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Barriers to Interoperability Technical and Not So Technical

5 th Annual GILS Conference, April 7-10, 2003 Lisle, IL. Barriers to Interoperability Technical and Not So Technical. William E. Moen <wemoen@unt.edu> School of Library and Information Sciences Texas Center for Digital Knowledge University of North Texas Denton, TX 72603.

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Barriers to Interoperability Technical and Not So Technical

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  1. 5th Annual GILS Conference, April 7-10, 2003 Lisle, IL Barriers to InteroperabilityTechnical and Not So Technical William E. Moen<wemoen@unt.edu>School of Library and Information SciencesTexas Center for Digital KnowledgeUniversity of North TexasDenton, TX 72603

  2. Interoperability: Volume or value “…information production is growing at about 50% a year… Yet the amount of time people spend consuming is growing only 1.7% a year… As digital production and storage grow ever cheaper…a critical task ahead will be to stop volume from simply overwhelming value.” John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid, The Social Life of Information, 2002 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  3. Defining Interoperability System-oriented definition • The ability of two or more systemsor components to exchange information and use the exchanged information without special effort on either system User-oriented definition • User’s ability to successfully search and retrieve, or otherwise interact with information in a meaningful way and have confidence in the results • The condition achieved when two or more technical systems can exchange information directly in a way that is satisfactory to usersof the systems (AAP) 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  4. Assessing Interoperability • Binary • Interoperable • Not interoperable • Continuum • More or less interoperable • Acceptable levels of interoperability 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  5. Fundamental assumptions • Your users will interact with resources other than those available locally • Your system will interact with other systems’ content • Other systems will interact with your content • Systems and content were often meant for local or proprietary use In the networked environment diverse systems and varied content must interact to serve users 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  6. The foundation: Communication protocols • Interoperability is about communication – albeit between machines/software • Two systems interchange bits/bytes • Protocols (computer-to-computer communications) govern the exchange of bits/bytes • Rules governing the structure, order, and content of the bits/bytes/messages between machines 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  7. Protocols and record formats/markup • Protocols enable communication between systems • Record formats/syntax/markup address resources • HTML = HyperText Markup Language • Markup language for simple web documents • Display oriented • MARC = Machine Readable Cataloging • Communications format for exchange of bibliographic information • XML = Extensible Markup Language • Markup language for web environment • Content oriented 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  8. Factors affecting interoperability • Multiple protocols • Z39.50, HTTP, SOAP, etc. • Multiple data formats, syntax, metadata schemes • MARC 21, UNIMARC, XML, / ISBD/AACR2-based, Dublin Core • Multiple vocabularies, ontologies, disciplines • LCSH, MESH, AAT • Multiple languages, Multiple character sets • Multiple and disparate systems • Information retrieval systems, search functionality, etc. • Indexing, word normalization, and word extraction policies 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  9. Assumptions • Increasing interoperability factors • Increased complexity/costs to achieve interoperability • How to identify barriers to interoperability: • In general? • In specific applications? 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  10. Interoperability Testing Realizing the Vision of Networked Access to Library Resources: An Applied Research and Demonstration Project to Establish and Operate a Z39.50 Interoperability Testbed • A U.S. Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant • Research and demonstration project to: • Establish a rigorous and trusted Z39.50 testbed • Develop methodology and metrics for assessment • From demonstration  operational testbed • Goal: Improve Z39.50 semantic interoperability among libraries for information access and resource sharing FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE… http://www.unt.edu/zinterop/ 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  11. Components of the Testbed • Test dataset • 400,000 MARC 21 records from OCLC • Z39.50 reference implementations • Z-client, Z-server, information retrieval system • Test scenarios & searches • Searches with known result records from dataset • Benchmarks • Results of test searches against reference implementations 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  12. Interoperability findings • Successes: • Z39.50 profiles improve interoperability • Z-clients and Z-servers can be configured to improve • Common indexing policies support better interoperability • New problems: • Word extraction (what constitutes a word) • Data normalization (special characters, diacritics) • Indexing (leading articles, “first in field” searches) • What is good enough interoperability? 