OWG

Vision

Open Work Graph (OWG) is a durable public namespace for intellectual works and related entities.

OWG focuses on identity, mappings, provenance, reconciliation, and stewardship.

OWG does not seek to replace libraries, publishers, archives, or existing knowledge graphs.

Instead, OWG provides a stable identity layer that allows those systems to interoperate.

Core Principles

1. The ID is the product.
2. Identifiers are immutable.
3. Identifiers are independent of resolvers.
4. Reconciliation is transparent.
5. Provenance is first-class.
6. OWG adopts LRM rather than inventing a new ontology.
7. Local holdings and ownership are separate trust domains.

Scope

Public OWG authority focuses on:

• Works
• Expressions
• Manifestations
• Agents
• Subjects

Items are intentionally treated as local concerns and may be hosted by institutions, communities, or individuals.