Transforming MARC21 authority records into MADS/RDF: a step-by-step guide

Purpose During the development of a joint project between the National Library of Catalonia and the University of Barcelona’s Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media, aimed at improving the interoperability and dissemination of the CANTIC authority catalogue through Linked Open Data, a lack of bibliography, experiences and specific tools for transforming MARC21 authority records into MADS/RDF was identified. In response to this need, and as a first phase of the project, an XSLT transformation tool was developed that would be accessible to librarians without advanced IT knowledge. This article aims to present a detailed, step-by-step guide for using and adapting this tool. Design/methodology/approach A literature review was conducted to identify similar experiences. The tools found were tested to evaluate their effectiveness. Due to unsatisfactory results, a custom XSLT transformation tool was developed, tailored to the project’s needs. Findings A detailed guide has been created for the XSLT transformation tool that converts MARC21 records to MADS/RDF, facilitating the integration of the CANTIC catalogue and other similar authority files into the Linked Data ecosystem. Originality/value The tool developed represents an advance in the interoperability of authority catalogues and may serve as a gateway for library professionals to engage with emerging technologies. This may encourage their active participation in innovation projects within their work environments.