Show me the data: the pilot UK Research Data Registry

The UK Research Data (Metadata) Registry pilot project is implementing a prototype registry for the UK's research data assets, enabling the holdings of subject-based data centres and institutional data repositories alike to be searched from a single location. The purpose of the prototype is to prove the concept of the registry and uncover challenges that will need to be addressed if and when the registry is developed into a sustainable service. The prototype is being tested using metadata records harvested from nine UK data centres and the data repositories of nine UK universities

Conspectus and the Scottish Collections Network : landscaping the Scottish common information environment

The article briefly gives the background to the concept of a common information environment, followed by a history of the development of two major components of a common information environment for Scotland in the form of the Scottish Collections Network, a collections description service, and the Cooperative Information Retrieval Network for Scotland, a distributed union catalogue for meta-searching. The article discusses the application in Scotland of the Conspectus methodol-ogy for the subject mapping of general library collections, and describes how Conspectus data has been integrat-ed in the information environment to allow the identifi cation and selection of collections and associated catalogues with strength in specifi c subjects

HILT IV : subject interoperability through building and embedding pilot terminology web services

A report of work carried out within the JISC-funded HILT Phase IV project, the paper looks at the project's context against the background of other recent and ongoing terminologies work, describes its outcome and conclusions, including technical outcomes and terminological characteristics, and considers possible future research and development directions. The Phase IV project has taken HILT to the point where the launch of an operational support service in the area of subject interoperability is a feasible option and where both investigation of specific needs in this area and practical collaborative work are sensible and feasible next steps. Moving forward requires detailed work, not only on terminology interoperability and associated service delivery issues, but also on service and end user needs and engagement, service sustainability issues, and the practicalities of interworking with other terminology services and projects in UK, Europe, and global contexts

A middleware registry for the discovery of collections and services

The JISC Information Environment Service Registry (IESR) publicises collections of resources applicable to UK academia, including many relevant to Social Scientists, along with details of how to access them, in a machine-readable format, aiming to assist applications such as portals to serve their users' interests. This paper describes the content of IESR, the metadata scheme used for its capture and the services providing its dissemination. Some possible uses of IESR are suggested, and its position within the information environment, both UK and global, is discussed

OCRIS : online catalogue and repository interoperability study. Final report

The aims and objectives of OCRIS were to: • Survey the extent to which repository content is in scope for institutional library OPACs, and the extent to which it is already recorded there; • Examine the interoperability of OPAC and repository software for the exchange of metadata and other information; • List the various services to institutional managers, researchers, teachers and learners offered respectively by OPACs and repositories; • Identify the potential for improvements in the links (e.g. using link resolver technology) from repositories and/or OPACs to other institutional services, such as finance or research administration; • Make recommendations for the development of possible further links between library OPACs and institutional repositories, identifying the benefits to relevant stakeholder groups

CC-interop : COPAC/Clumps Continuing Technical Cooperation. Final Project Report

As far as is known, CC-interop was the first project of its kind anywhere in the world and still is. Its basic aim was to test the feasibility of cross-searching between physical and virtual union catalogues, using COPAC and the three functioning "clumps" or virtual union catalogues (CAIRNS, InforM25, and RIDING), all funded or part-funded by JISC in recent years. The key issues investigated were technical interoperability of catalogues, use of collection level descriptions to search union catalogues dynamically, quality of standards in cataloguing and indexing practices, and usability of union catalogues for real users. The conclusions of the project were expected to, and indeed do, contribute to the development of the JISC Information Environment and to the ongoing debate as to the feasibility and desirability of creating a national UK catalogue. They also inhabit the territory of collection level descriptions (CLDs) and the wider services of JISC's Information Environment Services Registry (IESR). The results of this project will also have applicability for the common information environment, particularly through the landscaping work done via SCONE/CAIRNS. This work is relevant not just to HE and not just to digital materials, but encompasses other sectors and domains and caters for print resources as well. Key findings are thematically grouped as follows: System performance when inter-linking COPAC and the Z39.50 clumps. The various individual Z39.50 configurations permit technical interoperability relatively easily but only limited semantic interoperability is possible. Disparate cataloguing and indexing practices are an impairment to semantic interoperability, not just for catalogues but also for CLDs and descriptions of services (like those constituting JISC's IESR). Creating dynamic landscaping through CLDs: routines can be written to allow collection description databases to be output in formats that other UK users of CLDs, including developers of the JISC information environment. Searching a distributed (virtual) catalogue or clump via Z39.50: use of Z39.50 to Z39.50 middleware permits a distributed catalogue to be searched via Z39.50 from such disparate user services as another virtual union catalogue or clump, a physical union catalogue like COPAC, an individual Z client and other IE services. The breakthrough in this Z39.50 to Z39.50 conundrum came with the discovery that the JISC-funded JAFER software (a result of the 5/99 programme) meets many of the requirements and can be used by the current clumps services. It is technically possible for the user to select all or a sub-set of available end destination Z39.50 servers (we call this "landscaping") within this middleware. Comparing results processing between COPAC and clumps. Most distributed services (clumps) do not bring back complete results sets from associated Z servers (in order to save time for users). COPAC on-the-fly routines could feasibly be applied to the clumps services. An automated search set up to repeat its query of 17 catalogues in a clump (InforM25) hourly over nearly 3 months returned surprisingly good results; for example, over 90% of responses were received in less than one second, and no servers showed slower response times in periods of traditionally heavy OPAC use (mid-morning to early evening). User behaviour when cross-searching catalogues: the importance to users of a number of on-screen features, including the ability to refine a search and clear indication that a search is processing. The importance to users of information about the availability of an item as well as the holdings data. The impact of search tools such as Google and Amazon on user behaviour and the expectations of more information than is normally available from a library catalogue. The distrust of some librarians interviewed of the data sources in virtual union catalogues, thinking that there was not true interoperability

Content repositories and social networking : can there be synergies?

This paper details the novel application of Web 2.0 concepts to current services offered to Social Scientists by the ReDReSS project, carried out by the Centre for e-Science at Lancaster University. We detail plans to introduce Social Bookmarking and Social Networking concepts into the repository software developed by the project. This will result in the improved discovery of e-Science concepts and training to Social Scientists and allow for much improved linking of resources in the repository. We describe plans that use Social Networking and Social Bookmarking concepts, using Open Standards, which will promote collaboration between researchers by using information gathered on user’s use of the repository and information about the user. This will spark collaborations that would not normally be possible in the academic repository context

Requirements for a registry of electronic licences

Purpose: The paper presents a brief history of electronic licensing initiatives before considering current practices for managing licences to electronic resources. The intention was to obtain a detailed understanding of the requirements needed for a registry of electronic licences that would enable usage terms and conditions to be presented to end-users at point of use. Approach: Two extensive focus groups were held, each comprising representatives from the main stakeholder groups. These structured events considered existing and ongoing issues and approaches towards licence management and investigated a range of ‘use-cases’ where potential usages for a licence registry were outlined and discussed. Findings: The results form part of a requirements gathering and analysis process which will inform the development of a registry of electronic licences. This work forms part of the JISC-funded Registry of Electronic Licences (RELI) project. The paper finds that there are many complexities when dealing with electronic licences such as licence specificity, licence interpretation, definitions of authorised users and dissemination of usage terms and conditions. Implications: These issues and others are considered and the impact on a subsequent registry of electronic licences is discussed. It is clear from the findings that there is a real and immediate need for a licence registry. Originality: The paper provides a rich picture of the concerns and practices adopted both when managing licences and ensuring conformance with licences to electronic resources. The findings have enabled the scope of a licence registry to be determined. The registry is currently under development