THE CEIC ( ) Report to the 15 th General Assembly What and Who is the CEIC? What and Who is the CEIC? We focus on We focus on Best Practice Documents Best Practice Documents IMU on the Web IMU on the Web World Digital Mathematics Library World Digital Mathematics Library Federated World Directory of Mathematicians Federated World Directory of Mathematicians

Renewed Mandate 1. The CEIC is a standing committee of the Executive Committee of the IMU, reviewed every four years by the EC at its meeting preceding the GA. Members are appointed for 4 years as for IMU Commissions. The EC appoints one member to serve on the CEIC. 2. The CEIC meets as necessary to review development of Electronic Information and Communication as it impacts the international mathematical community, and submits an annual report to the EC. Typically CEIC meets in person once annually with one member hosting

3. The CEIC may organize or sponsor international meetings or forums to bring together representatives of interested parties, including societies, publishers, libraries, researchers, and sister disciplines. It may publish, electronically or on paper, and otherwise disseminate proceedings, reviews of recent developments, and technical surveys for the use of the mathematical community. Each meeting has comprised a working meeting --- often along with a workshop or public presentations. The most ambitious workshop, was at Berkeley on The Future of Mathematical Communication, 1999

4. The CEIC may suggest international standards ('best practice recommendations') on issues related to electronic communication. Such recommendations should be reviewed by the EC and, if approved, may be published and promoted in the IMU’s name. 5. The CEIC is expected to continue its previous efforts such as the promotion and organization of Math-Net and related activities that make mathematics related material electronically available. In carrying out its activities, CEIC is asked to continue soliciting the views of the mathematical community through the CEIC and the Math- Net homepages. The CEIC is asked to address, in its second 4-year term, the following issues with special emphasis.

6. The CEIC is requested to enhance its advisory role with the aim ► to make the issues involved generally understood ► to define relevant needs of our discipline clearly ► to shape the role the mathematical community needs to play, and ► to guide the practice of scholarly communication and publication.

7. The CEIC is asked to take an active part in any development of a Digital Mathematics Library, to further address copyright and archiving issues, journal licensing models, and cost models for journal production and acquisition. 8. The CEIC is requested to draft a proposal, to be decided upon by the EC in 2006, concerning its future status. The proposal should include issues such as CEIC's institutionalization, membership, long term financing, and sustainability of the various current CEIC efforts and activities. This has been done and the committee has in consequence requested a reduced budget and recommended new membership This has been done and the committee has in consequence requested a reduced budget and recommended new membership

Membership is based on experience and complementarity of skills - rather than on geographic representation

What is the CEIC? Examples of Impact What is the CEIC? Examples of Impact ► CEIC Copyright Recommendations What do You Want from Your Publisher? ► Best Current Practice documents ► Standards for Retrodigitization ► Federated Search tools ► MathNet initiative (now concluded)

2. Best Current Practice Documents ( ) Endorsed by the IMU Executive Committee on April 24, 2004 at its 72nd session in Oxford, England Communication of mathematical research and scholarship is undergoing profound change as new technology creates new ways to disseminate and access the literature. More than technology is changing, however, the culture and practices of those who create, disseminate, and archive the mathematical literature are changing as well. For the sake of present and future mathematicians, we should shape those changes to make them suit the needs of the discipline. For the sake of present and future mathematicians, we should shape those changes to make them suit the needs of the discipline.

For this reason, we have identified a number of best practices for those involved with the mathematical literature – mathematicians, librarians, and publishers. Many of these are practices that apply to other academic disciplines as well. Although we focus primarily on mathematics, we recognize that we can learn from each other as we move forward, and that no single discipline should act in isolation. Our advice is meant to guide practice as it changes rather than to set forth a collection of firm rules and admonitions. …

The common principle used to formulate our recommendations is that those who write, disseminate, and store mathematical literature should act in ways that serve the interests of mathematics, first and foremost. … This is advice that is meant to ease the transition in scholarly communication for present mathematicians. Most importantly, however, it is advice aimed at protecting mathematicians in the future.

