Linked Data and Archival Description: Confluences, Contingencies, and Conflicts

Abstract

Neither the World Wide Web itself nor Web-based archival description is new to archivists. Additionally, Linked Data, in one form or another, has been central for defining the conceptual architecture of the Web. This presentation argues that the concepts behind Linked Data are not new to archives either, and, in fact, are central to effective archival description. We will discuss implementation details and perceived benefits for both archivists and information seekers, and consider potential impediments relating to both existing standards such as EAD and conceptual assumptions underlying the practice of archival description.