MLS Information Systems and Technology 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An academic library wants to expose its catalog data as five-star linked open data. Which format would BEST represent the data at that level?
- RDF serialized as Turtle or JSON-LD (Correct answer)
- CSV exported from the ILS
- MARC 21 flat file
- PDF catalog pages
Correct answer: RDF serialized as Turtle or JSON-LD
Five-star linked open data requires using open standards (RDF) with URIs that link to external datasets, making Turtle or JSON-LD the appropriate formats.
Question 2: What distinguishes a federated search system from a discovery layer in library technology?
- Federated search queries multiple live databases in real time, while a discovery layer searches a pre-built central index (Correct answer)
- A discovery layer searches multiple live databases, while federated search uses a cached index
- Federated search is limited to print collections, while discovery layers cover only electronic resources
- A discovery layer requires Z39.50, while federated search uses OAI-PMH
Correct answer: Federated search queries multiple live databases in real time, while a discovery layer searches a pre-built central index
Federated search sends simultaneous real-time queries to multiple external databases, whereas a discovery layer searches a large pre-aggregated metadata index for speed and relevance.
Question 3: In a relational database, what constraint ensures that a value in a child table's column must exist in the parent table?
- Foreign key constraint (Correct answer)
- Primary key constraint
- Unique constraint
- Check constraint
Correct answer: Foreign key constraint
A foreign key constraint enforces referential integrity by requiring that values in one table's column match existing values in another table's primary key column.
Question 4: Which preservation strategy involves migrating digital files to current formats periodically to prevent format obsolescence?
- Format migration (Correct answer)
- Emulation
- Replication
- Normalization
Correct answer: Format migration
Format migration converts digital objects to updated or more stable formats as older formats become unsupported or obsolete.
Question 5: A library's web server log shows repeated 403 status codes for a specific IP. What does this indicate?
- Access to those resources is forbidden for that IP (Correct answer)
- The requested pages were not found on the server
- The server is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance
- The client's browser does not support the requested content type
Correct answer: Access to those resources is forbidden for that IP
HTTP 403 Forbidden means the server understood the request but refuses to authorize it, often due to IP restrictions or access controls.
Question 6: What is the purpose of the BIBFRAME Authorities file in the BIBFRAME linked data model?
- To provide shared, reusable descriptions of persons, organizations, and subjects referenced in bibliographic records (Correct answer)
- To store circulation transaction logs for auditing purposes
- To define access permissions for each bibliographic record
- To map MARC fields to BIBFRAME elements during conversion
Correct answer: To provide shared, reusable descriptions of persons, organizations, and subjects referenced in bibliographic records
BIBFRAME Authorities capture entity descriptions (agents, subjects, places) as separate linked resources that multiple Works can reference.
Question 7: Which usability testing method involves observing real users as they attempt to complete specific tasks on a library website without assistance?
- Think-aloud protocol (Correct answer)
- Heuristic evaluation
- Card sorting
- A/B testing
Correct answer: Think-aloud protocol
The think-aloud protocol asks users to verbalize their thoughts while performing tasks, revealing usability problems in real time.
MLS Information Systems and Technology 3
An academic library wants to expose its catalog data as five-star linked open data.
Which format would BEST represent the data at that level?