3. IMU on the Web ( ) 3. IMU on the Web ( ) Communications and Information from the CEIC Prior Postings | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 | #11 | #12 | #13| #14| #15| Prior Postings | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 | #11 | #12 | #13| #14| #15|#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12 #13#14#15#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12 #13#14#15________________________________________________________________________________ These columns, Communications and Information from the CEIC, known as `IMU on the Web', have appeared in each IMU-Net newsletter since IMU- Net 4 and here are accompanied by additional commentary and links IMU-Net Some are signed opinions and some come from the CEIC itself. They intend to stimulate interest in and debate about electronic matters. Our first piece, written by the CEIC, was on the vexing problem of Journal pricing. Some are signed opinions and some come from the CEIC itself. They intend to stimulate interest in and debate about electronic matters. Our first piece, written by the CEIC, was on the vexing problem of Journal pricing.

IMU on the Web ( ) IMU on the Web ( ) Topics covered have included ► Survival of Independent Journals ► Personal Collected Works ► Uses of Citation Indices ► Retro-digitization and the WDML ► Advice to Referees ► Open Access Initiatives ► Reports on Other Workshops on Electronic Matters Opinion pieces and reports of other activities are most welcome

4. The WDML ( ) For the past several years, mathematicians have contemplated a coordinated effort to digitize the past mathematical literature in order to make it available online. The aim is to make as much of the past literature available as possible, linked to the present literature in suitable ways. The CEIC has made a commitment to coordinate further efforts to achieve a world-wide digital library. This site contain information about the World Digital Mathematics Library project and will be updated as the effort continues. The CEIC has made a commitment to coordinate further efforts to achieve a world-wide digital library. This site contain information about the World Digital Mathematics Library project and will be updated as the effort continues.

–the registry –the DML

And the Registry

The Registry details are coming from John Ewing

From IMU on the Web #9: Best Practice for Retrodigitisation The World Digital Mathematics Library initiative (see #8) envisions our freely navigating the mathematics research literature with clickable citations readily allowing us to 'iterate references'. But there remain obstructions to realizing that dream. First, all but the quite recent literature was not in electronic form. Second, almost all very old literature belongs to its copyright owners. #8 However, worldwide noncommercial retrodigitization initiatives making their work freely available (see the draft vision statement and a brief listing of major projects at WDML) have dealt with chunks of the old literature. More- over, many publishers have chosen to digitize their back journals (less happily, but understandably, they see a need next to recover the costs of such endeavours). In order to assist and promote digitisation efforts the CEIC has prepared a draft best practices statement on digitisation; comment is invited. draft vision statementWDMLbest practices statementdraft vision statementWDMLbest practices statement –At its Quadrennial Assembly in Shanghai, 2002, the International Mathematical Union adopted the following notion: that publishers be asked to contribute to building the strands of the citation web by agreeing that electronic materials more than five years old be seamlessly accessible without financial impediment. Although this 'moving wall' principle has only been sporadically embraced it presents our best hope for building the citation web.

From IMU on the Web #15: Once, long ago, one could check whether a person was an acknowledged mathematician by looking her up in the World Directory of Mathematicians. But the WDM is no more, a victim of costs and of the coming of the electronic age. In retaliation, the CEIC now provides a search engine, the FWDM, capable of searching, simultaneously, all those Math Society membership lists that have made themselves appropriately available. As a bonus, FWDM also provides links to Google and Google Scholar entries. Fourteen months ago (IMU on the Web #7) Alf mentioned the 'first steps towards constructing' a Federated World Directory of Mathematicians. Those steps became strides and by now have reached their goal. As a bonus, FWDM also provides links to Google and Google Scholar entries. Fourteen months ago (IMU on the Web #7) Alf mentioned the 'first steps towards constructing' a Federated World Directory of Mathematicians. Those steps became strides and by now have reached their goal. Readers should check their personal details and, more important, urge their national societies to make their membership lists accessible to the FWDM. One caveat: search engines can be unexpectedly stupid and stubborn. It may be wiser to look for 'Alf*' rather than for 'Alf' and then to refine one's search only if that leads to too many hits. 'Borwein' on the other hand offers no such problems. 5. The Federated World Directory of Mathematicians

