IGeLU 2023 Conference and Developers' Day

Libraries are looking for ways to understand more about the collections and identify the diversity gaps within their collections. There is much useful information that is not traditionally found in the MARC record. Wikidata has been used by libraries as a source of linking for information cards, but it has not been used a data source for diversity audits. Taking a sample population from Alma, bibliographic information can be uploaded into OpenRefine where names can be reconciled using Wikidata. Then Wikidata properties can be added to the spreadsheet. This information can travels back to MARCEdit and eventually be imported into Alma. The Wikidata properties are then mapped into local fields and enabled as facets. When we create an Alma scope activating these facets, librarians and staff can drill down on various characteristics including the sex/gender of author, the country of citizenship of the author and the sex/gender of the subject to get a more complete picture of the collection.

Practical Applications

Virtual session (and available to physical attendees)