2. What data are stored in OxPoints?
OxPoints is built atop an RDF store, containing descriptions of many entities within the University.
2.1. Types of objects held in OxPoints
Each type of object has its own class in the OxPoints namespace (http://ns.ox.ac.uk/namespace/oxpoints/2009/02/owl#). We currently have good coverage for the following types:
Other defined types are:
- Site (a contiguous space containing buildings or other such entities)
- Space (a space within a building, including a set of rooms used for the same function)
- Room
- WAP (wireless access point)
- Division (academic or administrative division of the University, e.g. Humanities; Academic Services and University Collections)
- Faculty
- Group (a group of people or team working towards some common goal)
- Image (actually in the FOAF namespace)
2.2. Properties stored in OxPoints
Where possible we use RDF predicates (properties) defined by others as opposed to defining our own.
This facilitates interoperability with other parts of the linked
data web. We currently make use of the following predicates:
- dc:title
- dc:description
- foaf:depiction - an image associated with a unit or place.
- foaf:homepage
- foaf:logo - used for the University/College crest images
- vCard:adr - the postal or street address
- dcterms:isPartOf - for subdepartments and places contained within other places.
- owl:sameAs - linking to other representations of the same concept
- geo:lat - the latitude of the entity
- geo:long - the longitude of the entity
In addition to the above, there are the following OxPoints-specific predicates defined in the OxPoints namespace:
- oxp:occupies - a unit which occupies the building, site, room etc
- oxp:hasOUCSCode - the unique code used by OUCS to refer to a unit [list all OUCS codes]
- oxp:hasOLISCode - the pre-Aleph code used by the Bodleian Libraries to refer to a library [list all OLIS codes]
- oxp:hasOLISAlephCode - the code used by the Bodleian Libraries to refer to a library [list all OLIS Aleph codes]
- oxp:hasOBNCode - the unique code used by Estates to refer to a building/room [list all OBN codes]
- oxp:hasFinanceCode - the unique code used by Finance to refer to a sub-unit or unit (also called a two-three code) [list all Finance codes]
- oxp:hasDivisionCode - the unique code used by Finance to refer to a division [list all Division codes]
- oxp:hasDepartmentCode - the unique code used by Finance to refer to a department [list all Department codes]
- oxp:hasITHomepage - URL for the unit's IT information
- oxp:hasWeblearn - URL for the unit's WebLearn presence
- oxp:primaryPlace - the main building/site occupied by the unit
- oxp:hasLibraryHomepage - URL for the unit's Library homepage
2.3. Time-based queries
OxPoints also holds time-based data, though this is currently not always historically accurate. By adding a date=YYYY-MM-DD query parameter to any query URL, you can request data for that date.
By way of example, consider the Computing Services, which has had three names through the course of its history:
- Computing Laboratory (1960)
- Computing Service (1990)
- Computing Services (2000)
Dates can be given omitting the day or month, in which case they default to the 1st and January, respectively.
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