Wikibase for College of Science Library, KNUST

Add links
From Meta, a Wikimedia project coordination wiki


Project Overview

This project is a collaboration between the Dagbani Wikimedians user group and the College of Science Library at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to enhance the organization and accessibility of the library's bibliographic records through the implementation of a structured and linked open data system on the Wikibase Cloud.

Despite the presence of an Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) at the KNUST Library, challenges persist, including limited searchability, poor visibility of bibliographic records, siloed data, and restricted accessibility. These issues reduce the visibility of the library's collection and also hinder effective collaboration and sharing of bibliographic data with other libraries.

Our aim is to mitigate these challenges and enhance service delivery at the College of Science Library by introducing the Wikibase Cloud platform.

The Dagbani Wikimedians user group, with the support of the Partnerships Team of Wikimedia Germany, collaborates with the College of Science Library at KNUST to create a Wikibase cloud platform that is centralized, well-structured, and linked to other open data for improved service delivery in the library.

We believe that Wikibase.Cloud would be a great resource for the College Library and will help create an organized and well-structured data repository of information resources domiciled at the college library. With its user-friendly interface, robust data management tools, and flexible data model, Wikibase will be well-suited for creating and maintaining library records, including promoting collaborative cataloguing among neighbouring libraries.

PROJECT GOALS

The key goals of the project is to:

  1. Create a Wikibase Cloud account and set up Wikibase Instances for the College Library
  2. Train at least twenty librarians to on Linked Open Data and use of Wikibase software
  3. Develop and maintain structured and linked open data of at least 500 information resources at the College of Science Library at KNUST. With this, we hope to link the bibliographic records to the global knowledge base of linked open data.
  5. Create a Community of Practice (CoP) of advocates of Linked Open Data among librarians in Kumasi metropolis
  6. Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among librarians in the country and other stakeholders by providing a platform for shared data management and collaboration.
  7. Support the long-term preservation and accessibility of library data by implementing a sustainable data management and archiving strategy.

About Wikibase

Wikibase is an open-source software suite for creating collaborative knowledge bases, opening the door to the linked open data web. It connects the knowledge of people and organizations like GLAM institutions (Galleries, Libraries Archives and Museum) and enables them to open their linked data to the world. It is the software that powers Wikidata, the free and open knowledge base that can be read and edited by both humans and machines.

WHY WIKIBASE

With Wikibase cloud, we believe that the college of science library at KNUST will be able to improve the visibility of its collections and its overall operations while also connecting its records to a global knowledge base: Below are some of the advantages of using Wikibase:

  1. Flexibility: Wikibase allows you to create and manage any type of structured data, from simple facts to complex relationships, and to link it to other data sources. Wikibase is highly customizable, which means that it can be adapted to suit the needs of a wide
    2. range of projects. Additionally, the platform is compatible with a variety of data formats, which can make it easy to import and export data from other sources.
  2. Easy Accessibility: Wikibase provides a web-based user interface and API that allows both humans and machines to access and query the data with ease.
  3. Cost-effectiveness: Since Wikibase is an open-source platform, it means that it is free to use and distribute. This can help to reduce the cost of implementing and maintaining the platform, compared to using proprietary software. Again, Wikibase is designed to be highly performant and scalable, which means that it can handle large amounts of data with minimal maintenance. This can help keep the cost of maintaining the platform low over time. Wikibase allows users to easily import and export data from other sources, which can help reduce the cost of data entry and management. Additionally, the platform's interoperability with other systems and platforms can help reduce the cost of integrating with existing data.
  4. Interoperability: Wikibase supports the RDF data model and can be integrated with other RDF-based platforms, such as linked data and semantic web applications.
  5. Collaboration: Wikibase allows multiple users to work on the same data and to benefit from the collective knowledge and expertise of a community.
  6. Reusability: The data created in Wikibase can be reused by other projects and applications, under a free license, which helps to promote open data and reduce duplication of effort.
  7. Scalability: Wikibase is designed to handle large amounts of data and can be easily scaled up to meet the needs of large-scale projects.

Training and Workshops


How can you get involved

  • For Wikimedia community members, there are many ways to contribute – by providing feedback, helping others, being part of the community focus group, translating content...

Partners Logos






Retrieved from "https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikibase_for_College_of_Science_Library,_KNUST&oldid=26336331"