HILT High Level Thesaurus Project Report to the JISC/NSF Conference on HILT Phase I (completed) and HILT Phase II (just starting) Dennis Nicholson: Centre for Digital Library Research, Strathclyde University

Overview n (1) HILT I: From Aims to Conclusions to the idea of a pilot TeRM for the JISC IE n (2) What a TeRM or Terminologies Route Map is n (3) HILT II: Aims, participants, approach, deliverables, key issues, a summary, how to participate

HILT 1: Aim n Look into the problem of cross- searching and browsing by subject across UK services in Libraries, Museums, Archives, HE, FE, Public Libraries, electronic services, clumps projects, the DNER, the RDN etc. n Were they using different subject schemes, or the same schemes differently, and did it matter?

HILT 1: Aim n If it did, could a consensus be reached on a solution that was affordable, sustainable, implementable, politically acceptable, useful, future proofed, and the rest…

HILT 1: Conclusions n That many different subject schemes and practices were in use n That cross searching by subject was considered of value to users and staff. n That an online terminologies route map or TeRM that would map subject schemes to user terminologies and to each other was the preferred solution

HILT 1: Conclusions n But that things like level and nature of user need, design requirements, and costs against benefits needed to be examined before we committed to a possibly expensive solution n Finally, there was a strong consensus favouring a project to create a pilot TeRM and investigate these issues

HILT 1: A TeRM for the IE? n This recommendation was in line with JISC’s plans for a pilot terminologies server for the JISC IE n JISC agreed to fund a project to implement and evaluate a pilot TeRM, similar to that proposed by HILT I

What is a pilot TeRM? n Online interactive service that: u Maps relationships between terms in standard schemes and, possibly, local variations (LCSH, DDC, AAT, UNESCO, user terms for example) u Gives service staff some input into the process u Disambiguates user input terms

What is a pilot TeRM? u Offers suitable terms for cross-searching groups of services that use different schemes u Also offers broader and narrower options - a route map u Also identifies services or collections to search based on user’s subject query (perhaps dealing with granularity level differences by searching collections database using truncated DDC number)

What is a pilot TeRM? n Other points: u Collections database may also record subject scheme used to allow site specific search formulations u System also does M2M

HILT Phase II: Aims n Use pilot TeRM to establish terminology service requirements for the JISC IE n Focusing on user collection level needs in the DNER, the RDN, and UK HE and FE generally n Make recommendations on a possible future service, taking into account such things as: u Level and nature of user need, u mapping problems, u commercial software V. original development

Participants n Similar to HILT 1 with a few additions: u CDLR; mda; NCA; OCLC; UKOLN; RDN; DNER; NGfL Scotland; SLIC; SUfI u FE Representative u Terminology experts, Alan Gilchrist and Leonard Will (external evaluator)

HILT II: Proposed approach n Build an Illustrative TeRM with Wordmap n LCSH, DDC, UNESCO, AAT, Others n Selective; collection level requirements n Interact with users, staff, experts in a simulated IE; draw out initial specification, keeping M2M in mind n Improve on initial TeRM n Agree evaluation criteria; evaluate TeRM (includes user evaluation) n Make recommendations

HILT II: Deliverables n Better understanding of: u The subject retrieval needs of FE and HE users u Associated terminology mapping requirements u A working, limited functionality, demonstrator service for the JISC IE u Requirements, set up and maintenance costs, and costs against benefits, for a future service, including both user and M2M terminological and functional requirements. u Report and recommendations.

Issues (1): A central spine? n Should one scheme form a central spine against which all other schemes and the user terminology set are mapped? n If not, then what? Map user terms to every scheme? n If so, which? DDC? (well-structured, hierachical; multi-lingual).

Issues (2): A single scheme? n Would the alternative option of a single scheme be: u Practical? u Less expensive to maintain? u If so, which scheme? u HILT 1 workshop participants unanimously rejected this option

Summary n Research project - outcome to some extent uncertain n But IE calls for terminologies server and HILT II should help define requirement n Consensus from HILT 1 is that mapping is the key but we keep an open mind on whether a single scheme is better n Will have to prove it if consensus is to be maintained

Summary n Particular points we’ll be looking at include: u Mapping problems and solutions u Value to users and costs against benefits u Requirements of ensuring co-ordination of staff subject description efforts with one solution or the other u And of maintaining consensus and keeping in step with the international community

Summary n Finally, keen to encourage participation in the discussion over the next year - will be an open forum for debate on project issues

Further Information n Website: n u u