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  13. ZLOT project • The Library of Texas • A statewide virtual library to extend access to information • Collection Boundaries • Organizational Boundaries • Format Boundaries • Z Implementation Component of the Library of Texas • Developing a standards-based approach for the virtual library • Identifying requirements for resource discovery across library catalogs and online databases • Demonstrating feasibility and utility of resource discovery tools FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE… http://www.unt.edu/zlot/ 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  14. One approach for framing interoperability • Information communities / communities of practice • Networked information retrieval occurs within and across information communities • Information communities • Focal community • Extended community • Extra community • Costs to achieve interoperability vary depending… • Within focal community • Within extended community • Between disparate communities 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  15. Focal Community • Community agreements exist (e.g., standards and rules) • Interoperability factors reduced…more easily achieved • Libraries as Focal Community • Relatively homogeneous • Standards-based MARC records • Content and structure prescribed by AACR • Commonly available access points • Use of controlled vocabularies • Z39.50 widely implemented • But… 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  16. Information exchange within/between… Extended Community (e.g., Cultural Heritage) Extra Community Focal Community (e.g., Geospatial ) Focal Community (e.g., Libraries) Focal Community (e.g., Archives) Extended Community Focal Community (e.g., Geospatial ) Focal Community (e.g., Museum) Focal Community (e.g., Natural HistoryMuseums) 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  17. GILS as information community • Conceptualizing GILS as information community • Way to discuss barriers to interoperability: • Types of data and resources? • Common resource description scheme • Commonly used database semantics? • Common record syntax (e.g., XML) • Commonly understood access points/search concepts? • Commonly used controlled vocabulary? • Common protocols for information retrieval and exchange? 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  18. Services context for interoperability • Information communities provide setting • Information communities offer services • Value-added services to end users • Infrastructure services for providers • Mapping a service environment … • Needs • Services • Service interfaces • Content • … to identify interoperability barriers/challenges 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  19. Characterizing the networked library • Virtual library components • An environment for provision of • Services • Resources • Not a digital library • Not all resources available are in digital/electronic form • An evolving product that responds to • Users’ needs • Available resources • Current and emerging technologies 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  20. Service-centric networked library Management User Groups SERVICES Technology Resources 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  21. User groups Local, onsite Distributed, remote Services Local Collaborative Remote Resources Information Local Distributed Human Technology Local applications Distributed applications Standards Management Local Collaborative Networked library components 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  22. User-driven services User Group User Group User Group User Group LIBRARY SERVICES Library Resources Library Technology 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  23. Building services for the networked library • What are the requirements for the services? • What are alternatives for deploying the services? • What technologies are available to support the services? • What standards are available? • What are the tradeoffs of standards and non-standards approaches? 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  24. Infrastructure/internal Collection identification, selection, and acquisition/access Collection building and digitization Collection organization and preparation Inter-organization access Trust and authentication Billing and payment Preservation and archiving Patron Resource discovery service Resource access service Reference service Instruction service Patron account service Services for the networked library 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  25. Virtual library services environment 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  26. Architecture PROVIDER LAYER Communication Protocols SERVICES LAYER Communication Protocols USER LAYER 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  27. Provider layer Provider Type Dependent on VL Service Digital Content Librarian Library Supplier 3 ResourceDiscovery Service Virtual Reference Service Resource Sharing Service Document Delivery Service 2 USER LAYER 1 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  28. Resource Sharing Patron Account Library Information