HILT II: Towards Interoperable Subject Descriptions Report to the JISC Terminologies Workshop, February Dennis Nicholson: Centre for Digital Library Research, Strathclyde University

Overview n Aims n Overview of the Problem n Outcomes n Server Design Summary u Function; Elements; Coverage; Use n Other Points to Note; Costs n Two Alternatives

Aims n Build pilot terminologies service for JISC Information Environment, aiming to: u Provide a practical experimental focus within which to investigate and establish subject terminology service requirements for the JISC I.E u Make recommendations as regards a possible future service

Overview of the Problem n JISC & other services JISC users need: u Different schemes in use u Different versions of the same scheme u Different approaches to amending and extending schemes n Schemes, variations vary in ability to reflect terminologies used by users when searching n Users need to: u Identify services appropriate to their search u Identify relevant items either by using correct term for scheme used or by some other method

Outcomes n Development project to build a working terminologies server with specific features n Consensus, Collaboration seen as vital, so: u Dialogue with key national and international players u Mapping between schemes, rather than preference for a single scheme (HILT I) u The need for a facility to allow others to include their own (self-provisioned) mappings u The existence of other terminology servers

Server Function n To: u Improve accurate, consistent description by staff u Improve accurate, informed searching by users u Map between schemes via DDC spine u Map user terms to DDC, collections, other schemes u Ultimately: improve retrieval from legacy metadata u Monitor, learn from user terminology sets

Server Elements n Wordmap; three elements: u Database (Oracle) of terminology mappings u User front end that interacts with database according to staff specifications and user input and feedback u Drag and drop, multi-user interface to support sophisticated staff interaction with database for creation and maintenance of maps, inter-service co-ordination and training

Server Schemes n DDC spine; captions; relative index; standard subdivisions n LCSH to DDC mapping n UNESCO to DDC mapping n UK terms registry (mapped to DDC) n MeSH, Regional, AAT options n Pilot more limited – UNESCO, MeSH illustrative, no AAT

The Server in Action n User enters subject term n Term matched to terminology set and mapped to DDC n Options and disambiguation n DDC number truncated and mapped to collections database to identify appropriate collections n Information on scheme used; advice; sample retrieval n Demonstration

Other Points; Costs n User Interface Facilities and Further Research n Machine to Machine (M2M) Facilities and Interactivity Issues n Limited granularity mapping n Information Environment Services Registry (IESR) Issues n Costs over 5 years

Two Alternatives n A single scheme? (but…) n Automatic Categorisation Matrix? u Auto-categorising service for every scheme u Staff auto index and classify resources but correct intellectually; both are recorded; collection and item identifier also recorded u User queries or seed documents also auto- categorised against each scheme; mapped to items using either auto or intellectual categorisation; user disambiguates at item level

Thoughts n Automatic Categorisation Matrix u If it worked, it would remove the need for expensive mapping process u Interim project that investigates this approach worth considering first? u Speculative – needs researched u One possible breakout session topic n Mapping may be the only way n Doing nothing not an option

Further Information n Website: n u u u