Web based Information Services for Engineering Science and Technology

1. Web based Information Services for Engineering Science and Technology I R N Goudar Head Information Centre for Aerospace Science & Technology NAL, Bangalore 560 017 goudar@css.nal.res.in

2. The Internet offers a gateway to a myriad of online databases, library catalogues and collections, and software and document archives, in addition to frequently used store-and-forward services, such as UserNet News and e-mail

4. Web: An Ideal Media and Source of Information • WWW provides hypertext access to documents located anywhere on the Internet. • Web facilitates combination of text, pictures, sound, animation and video. • Many varying information systems are tied into a homogeneous browsable, searchable web. • Efficient information delivery. • Information on desktops of users. • Vast majority of Internet services are free for taking. Contd...

5. Net is equal opportunity provider without caste, creed, colour, belief, etc. • Physical disabilities don’t matter for usage of sources. • Net requires motivation and motivated learning is much more fun. • Information sharing with global dimensions. • WWW is a very successful distributed information system. • New dimension and new responsibility for Library & Information Science Profession. Contd...

6. Easy way to get access to Government produced information. • Integration of local and remote Library & Information services using web browser as a common user interface. • Internet is forcing libraries to move from ‘Owning’ models to ‘Access’ models. • IP enabling for accessing information databases. • Facilitates keeping abreast of rapidly changing data.

7. Internet Access Vs CD-ROM Access Criteria Internet Access CD-ROM Access Currency Generally more current Depends on update frequency Retrieval Depends on many factors Better search capabilities Ease of Access Slow access affects CD-ROM networks should web databases be immune Maintenance Less maintenance More especially when networked Platform Independent Run on particular platform dependency

8. Internet: Some Interesting Statistics • Over 350 million users today • Will cross a billion mark by 2005 • 150 million likely to get connected in 2000 • Eastern and southern European prefer Wireless Web Access on cell phones and palmtops • UN’s Human Development reveals that 88% of World’s Internet users are in wealthy and developed nation • Adult sites were a $1 billion industry in 1998 • Teens >25% visit X-rated sites • 51% of American classrooms have net connection

9. Internet Domain Survey-Number of Internet Hosts DATE HOSTS 10/1990 313,000 01/1991 376,000 07/1991 535,000 10/1991 617,000 01/1992 727,000 04/1992 890,000 07/1992 992,000 10/1992 1,136,000 01/1993 1,313,000 04/1993 1,486,000 07/1993 1,776,000 10/1993 2,056,000 01/1994 2,217,000 DATE HOSTS 07/1994 3,212,000 10/1994 3,864,000 01/1995 4,852,000 07/1995 6,642,000 01/1996 9,472,000 07/1996 12,881,000 01/1997 16,146,000 07/1997 19,540,000 01/1998 29,670,000 07/1998 36.739,000 01/1999 43,230,000 07/1999 56,218,000 01/2000 72,398,092 DATE HOSTS 08/1981 213 05/1982 235 08/1983 562 10/1984 1,024 10/1985 1,961 02/1986 2,308 11/1986 5,089 12/1987 28,174 07/1988 33,000 10/1988 56,000 01/1989 80,000 07/1989 130,000 10/1989 159,000

10. What Users Do on the Internet • Activity Internet users • (percent) • Email 90% • General information 77 • Surfing 69 • Reading 67 • Hobbies 63 • Product information 62 • Travel information 54% • Work/Business 46 • Entertainment/Games 36 • Buying 36 • Stock quotes 27 • Job search 26 • Chat rooms 24% • Homework 21 • Auctions 13 • Banking 12 • Trading stocks 7

11. Top Web Sites (May 2000) Rank Web site Unique visitors (thousands) 1. AOL Network* 59,230 2. Microsoft sites* 49,309 3. Yahoo sites* 48,851 4. Lycos* 32,475 5. Excite@Home* 28,751 6. GO Network* 23,065 7. About.com sites* 17,926 8. NBC Internet* 16,489 9. Amazon* 14,972 10. Time Warner Online* 14,256 11. AltaVista Network* 14,183 12. Ask Jeeves* 13,319

12. Top Shopping Sites (May 2000) Rank Web site Unique visitors (thousands) 1. Amazon.com 14,040 2. Blue Mountain eCards 13,042 3. eBay.com 12,046 4. AOL Shoppping Channel 11,419 5. AmericanGreetings.com 7,243 6. MyPoints.com 5,528 7. Barnes & Noble.com 5,167 8. Webstakes.com 4,922 9. BizRate.com 4,908 10. Priceline.com 4,768

