Article,
Offenheit statt Bündniszwang
Zeitschrift für Bibliothekswesen und Bibliographie, 61 (4/5): 209-215 (2015)
DOI: 10.3196/1864295014614554
Abstract
The current national information service structures are characterized by alliance constraints and lock-in phenomena that effectively block the development of state-of-the-art data infrastructures. A possible solution could be the return to the principle of openness that used to be at the heart of the concept of libraries as institutions of education and enlightenment. Ideally, shared values imply similar technological frameworks and lead to a complementary network of individual activities and services. Up to now the emancipatory quality of the Semantic Web has largely been underestimated. It could help, however, put an end to the trench warfare raging between proponents and detractors of the principle of digitisation. The authors suggest that libraries assume the role of stewards of openness and fight for free, unrestricted and global access to processable scientific information. Taking the example of data infrastructures, they discuss concrete further steps on the way to Open Science. In their article the authors put the case for a broad-based debate and demand greater openness, freedom of choice and consistency in each institution’s actions.
