Identification of entities in the Linked Data collection "Rainis and Aspazija" (RunA)

Abstract

This paper offers an insight into the work in progress — development of the Linked Data collection RunA http://runa.lnb.lv/ on two Latvian poets and opinion leaders (Rainis — Jānis Plieksāns, 1865-1929 and Aspazija, Johanna Emīlija Lizete Rozenberga, 1865-1943) at the National Library of Latvia (NLL). Authors report findings from the theoretical study on identification of RunA collection entities and reality. As collection’s textual materials comprise things and objects of real life, drawbacks in comprehension of NLL authority data are evaluated and perspective with URI identification is emphasised. The authors also address the need to deal with persistent identification for abstract entities. Considering that RunA collection comprises a lot of textual materials (unstructured data) which are to be mutually linked by annotating and identifying key entities (works, persons, institutions, concepts, places, events, etc.), the RDA rules from RunA collection point of view are examined. The main challenges which the creators of RunA faced during pilot project are presented along with corresponding solutions. Conclusions on possible RDA development influence on named entity identification in RunA are reported.