13. Top Education Sites (May 2000) Rank Web site Unique visitors (thousands) 1. University of California, Berkeley 1,733 2. University of Michigan 1,550 3. University of Texas at Austin 1,455 4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1,331 5. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1,261 6. Harvard University 1,215 7. University of Tennessee 1,168 8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1,135 9. Cornell University 1,098 10. University of Virginia 1,017

14. Top Government Sites (May 2000) Rank Web site Unique visitors (thousands) 1. NASA 1,945 2. State of California 1,808 3. National Institutes of Health 1,694 4. National Oceanic and Atmospheric 1,683 Administration 5. U.S. Department of Education 1,344 6. U.S. Navy 1,192 7. U.S. Army 1,148 8. Library of Congress 1,061 9. National Park Service 947 10. U.S. Geological Survey 936

15. Media Content: Internet

16. Listservs and Discussion Groups Subject Databases Government Resources Community Information Bulletin Boards Information & Services at Remote sites Library Catalogues Commercial Resources Document Delivery Shopping and other Commercial transactions

17. Library Websites - Why? • Facilitate and promote library use • Basic information about library and its services • On-line access to local sources • Gateway to networked information sources • Integrate Push-based services

18. Uses of Internet Access in Libraries Networked CD-ROM Databases Basic Library & Information Services Links to remote information Interactive homepages Library Website: Applications OPAC ILL & Document Delivery Document Acquisition Indexing, Cataloguing & Classification Push-based services

19. Library Website Development • Design • Authoring & Testing • Launch • Maintenance

20. Library Website - A case study of ICAST, NAL

30. Listservs & Discussion Group • Variety of topics • Exchange current information • Conduct a dialogue • Particular interest to information managers

31. Subject Databases • Especially from R&D/Academic institutions • Number is increasing • Ex: India University’s Biology files

32. Community Information • Usually through public libraries • Catalogue of local public libraries • Tour of art gallery • Tourist Information • Weather bulletins

33. Government Resources • National and local governments • Legal information • Government institutions • Ex: NIC’s site

34. Library Catalogues • Increased number of catalogues on net • Usually large university libraries and public libraries • Few Indian too

35. Shopping & Other Commercial Transactions • Shopping Malls • On-line Book Shop • Amezon • Music, CDs, gifts, toys, etc.

36. Document Delivery • Libraries, Publishers, other agencies • OCLC, BLDSC • ISI, NTIS • UMI, National Translation Centre • Derwent, AIAA, etc.

37. Basic Library Information & Services • Applications • Library hours • Contact persons • Policy/Plan Documents • Quality Manuals • Calenders • Direct e-mail link for sources • Databases • Contents pages • Access • Browse & Select • Content Format • Text (HTML, PDF, ASCII), Audio(WAV), Images (GIF, JPEG), Video (AVI, MPEG)

38. Networked CD-ROM Databases • Platform independent access to windows application on the net • Ex: Citrix’s Metaframe using ICA • List of networked databases and access using browsers • Trend is towards hard disc hosting • Ex: ERL, OVID

39. Links to Remote Information • Connection to resources around the world • Links to Internet sites of relevance to its users • Links to commercial databases • Full text, Bibliographic • Internet Public Library • Links to other library catalogues • Links to frequently used bookmark files

40. OPAC • Non - web enabled OPACs • Telnet access • Export OPAC records into text files, index using web-enabled softwares like MG, Free WAIS. • Web - enabled databases

41. Indexing, Cataloguing & Classification • Contents of book request form - Catalogue data • Remote access to catalogues data • Access to thesauri and controlled vocabularies

42. Document Acquisitions • Links to publishers catalogues (books, journals, etc) • Links to books databases • Book sellers sites • Journals Distributors • Online shops (Amazon) • Book request forms

43. Push-based Services • Current Awareness Service • List of Applications • Hosting on web • E-mail delivery • Profile based alert services • SDI • Table of Contents • Web Alert Service • Web hosting • E-mail delivery

44. ILL & Document Delivery • Public access catalogues of other library • In-built request forms • Document Delivery

45. Interactive homepages • Fill-in form for services & feedback • Reservation of library material • Circulation • Inter Library Loan • Reference question

46. Design • Content • Content formats • Audience • Structuring & navigation • Layout • Site search (Tools like SWISH) • Site map and site index • Feedback & help

47. Authoring & Testing • HTML Editor • Netscape Navigator & Composer • Microsoft Front Page • Dreamweaver • Template - based design for large sites

48. Launch • Quality Testing • usability, consistency, accuracy, compatibility • Publicity • Site registration • Links by other sites

49. Maintenance • Updating • Analysis of • Link updation • Back ups, trouble shooting • Periodic testing