Linked Open Dime Novels; or, 19th Century Fiction and 21st Century Data
Dime novels were the predominate form of popular fiction in the United States from 1865 to 1915, yet for many years, they have been all but forgotten. Recent digitization efforts have begun to shed new light on this treasure trove of popular culture, now entirely within the public domain. However, fully describing these works offers some unique challenges due to their complex publication histories and tangled webs of authorship. Matthew Short of Northern Illinois University and Demian Katz of Villanova University have undertaken a project to expose and share data about this fascinating literature by combining the best of library cataloging practices, data collected by domain experts, and linked data techniques. This project has demonstrated the feasibility of small-scale linked data projects within existing applications as well as the power and benefits of a productive collaboration. This talk will discuss lessons learned from the ongoing project and will feature: - A realistic assessment of linked data strengths and weaknesses - Strategies for taking advantage of linked data in legacy systems - A discussion of significant limitations in current bibliographic models (and possible solutions) - Awesome dime novel artwork and must-read titles (because every 21st century programmer needs some 19th century entertainment)
