Subjects & Identifiers shows why we need interchangeable identifiers.
Q: How would you recognize an interchangeable identifier?
A: Oh, yeah, that’s right. Anything we can talk about has an identifier, so how to recognize an interchangeable identifier?
If two people agree on column headers for a database table, they have interchangeable identifiers for the columns, at least between the two of them.
There are two requirements for interchangeable identifiers:
- Identification as an identifier.
- Notice of the identifier.
Any token can be an identifier under some circumstances so identifiers must be identified for interchange.
Notice of an identifier is usually a matter of being part of a profession or discipline. Some term is an identifier because it was taught to you as one.
That works but for local interchange, but public interchange requires publicly documented identifiers.
That’s it. Identify identifiers and document the identifiers publicly and you will have public interchangeable identifiers.
It can’t be that simple? Well, truthfully, it’s not.
More on public interchangeable identifiers forthcoming.
Thank you Patrick, – I’m looking forward to your next blogpost on this subject.
I’m currently looking into authority control for bibliographic catalogs, where (standard title/uniform title/preferred title/authorized access point) currently seems to be what is used as the interchangeable identifier for a work/expression (ref FRBR), ref. http://authorities.loc.gov/
What I really need is a public interchangeable identifier for a work.
Comment by Are Gulbrandsen — October 7, 2010 @ 2:01 am
Hope some of it proves to be useful.
How would you see a “public interchangeable identifier” for a work differing from what you see now?
I am posting some thoughts on that today but I don’t think it is an issue that has “an” answer but rather multiple ones, much like identifying subjects.
Comment by Patrick Durusau — October 7, 2010 @ 5:50 am
[…] I mentioned yesterday that creating a public interchangeable identifier isn’t as easy as identifying identifier and documenting them publicly. Recognizing an Interchangeable Identifier […]
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