A Holistic Ontology for Digital Libraries The IFLA-compliant Core

The record-based approach to library information organization is obsolete and cannot support advanced opportunities provided by AI. Graph-based representations driven by ontologies are needed, but representation models proposed in this field are not compliant with those adopted by DBs. GraphBRAIN is a framework and technology that applies the ontological approach to the LPG model adopted by graph DBs, taking the best of both worlds: representational power and flexibility of ontologies and efficiency in data handling of DBs. It can be mapped onto the standard Semantic Web representations. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) proposed different conceptual models of library data that move from record-based to relational representations, but do not reach the ontological level. Conversely, attempts to tackle the ontological level are often not fully compliant with the IFLA models. This paper reports on developing an ontology based on GraphBRAIN technology that aligns the various models proposed by IFLA, fully representing their elements. It shows how it can be expanded to include elements that are not traditionally represented in library models, but that can unleash new potentiality for library practitioners, researchers and end-users.