IFLA Universal Dataflow and Telecommunications Core Programme

Archive - Historical Material

Programme Plan for 1995

Introduction

This trend will continue in 1995. Dialogue and cooperation with the other IFLA sections, divisions, round tables and core programmes is also a priority.

IFLA Hq and Electronic Communications

SilverPlatter Information Inc. (U.S.A) has agreed to provide IFLA with the facilities needed to operate an IFLA discussion group (mailing list) and electronic document server as part of their patron sponsorship agreement with IFLA. The UDT Core Programme has agreed to work with staff at SilverPlatter to establish and maintain an IFLA mailing list and document server. Work to set up and maintain the mailing list and document server will begin in July 1994 and will continue throughout 1995. The UDT Core Programme is prepared to undertake this effort on behalf of IFLA HQ as major part of our programme work for the rest of 1994 and 1995. It is anticipated that UDT Core Programme staff will be required to travel to SilverPlatter's office in Norwich Massachusetts in the process of developing and setting up the document server.

Initial efforts will focus on establishing an electronic discussion list for use by IFLA membership and making general information on the IFLA organization and some publications available on a document server. In establishing an IFLA document server , it is important to consider that the levels of access to the services available over the Internet will vary among the IFLA membership. The Internet connection available to some users may include only email support that will provide users with access to discussion lists and documents in simple ASCII text format. It is important to consider these users in order to ensure that the material is accessible to the greatest number of IFLA members.

A longer term objective is to establish a full electronic document server to provide IFLA membership and the international library community with access to IFLA publications, newsletters, meeting reports and conference proceedings via the Internet. A document server intended to serve a large complex organization such as IFLA must be properly structured and maintained so that the information it contains is accurate, up-to-date and easy to locate. Considerable planning and coordination is required to create an effective collection of documents using the more advanced and complex Internet tools such as World Wide Web (WWW).

An important component of this work is to consult with IFLA Sections and Round Tables to determine how Internet-based communications can be applied to their work. For example, each group may wish to set up an electronic discusion list for communications among the membership (meeting agendas, minutes, other notices). Establishing procedures for making their documentation available on the network is another area of work that has been identified. For example, it will benecesary to determine the primary contacts for submitting the documents to be placed on the server and to determine how to handle documents in different languages.

In the short term ,the objective is to set up the IFLA discussion list and a preliminary set of documents that can be accessed via email or file transfer. This would serve as an initial introduction to Interent services for IFLA membership and would provide some documents that can later incorporated in WWW documents. The long term objective is to establish a well managed electronic document server for use by the IFLA membership and the international library community that will provide access to IFLA meeting notices, directory information, publications, conference proceedings, and other information via the Internet.

Networked Information Resource Discovery Tools

We will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly those related to the use of World Wide Web, which holds great potential as the basis of a multi-media electronic document server for IFLA publications. Documents placed on a WWW server must be tagged or marked up for interpretation by the WWW software. The UDT Core Programme intends to begin work to "mark-up" IFLA documents for placement on WWW server. As marking up documents requires technical expertise and knowledge of multi-media document design, some contracted expertise will be required to assist with this effort. Also, the computer equipment currently used by the UDT Office will require upgrading of memory and storage capacity in order to design and work with multi-media documents for use with WWW software.

Interlending and Document Delivery in Developing Countries

Publications

1. UDT Newsletter

   Three issues of the UDT Newsletter will be published in English, French and Spanish in 1995. The "Update" section of the newsletter will continue to report on the activities and projects of the UDT Core Programme. The "Focus" section will contain tutorial articles on various aspects of information and data communications technologies with an emphasis the tools and technologies that can be used to access the various resources available on the Internet. Plans are also underway to add current and future issues of UDT Newsletter to IFLA electronic document server being developed in conjunction with SilverPlatter, Inc.

2. UDT Series on Data Communication Technologies and Standards for Libraries.

   Seven reports in the UDT Series on Data Communication Technologies and Standards for Libraries are distributed by the International Office for UDT. Interest in these publications continues to be strong and we will continue to print additional copies of the reports and distribute them as required. Efforts to market the publications in library and information technology publications and at conferences will continue.

   Research Networks and Libraries: Applications and Issues for a Global Information Network (1991)(Report #1).

   Electronic Document Delivery: Converging Standards and Technologies (1991)(Report #2)

   OSI for Libraries: From Standards to Services (1992)(Report #3)

   Electronic Data Interchange: an Overview of EDI Standards for Libraries (1993)(Report #4)

   Packet Radio: Applications for Libraries in Developing Countries (1993)(Report #5)

   Models for Open System Protocol Development : A Technical Report (1993)(Report #6)

   Report #7 in the series will be published early in 1995. It will be contain the results of the Networked Information Resource Discovery Tool Study.

Workshops/Conferences

1. Internet Applications for Libraries in Developing Countries - Full-day Workshop - Location to be determined

   The UDT Programme in conjunction with the Section on Information Technology, the Section on Social Science Libraries and the Section on Science and Technology Libraries is planning a one-day workshop focusing on Internet applications for libraries in developing countries to take place during the 1994 IFLA Annual Conference in Havana, Cuba. The workshop's objective is to provide users in Latin America with information on the resources available to them via the Internet and provide them with information on the various telecommunications options that can be used to access these resources.

   As this workshop has generated a great deal of interest, the UDT Core Programme is proposing to organize a similar workshop in a different location in 1995. Locations being considered include Eastern Europe or another region of Latin America. If funding sources can be found, additional workshops would be seriously considered.

2. Fourth Interlending and Document Supply International Conference - Calgary Alberta, CANADA June 1994.

   Planning is underway made to hold the Fourth Interlending and Document Supply International Conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in June 1995. The UDT Core Programme has agreed to assist in the organization of the Conference in conjunction with the UAP Core Programme, the Canadian Library Association, and the National Library of Canada.