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Searching and browsing multiple subject gateways in the Renardus Service

Searching and browsing multiple subject gateways in the Renardus Service. Michael Day UKOLN, University of Bath RC33 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 16-20 August 2004. http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/. Outline. Subject gateways

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Searching and browsing multiple subject gateways in the Renardus Service

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  1. Searching and browsing multiple subject gateways in the Renardus Service Michael DayUKOLN, University of Bath RC33 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 16-20 August 2004 http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  2. Outline • Subject gateways • The Renardus Service • Cross-searching • Cross-browsing • Issues • Future potential 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  3. What are subject gateways? (1) • Discovery services that give access to high-quality Web resources: • Selective (published criteria) • Typically based on resource description (metadata) • Provides users with search and browse facilities • Use subject classification systems for subject browsing 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  4. What are subject gateways? (2) • An example: • Resource Discovery Network (UK) • Includes the Social Science Information Gateway (SOSIG) • Pioneer of the subject gateway concept • Now a mature service (>25K resources) run by the Institute of Learning and Research Technology (ILRT) at the University of Bristol • http://www.sosig.ac.uk/ 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  5. RDN Social Science Information Gateway (August 2004) http://www.sosig.ac.uk/ 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  6. What is the Renardus Service? • A broker service that integrates access to European subject gateways (all subjects) • Developed by a research project funded 2000-2002 by the European Commission as part of its Information Society Technologies (IST) programme • Since 2002, managed by participating gateways through the Renardus Consortium • Operational service hosted by the Goettingen State and University Library (SUB) • http://www.renardus.org/ 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  7. Services participating in Renardus 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  8. Cross-searching • Searches across all participating services: • Uses the Z39.50 protocol • Services provide metadata that conforms to the Renardus "application profile": • Based on the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DCMES) • Added element: Country (of origin) • Mandatory elements:Identifier, Title, Description, Subject, … 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  9. Cross-browsing (1) • Renardus needed to provide subject browse access across all services • Subject gateways use many different subject schemes for browsing • Some 'home-grown' • Others based on (or adapted from) standards (e.g., DDC, LCC, UDC, MSC, Nederlandse Basisclassificatie) • Also some variation in the depth of browsing structure (between 1 and 5 levels), although most are shallow 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  10. Cross-browsing (2) • Renardus chose to map local schemes to a universal classification scheme - the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC): • Available online (WebDewey) • Covers all subjects, is frequently updated, has global use, etc. • The project negotiated a research license from OCLC Forest Press 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  11. Classification mapping (1) • General approach: • Mapping to local browse system, not to individual resources • The mapping is one-way only, from the DDC to the local browsing system • Mappings move from top levels of browse structures before moving progressively down it 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  12. Classification mapping (2) • Mapping relationships: • Simple equivalence between terms not expected • Five mapping relationships • Fully equivalent • Narrower equivalent • Broader equivalent • Major overlap • Minor overlap 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  13. Classification mapping (3) • Syntax: LN (Local classification notation)LC (Local classification caption)RL (Relationship code, i.e. =, >, <, MJ, or MN)DN (DDC notation)DC (DDC caption)UR (Local browsing URL for the class)NT (Notes):RE: (Record end) 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  14. Classification mapping (4) • Technical solutions: • Mapping tool developed by the German CARMEN project (CarmenX) • Participating gateways provide a machine-readable version of the classification scheme in use • The tool (together with WebDewey) facilitates the production of the mapping information in the correct syntax 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  15. [Renardus Mapping Tool] 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  16. Using the mapping information • In Renardus, the DDC mapping information provides: • The basis of the cross-browse feature • Information for the advanced search feature, e.g. search by DDC Classification • The DDC browse structure forms the core part of the Renardus Service Web page [Next slide …] 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  17. 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  18. Cross-browsing in Renardus • Based on a two-step process • first browsing within the DDC structure on the Renardus Web pages • Then linking directly to the browse structures in local gateways • Called "Browse and jump" • Interface issues • Visual inconsistency • No clear path back to Renardus from the local gateways 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  19. Navigational support • Need for additional navigational support in large browsing structures • Renardus developed some experimental features: • Searching for a different start page • Graphical navigation overview • Merge 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  20. [Graphical Navigation Overview] 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  21. Issues • Sustainability • EU-funded project, no significant funding to develop the service further • Technology developments • Renardus cross-search currently based on Z39.50 • New distributed search technologies now available: • SRW Search/Retrieve Web Service • OAI-PMH - already used for cross-searching within the RDN 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  22. Future potential (1) • Multilinguality • Because DDC has been translated into many languages, it is possible to add other language versions of the browse system into Renardus • Automatic classification support for the mapping process • Managing the mapping information is a big commitment for participating services • Terminology services • Web services that combine knowledge organisation systems and vocabularies - could replace custom-built mappings in Renardus 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  23. Future potential (2) • Web archiving initiatives • Not just describing Web resources, but collecting them for future use (long term preservation) • Two main approaches to collection: • Selective approach • Selection, negotiation of rights, harvesting • Used by some national libraries and archives, also for special collections (e.g. political parties, elections) • Automatic harvesting approach • Robot-based • Used by the Internet Archive, some national libraries, etc. 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  24. Future potential (3) • Web-archiving (continued) • The selective approach has some commonality with current subject gateway practice • e.g., The need for selection criteria and descriptive metadata • This may be a possible area for collaboration in the future … and of interest to social scientists 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  25. Further information: • Renardus Service: http://www.renardus.org/ • Social Science Information Gateway: http://www.sosig.ac.uk/ • UKOLN:http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ 6th International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Amsterdam, 2004

  26. Thank-you for your attention!

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