Printed Resources and Digital Information The Digital Difference in Reference Collections Michael Buckland, School of Information Management & Systems, Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative, University of California, Berkeley University of Oklahoma Libraries March 3, 2006

Univ of Oklahoma Libraries2 Purpose of the Reference collection 1.Look up / verify factual data: “Ready Reference” 2.Establish context for any topic. esp. WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHO Understanding means knowing context. Reference Genre Vocabulary Displays Facet Dictionary, encyclopedia Topics Cross-refs WHAT Atlas, gazetteerPlaces Maps WHERE Almanac, chronology Time Timelines WHEN Biogr. Dict., Who’s Who Persons Personal relationships WHO

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries3 The Internet Public Library replicates the technology of the codex: - Hierarchical structure - Drill down for detail, climb back out, drill down again,...

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries4 But digital technology does not need to copy the hierarchical structure and constraints of codex technology... Digital techniques can link directly and horizontally if there is: -- Procedural interoperability (e.g. Z39:50) and -- Vocabulary interoperability (e.g. Dewey’s Relativ Index to the Decimal Classification). Suppose we designed directly to provide the functionality of a reference collection on those two assumptions. Suppose that we started with the user’s need for know about WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and WHO.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries5 WHAT Thesaurus Cross-references in & between thesauri Hand-to-hand fighting, oriental, in motion pictures. (LCSH). - PASS MOT VEH, SPARK IGN ENG (U.S. Import/Export statistics) - TL 205 (Library of Congress Classification) - 180/280 (US Patent classification) (Standard Industrial Classification) HS Digital auto data proc mach contng in the same housing a CPU and input & output device.”(International Harmonized Commodity Classification System) NEED TO MAP BETWEEN UNFAMILIAR VOCABULARIES = Computer To search for “Automobiles” in a network use: Query: “Martial arts movies”?None. Should have used Classification may be simpler, e.g.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries6 Text Numeric datasets It is difficult to move between different media forms.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries7 TextTOPIC LIST MapsGAZETTEERCaptionsNumeric datasets Different media can be linked indirectly via metadata, but sometimes (e.g. for socio-economic numeric data series) you also need to specify WHERE.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries8 WHERE Gazetteer Map Ctesiphon (Ancient site) Dots link to portal

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries9 Page of links relating to Ctesiphon Links to library catalogs

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries10 Z39.50 search of Library of Congress catalog

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries11 Details of record Link to image

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries12

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries13 TextTOPIC LIST MapsGAZETTEERCaptionsNumeric datasets Proper place name control requires a gazetteer -- and latitude and longitude allow points on maps.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries14 WHERE -- PLACE Some problems with place names: - Different forms: St. Petersburg, Санкт Петербург, Saint- Pétersbourg,... - Multiple names: Cluj, in Romania / Roumania / Rumania, is also called Klausenburg and Kolozsvar. - Names change: Bombay became Mumbai. - Same names: 18 different places have been called Beijing. - Anachronisms: No country called Germany before Vague, e.g. Midwest, Silicon Valley, Far East - Boundaries change: 19th century Poland; Balkans; USSR.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries15 WHERE -- Space Spaces have coordinates: latitude and longitude.... and a GAZETTEER links places and spaces! A gazetteer is a list of place names and also... says what kinds of place (Feature type): city, lake,…... gives latitude and longitude... shows when similar place names are for different places... brings together different names for the same place and... allows places to be displayed on maps.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries16 Going places in the catalog! Linked to a gazetteer and map display. Geographic sort of books on Folklore.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries17 Using a map and a gazetteer as a geographic search aid, e.g. lists capital cities (PPLC) in box around South America.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries18 WHEN Time period directory Timeline Prototype time period directory at ecai.org/imls2004 Sample entry Generates catalog search

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries19 So a similar solution: A gazetteer-like Time Period Directory. Gazetteer: Place name – Type – Spatial markers (Lat & long) -- When Time Period Directory Period name – Type – Time markers (Calendar) – Where Note the symmetry. Note the connections between Where and When. A directory of 2,000 named time periods derived from LCSH Chronological subdivisions is at ecai.org/imls2004 Relationship between place names & period names

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries20 WHO Biographical dict. Text & images Lives involve events: WHAT: Actions – Arab invasion WHERE: Places - Ctesiphon WHEN: Times – 632CE WHO: People – Khosrau II Need links to other sources also!

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries21 WHEN, WHERE and WHO. Search in LC catalog for No standard form for personal names! yields 65 records showing who was doing what:

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries22 BIOG. DICT. TextTOPIC LIST MapsGAZETTEERCaptionsSocial datasets TIME PERIOD DIRECTORY Timeline Chronology Metadata forms infrastructure

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries23 BIOG. DICT. 2 BIOG. DICT. TOPIC LIST 3 Text 2 TOPIC LIST 2 TextTOPIC LIST MapsGAZETTEERCaptionsSocial GAZETTEER 2etcdatasets GAZETTEER 3 TIME PERIOD DIRECTORY Time line TIME PERIOD DIRECTORY 2 Chronology TIME PERIOD DIRECTORY 3 WHO WHEN WHERE WHAT

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries24 Facet Vocabulary Displays Reference Genre WHAT Topics Cross-references Dictionary, Encyclopedia WHERE PlacesMaps Atlas, gazetteer WHEN Periods Timeline Almanac, Chronology WHO Persons Personal relationships Biogr.dictionary, Whos Who Reference Genre Vocabulary Displays Facet Dictionary, encyclopedia TopicsCross-refs WHAT Atlas, gazetteerPlacesMaps WHERE Almanac, chronology Time Timelines WHEN Biogr. Dict., Who’s WhoPersons Personal relationships WHO Paper-based reference collection: Codex determines structure and use. Reversed in a digital environment: Metadata forms infrastructure.

March 3, 2006Univ of Oklahoma Libraries25 The Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative Advancing scholarship through increased attention to place and time. We thank IMLS and NSF for support. Next ECAI conference, Fargo, April Join us! Understanding means knowing context.