Zotero and OL (& Internet Archive) are my first line of tools for researching a topic. If they worked better together I think this would be a true powerhouse with potential for major reciprocal benefits for all users and .org's involved. Not a complaint; just gentle encouragement.

adamsmith

please do contact openlibrary about this - if they were to provide any standardized data on their items - bibtex, RIS, MARC, some standard RDF like dublin core - this would be quite doable. I looked at the RDF they export and I can't make anything of it.

As things are, it just doesn't seem worth the (very significant) effort, especially bc. the data that they have is of such poor quality.

I understand the merits of the OL project for what it is, but if you want to actually get bibliographic data you'll be better of getting it from a properly maintained library catalogs such as the LoC.

ajlyon

The RDF for individual holdings is quite logical and straightforward: http://openlibrary.org/books/OL23759109M.rdf

Unfortunately, Zotero doesn't yet know how to work with many of the vocabularies used, and doesn't get anything useful from that record. I suppose this should be improved, but I really wish we had some reliable and authoritative test data to use as we expand our coverage.

adamsmith

sure, it looks logical - but why come up with your own RDF schema in the first place? And why not provide some other, more genrally readable data format.

ajlyon

It isn't their own schema-- it's mainly DC Terms and BIBO.

Simon

OTOH, it uses way too many schemas to expect anything not designed to accept it to take it. But it could be argued that this is a problem with our RDF import/export as well (although the Bibliontology translator is much better about sticking to BIBO, DC, and FOAF where possible).

susanfitzm

Any update on this? I just signed up for this today and it was OL that I was going to use it for primarily.

aurimas

Should be working. If something is not working, please start a new thread, go through the steps here, and provide the requested information.