IT REVIEW
Newsletter of the IFLA Section on Information Technology

June 1995,
No. 25

IT Programs for Istanbul

ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING: TECHNOLOGY AND USE

OPEN SESSION
Tuesday, 22 August 1995 (9:00 11:30)
(Program #87)

The Information Technology Open Session, organized jointly with the Section on Serial Publications, includes four papers selected to show the extent to which the world of electronic publishing has arrived and what the effect is on publishers, users and library management.

Standards and Electronic Publishing

Catherine LUPOVICI (Jouve S.I., Paris, France).

This paper, as an introduction, will give us an overview of the actual standards which apply in the field of electronic publishing, particularily concerning logical and physical formats and their impact on the management of documents.

Towards Electronic Journals: the Publishers' Technical Point of View

Chris KLUITERS (Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Some STM publishers are moving rapidly toward electronic publishing. Among them, Elsevier Science is quite advanced and has started several experiments with libraries in the last few years. Chris Kluiters will explain the publishers' strategy in relation to the new technology.

Ways of Using Electronic Documents in an Academic Environment

Melvin COLLIER (De Monfort University, Leicester, UK)
Based on experiments that are taking place in De Montfort University, the difference in the use of electronic documents compared to what we are used to with paper documents will be shown. Knowledge of the standards and techniques to create and manipulate electronic documents and publishers plans are essential parts.

The Use of Electronic Documents in Libraries: a Survey

Michael MALINCONICO (University of Alabama, Tuscalosa, Alabama, USA)
This survey is being designed to provide more information on the real use of electronic documents in academic and national libraries today. The study is a two year project partially funded by our Section. Michael Malinconico will present the project design and progress to date.

Complementary Programs on Electronic Publishing

Wednesday, 23 August 1995 (15:30-18:00)
OPEN SESSION (Program #127)

Archiving the Electronic Journal

Science and Technology Libraries

Biological and Medical Sciences Libraries

Thursday, 24 August 1995 (14:00-18:00)
WORKSHOP (Program #159)

Electronic Journals: Access, Use and Implications for Training

Science and Technology Libraries

User Education

The Internet and the World Wide Web

A workshop, organized jointly with the UDT Core Programme, has been planned as a follow-on to the successful workshop on Internet Basics that IT and UDT sponsored in Havana. This year the focus will be on two important developments in the Internet environment, the World Wide Web and its simpler partner, Gopher. The workshop will be particularly valuable for those getting started in WWW activities.

Overview of the Internet and WWW

Leigh SWAIN (National Library of Canada, Ottawa, Canada)

Using Gopher and WWW Navigation

Steve CISLER (Apple Computers, USA)

Constructing the Web Site

Gary CLEVELAND (National Library of Canada, Ottawa, Canada)

Complementary Programs about the Internet

Thursday, 14 August 1995 (14:00-18:00)
WORKSHOP (Program #156)

Internet Training and Use Internationally

University Libraries

User Education

Wednesday, 23 August 1995 (15:30-18:00)
OPEN SESSION (Program #129)

The Internet: Information for Government Libraries

Government Libraries

IT IFLA Schedule -- Istanbul '95

August 19 (Saturday)       9:00 - 12:00             IT Standing Committee
August 22 (Tuesday)        9:00 - 11:30             IT Open Session
August 24 (Thursday)       9:00 - 13:00             IT Workshop
August 25 (Friday)         8:00 - 10:00             IT Standing Committee

Preliminary schedule.  Check all meetings and times in conference program.

ISBD(CF) Review

The first day was devoted to discussion of several issues papers which Sandberg Fox had prepared. These covered the topics most in need of reconsideration in the light of the rapidly developing technology which has influenced the creation and dissemination of computer files: interactive multimedia; the General Material Designation (GMD); sources of information; reproduction and multiple versions; designation of file; and, published versus unpublished remote texts. In addition other aspects, such as preliminaries, type and extent of file, physical description and notes were thoroughly discussed, as were a number of proposals received prior to the meeting. On the second and third days, the members focused on a close reading of the revision prepared by Sandberg Fox, with the result that additions to the text were agreen upon. The draft will now be updated to incorporate the changes and, with permission of the sections on Cataloguing and on Information Technology, presented for world wide review in September. Following a six month comment period, a final version of ISBD(CF) 2nd Edition will be readied for IFLA approval and publication; in addition, the text will be shared with the authors of national and international cataloguing codes, such as the Joint Steering Committee for AACR.

Following is a brief summary of the most important outcomes of the meeting. They are presented in terms of the objectives that were set out to guide this project:

1. To take into account the emergence of interactive multimedia, a new and still developing technology that combines and stores products of audio and video technologies, together with text and graphics, on optical discs.

