Upcoming Workshop: Semantic Web and Legal Information

I am excited about the pre-conference workshop coming up in Winnipeg in May as part of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries conference. This will have interest wider than Association members, so please pass the word.

We are fortunate to be having Tim Knight and Sarah Sutherland present this workshop that will provide us with some initial groundwork in areas such as linked data, the semantic web and open data.

Description is below and there is more information on the CALL/ACBD website, along with registration information: http://www.callacbd.ca/en/content/pre-conference-workshop

I have already signed up and hope to see you there!

Pre-Conference Workshop 
Saturday May 24th, 2014
8:30am -12:00pm

A Conversation on the Semantic Web and Legal Information
Presented by Tim Knight and Sarah Sutherland

Have you been wondering “What’s next” with technology; or perhaps what APIs, open government data, linked data or the semantic web will ever mean for law libraries? This workshop will give participants an overview of the emerging linked data and semantic web in the context of legal information aimed at an audience with little pre-existing understanding of the subject.

We will start with a high level discussion of the theory behind data creation and manipulation, with demonstrations of public and closed sources for data such as APIs and open government datasets, linked data particularly, and the semantic web generally – what it is, how it has developed so far, examples of related legal projects, and some ideas about its implications for legal resources. This will be followed by a facilitated discussion of the anticipated impacts for legal research, publication, software development, and the practice of law. These emerging developments are important because they have the potential to create both opportunities and disruption in many areas of interest to CALL/ACBD members, including public service roles and those in related data fields like cataloguing and legal database development.

Attendees will then break into small groups based on areas of interest to discuss current and potential developments in information technology affecting legal information, research, and libraries; the implications of those technological developments; and possible courses of action for the Canadian law library community.

After attending this workshop, attendees will:

  • Be conversant in current issues relating to linked data, the semantic web, and legal information

  • Have an idea of ways they could explore these topics further in understand how they relate to various areas of the law library community, such as cataloguing, leadership, information system development, and how to best use developing information resources going forward

  • Be exposed to a group of people with shared interests who are willing to develop expertise and mutual support in working toward developing integrated tools to guide our work, professional understanding, and future plans

Comments

  1. I’m also signing up for this – looking forward to it!