On June 1, 2010 Europeana announced its “White Paper 1 Knowledge = Information in Context: on the Importance of Semantic Contextualisation in Europeana”. Europeana’s first White Paper looks at the key role linked data will play in Europeana’s development and in helping Europe’s citizens make connections between existing knowledge to achieve new cultural and scientific developments.

Linked data gives machines the ability to make associations and put search terms into context. Without it, Europeana could be seen as a simple collection of digital objects. With linked data, the potential is far greater, as the author of the white paper, Prof. Stefan Gradmann, explains.

Professor Gradmann used an example with word “Paris” to show how the search results may lead to items in the Louvre located in Paris, where it is also possible to see paintings portreting Paris, a Greek prince who abducted Helen of Troy. From there links lead to the topics associated with the mythical Apple of Discord and further to the forbidden apple eaten by Adam and Eve.

The example presented in the White Paper shows how linked data will allow Europeana to propose connections between millions of items. These connections can then be used to generate new ideas and knowledge, on a scale not possible before.

Full text of the White Paper is available at Europeana.