Authorization Reference Personalization Financial Education Resource Discovery Services layer Standard Information Interchange Among Services 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  29. Resource discovery: Services view Personalize Browse Evaluate Acquire Select Collection Search Save Common User Interface 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  30. CONTENT TexShare TRAIL VC Others Z39.50 OTHER Directory SOAP SERVICES LAYER Resource Discovery Authentication SOAP HTTP USER LAYER Library Home Office Mobile Resource discovery: Architectural view 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  31. Finding / exposing • Finding • I can find only what’s been exposed • Exposing • How content is exposed determines the how and if I can find it • Common agreements on exposing and finding • Protocols • Syntaxes • Semantics • Database • Language • Goal is to connect users to information • Strategy is interoperability on multiple levels (protocol, syntax, semantics, organization, etc.) 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  32. Service interfaces framework 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  33. Resource discovery: Operational view Content Standards-basedSearch & RetrievalProtocols Content Content OAIRepository Gateway Common Interface Content Content Content Proprietary or Non-standardSearch & Retrieval Protocols Content Content 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  34. Infrastructure standards -- NISO • ANSI/NISO Z39.50: Information Retrieval (Z39.50): Application Service Definition and Protocol Specification • ISO 10160 & ISO 10161: Interlibrary Loan Application Service Definition & Protocol Specification • ANSI/NISO Z39.83: Circulation Interchange Protocol (NCIP) • ANSI/NISO Z39.84: Syntax for the Digital Object Identifier - 2000 • ANSI/NISO Z39.85: Dublin Core Metadata Element Set - 2001 • ANSI/NISO Z39.88: The OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive Services (2002) • ANSI/NISO Z39.89:The U.S. National Z39.50 Profile for Library Applications (2002) • Networked Reference Services (standards development underway) • MetaSearch Initiative (may lead to new standards activities) 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  35. Standards supporting services • Each standard enables different services • Networked information retrieval (Z39.50) • Automated interlibrary loan (ILL) • Circulation applications (NCIP) • Reference linking (OpenURL) • Resource description (Dublin Core) • But they can work together to support robust and interoperable information access and resource sharing services 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  36. Service A Service B Resource Discovery Authorization Web services Building Blocks for Constructing Applications 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  37. Service A Service B Resource Discovery Authorization Web services: Finding a service Service Registry Service Requestor Service Provider 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  38. Web services: Enabling technologies UDDI: Universal Description, Discovery and Integration WSDL: Web Service Description Framework SOAP: Simple Object Access Protocol XML: Extensible Markup Language Service Registry UDDI - WSDL UDDI - WSDL Service Requestor Service Provider WSDL SOAP XML-Based Information Exchange 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  39. UDDI - WSDL UDDI - WSDL Publish Service B Find WSDL - SOAP Invoke Service Authorization Web services Service Registry Resource Discovery Service 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  40. ZING – Z39.50International Next Generation • Make intellectual/semantic content of Z39.50 more broadly available • Make Z39.50 more attractive by lowering barriers to implementation • Use of XML – to represent and encode data • Use of HTTP – for transport • Use of SOAP – for interaction between client and server based on Remote Procedure Call (RPC) • Several initiatives: ZOOM, ez39.50, ZeeRex, SRW/U FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE… http://www.loc.gov/z3950/agency/zing/zing.html 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  41. Search/Retrieve Web Service – Overview • Builds on Z39.50 and web technologies • Retains Z39.50 concepts: • Results sets • Abstract access points • Abstract record schemas • Explain & Diagnostics • Web technologies: XML, SOAP/RPC, HTTP • Combines several Z39.50 features into two “operation types” • Search/Retrieve • Explain • Provides a standards-based method for representing and issuing queries, and retrieving records 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  42. Interoperability and the user • Technical interoperability as foundation • Value-adding services respond to user tasks • Usability of the service • Reliable • Predictable • Ease of use • User interface • … 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

  43. Final thoughts • Interoperability is essential • Interoperability is multi-faceted • Interoperability is ultimately based on agreements • Formal standards • Community agreements • Agreements result from • Social processes • Willingness to collaborate • Balance of local needs in the networked environment • It’s the “not so technical” we need to work on 5th Annual GILS Conference -- April 8, 2003 -- Lisle, IL

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