More details of the FWDM Federated searching connotes any system that provides a common user interface for searching and retrieving information across heterogeneous datasets over the Internet Background. In 1998 the CEIC was asked to explore the feasibility of an electronic World Directory of Mathematicians to replace the traditional hard copy. The CEIC concluded that, while desirable, intellectual property and privacy issues in different countries made this impossible for the 2002 edition of the WDM. With the emergence of better Internet search tools, in 2003 we decided it was then realistic to build a federated directory, as defined above. This provides a rapid and simple search over existing online databases with no additional work for the user. Background. In 1998 the CEIC was asked to explore the feasibility of an electronic World Directory of Mathematicians to replace the traditional hard copy. The CEIC concluded that, while desirable, intellectual property and privacy issues in different countries made this impossible for the 2002 edition of the WDM. With the emergence of better Internet search tools, in 2003 we decided it was then realistic to build a federated directory, as defined above. This provides a rapid and simple search over existing online databases with no additional work for the user. Since 2004 a prototype federated search engine( has been designed and tested. As of August 2006, CEIC feels it is ready for general use by the math community. prototype federated search enginewww.fwdm.math.caprototype federated search enginewww.fwdm.math.ca Feedback is very welcome. Feedback is very welcome.Feedback

The Current Version searches (in parallel) through the following directories: Combined Membership List (CML), Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS), Deutsche Mathematiker-Vereinigung MathNet directories (MathNet), French Mathematical Society (SMF), the Australian National Committee for Mathematics (NCMS), the Austrian Mathematical Society (OeMG), and the Portuguese Directory of Mathematicians (PDM) and the Electronic World Directory of Mathematicians which is maintained by the IMU and which any individual mathematician can join. The FWDM returns links to Google and Google Scholar, as a fallback if no results are found. Future plans are to add societies that can provide their membership in machine-accessible fashion. It is also intended to add enhancements allowing one to find information---such as preprints---about mathematicians. Future plans are to add societies that can provide their membership in machine-accessible fashion. It is also intended to add enhancements allowing one to find information---such as preprints---about mathematicians. –Alf van der Poorten and Jonathan Borwein, July 13, 2006

EWDM Join the EWDM and the FWDM will be able to find you

Excellent editorial tool Excellent editorial tool Scale will grow over next cycle Scale will grow over next cycle Will also add enhancements Will also add enhancements

A detailed demonstration follows …

A Prototype for the Federated World Directory of Mathematicians (FWDM) Jonathan M. Borwein, Mason S. Macklem and Jaehyun Paek, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

International Mathematical Union (IMU) Non-governmental, non-profit ICSU organization Non-governmental, non-profit ICSU organization Focused on promoting and developing math research internationally Focused on promoting and developing math research internationally Organizes International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) every four years Organizes International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) every four years Awards the Fields Medals Awards the Fields Medals Published World Directory of Mathematicians to coincide with the ICM Published World Directory of Mathematicians to coincide with the ICM

World Directory of Mathematicians Data collection is not performed directly by the IMU Data collection is not performed directly by the IMU Member nations provide their membership lists for inclusion in WDM Member nations provide their membership lists for inclusion in WDM 60+ Member Nations 60+ Member Nations Goal: Design electronic version of WDM to replace physical version Goal: Design electronic version of WDM to replace physical version WDM Members

Committee on Electronic Information and Communication 1998: IMU asked CEIC about feasibility of electronic version of WDM 1998: IMU asked CEIC about feasibility of electronic version of WDM Conclusion: A centralized database would be subject to intellectual property and privacy laws Conclusion: A centralized database would be subject to intellectual property and privacy laws Different laws for different nations Different laws for different nations WDM Members Internet

Federated World Directory of Mathematicians Goal: Simulate electronic version of WDM without creating a centralized database Goal: Simulate electronic version of WDM without creating a centralized database Federated search: any system that provides a common user interface for searching and retrieving information across heterogeneous datasets via the internet Federated search: any system that provides a common user interface for searching and retrieving information across heterogeneous datasets via the internet

FWDM: Structure User requests information from FWDM interface User requests information from FWDM interface FWDM sends separate requests to search engines for member nations FWDM sends separate requests to search engines for member nations FWDM merges separate responses into single set of results FWDM merges separate responses into single set of results Returns merged results to user Returns merged results to user No centralized database! No centralized database! FWDM User Interface Members User

FWDM Prototype Two versions: simple advanced search Simple: First and Last Name, University, Country Includes: AMS Combined Membership List Membership lists for: Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Portugal

Sample approach: CMS

Merging Results: CML and CMS

NCMS, DMV, SMF

Adding Search Engines First and Last Name searchable and separable First and Last Name searchable and separable

Next Steps Two goals for prototype: Two goals for prototype: –Add more search engines for national societies –Support increased number of users –Additional functionality Requirements for new search engines: Requirements for new search engines: –First and Last Name are searchable fields Interested in working with national societies Interested in working with national societies - includes documentation on history and future of FWDM