1. OAI-2003 1 Science & Culture Developing a Knowledge Site in Distributed Information Environments OAI-Forum Bath, September 5th, 2003 Ann Borda Alpay Beler Nick Wyatt Science Museum London UK

2. OAI-2003 2 Science & Culture 1 qLarge scale internet project funded by the New Opportunities Fund (Lottery funding) qNational Museum of Science & Industry (NMSI) –the Science Museum (London) –Science and Society Picture Library (London) –National Railway Museum (York) –National Museum of Photography, Film & Television (Bradford) qAudience – life long learners

3. OAI-2003 3 Science & Culture 2 qAim of the website: –to make a rich quantity of material & collections accessible, –to contextualise through intelligent display, searching (resource discovery) and relational linking. –to develop user-focused activities and personalisation tools that are supported by these resources

4. OAI-2003 4 Science & Culture 3 qSourced content: –40,000 digitised images and accompanying text records –30,000 library records –10,000 object records –50 narrative topics

5. OAI-2003 5 Issues q Different types/functions of legacy systems q Different data standards and platforms in use q Diffuse coordination of 'repurposable' content q Mix of non-networked and networked systems q Varied database connectivity q Costs and time in upgrading and configuration

6. OAI-2003 6 Source Systems Overview

7. OAI-2003 7 Primary Records qLibrary (Unicorn) – AACR2, Marc21 qObject (MultiMimsy) – Spectrum qImage records –Capture (SSPL) – local guidelines –Ibase (NRM) – local guidelines –Ibase (NMPFT) – local guidelines qImages

8. OAI-2003 8 Cataloguing q Agreed definitions of DC elements q Agreed list of qualifiers q Core fields for export q NMSI-wide image cataloguing guidelines q Procedures for cataloguing objects q Cataloguing standards document

9. OAI-2003 9 Authority Control q Importance q Authority fields qPeople – authorised name, normalised name, dates, biography etc. q Authority lists for –people –organisations –places –events/periods qOn-going process

10. OAI-2003 10 Data Mapping q Agreed mappings to DC elements q Need for concatenation, e.g. names q Matching with authority files q Linking to other record types q Mapping table q Need for vigilance & checking

11. OAI-2003 11 Interim Database qThe logical design would focus on: qSimplicity and efficiency of retrieval of information qOptimisation and consistency of information qNOT a cataloguing database qa collection point for data qDC fields as primary data structure qenable data normalisation qexport as DC fields in XML wrapper qend-purpose to populate the web CMS

12. OAI-2003 12 Export Formats

13. OAI-2003 13 XML RECORD

14. OAI-2003 14 Image management q3 image management systems qneed to reference image files with the text records qtext records to retain mapped reference to image files upon export qability to process TIFF images to JPEGs for web Solution: qInterim database back-end is an iBase system to handle image relationships & processes

15. OAI-2003 15 8 Metadata & resource discovery q Common metadata set qCommon syntax q Consistency of content qDublin Core qXML/DOM/Common validation qRules for content qCommon approach qCataloguing rules

16. OAI-2003 16 Digitisation Infrastructure

17. OAI-2003 17 Web Content Management System (CMS) qCOM database qMS based architecture & server platform qspecified to handle XML and DC elements qability to handle metadata from the interim database. qability to manage relationships qability to handle image references and image files

18. OAI-2003 18 Ingenious Site

19. OAI-2003 19 Topic Structure Core Topic Text Activity Relevance Toolbar Biography Voices Unusual Takes Glossary Debate Related Images Related Stories Related Library Records

20. OAI-2003 20 Collection Level Description q DC & RSLP CLD elements used q Allows consistency for searching q Overall CLD for whole site q Subject Level CLD q Topic Level & Topic Part CLD

21. OAI-2003 21 Site CLD

22. OAI-2003 22 SEARCH - Subject Metadata

23. OAI-2003 23 Topic metadata

24. OAI-2003 24 Sustainability - Present Conform to future standards (e.g. Dublin Core) Repurposable data in an XML wrapper: Create once and use many Customisable according to needs Ability to share data across organisations Multiple platform delivery: different channels Community building

25. OAI-2003 25 Science & Culture - Repurposing

26. OAI-2003 26 Future - Semantic Web

27. OAI-2003 27 Future – Creating Communities q Interest groups linked to subject hierarchies q Groups generate knowledge q Knowledge added to existing formal data q Taps into informal knowledge –unwritten –oral –practical q The nature of knowledge on the site changes

28. OAI-2003 28 Presented by Ann Borda, NOF Project Manager A.Borda@nmsi.ac.uk Alpay Beler, NOF IS Architect A.Beler@nmsi.ac.uk Nick Wyatt, NOF Metadata Architect N.Wyatt@nmsi.ac.uk Science Museum, London