   Regarding interactive multimedia, the Review Group concluded that all such resources be incorporated into the new version of CF. This conclusion was reached because no existing ISBD covers these materials (which entered the mass market beginning in the mid 1980's), and because user manipulated, non linear navigation using computer controlled technology are hallmarks which characterize interactive multimedia. (These materials are distinct from multimedia/kits that are covered by the stipulations of ISBD(NBM).) As a result, the new version of CF will add or amend provisions regarding sources of information (0.5), edition (area 2), type and extent of file (area 3), dates (area 4), physical description (area 5), and the notes (area 7) to show treatment of interactive multimedia as a subset of computer files. Examples will be added to illustrate such files.

2. To consider the impact of developments in optical technology, as new and improved optical discs are replacing magnetic disks as primary storage devices.

3. The Review Group decided to improve CF to cover not only CD ROMs (compact disc read only memory) but also CD I's (compact disc interactive), and other emergent forms such as photo optical compact disc. As a result, the new version of CF will add or amend provision regarding sources of information (0.5), edition (area 2), physical description (area 5), and notes (area 7). The term "disk" (spelled with "k"), currently used throughout area 5 to describe both optical and magnetic devices, will now apply only to magnetic devices, while "disc" (spelled with "c") will be used in relation to optical manifestations.

4. To provide for the availability of remote electronic files on the Internet, a global network of networks that allows users access to a vast wealth of remote electronic files, including books, journals, articles, reference sources, and even library catalogs.

   Since, at the time CF was first formulated, this was a new area especially designed to treat these files, caution was exercised as to the kind and amount of detail to be given. Designations of the type of file are limited to general terms only "Data" and "Program" and their combination "Data and program." The Review Group decided that these terms are not adequate for the purposes of identifying the many different types of data files and software on the Internet. Indeed, the whole treatment of the designation of file was thoroughly reworked and developed, with area 3 emerging as the one most thoroughly changed in revised CF. Consequently, the 2nd Edition of CF will propose several levels of specificity as appropriate. The current terms "Data" and "Program" will continue to be authorized, but Data files can alternatively be indicated as "Numeric", "Text", Pictorial", "Sound", or "Representational" while Programs can be identified as "Utility", "Application" or "System". Most of these categories are further delineated for more specific designation when appropriate; for example, a Bibliographic database may be so identified, as may be a Game. As before, the combination "Data and Program(s)"will continue to be used when applicable. However, alternative identification as to particular types of data and program(s) may be taken from the authorized listing and be used in conjunction with the following terms: "Interactive multimedia" or "Online service." These latter terms also function as designations when terms from the authorized listing are not appropriate. Where, in the case of combinations, the program or the data may be incidental to the whole, the primary term only is to be given. As for the General Material Designation (GMD), the Group decided to retain "Computer File" in the absence of a better alternative.

   Further addressing Internet resources, the revised CF will provide better treatment of the networking environment where an electronic file may be accessed by several methods, reside in many directories, and require more detailed information, enabling users to locate and retrieve these files. Specifically, CF will be updated to include provision for URL's, gopher and FTP sites.

5. To deal with bibliographic problems arising from reproductions of computer files such that many CF titles are now available in a variety of physical formats.

   Although such problems are not easily resolved, the CF Review Group did authorize changes to areas 2 and 5 to better distinguish between an "original" and other versions thereof. Reformatting changes were moved from inclusion in the definition of edition to inclusion, instead, into the definition of what would not constitute a new edition. Also, output medium and display format are newly reworked phrases to better reflect CF technology.

In addition to the above, the Review Group agreed to significant modifications of the provisions concerning Sources of information (0.5). Area 4 ("Publication") will be amended to require treatment of all remote CF as published materials. The glossary and examples will be updated and increased.

In the course of its meeting the Group considered the Official Draft Proposal of the IFLA Division of Bibliographic Control Study Group on the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records. It was decided that as a medium, computer files would provide a good test of the draft, and the Group agreed to undertake an in depth study. Specifically, 1) the use of the words "item" and "work" in the Functional Requirements document will be examined in relationship to related terminology in the ISBD(CF); 2) an experiment will be conducted to apply the suggested model using several types of computer files in several library environments; 3) the results of the experiment will be analyzed; and 4) a summary document, including any potential recommendations for the ISBD(CF) will be written. Laurel Jizba will coordinate this study for completion by November 1, 1995.

(John Byrum, Ann Sandberg-Fox)

IT Projects

PROJECT COMPLETED

Russian Network Report

Standing Committee member Yakov Shraiberg (Russia) has completed his report on the plans and technology being used to implement the a library computer network in Moscow. The report is comprised of three articles that were published together as No. 1, Information and Networking in Russian Libraries, in the new UDT Occasional Papers series. The first article, by Shraiberg and a colleague, is about the Russian network project: "The First Russian Computerized Library Network - A Description and Perspectives of the LIBNET Project". It is a clear description of the LIBNET network: what has been accomplished and what the next steps will be. It illustrates a small but promising start to networking in Russia and what can be done even with limited resources. The second paper, "The Current State and Prospects of Online Systems in Russian Libraries" by Shraiberg, reviews progress in automation by several library groups in Russia, and indicates their current or future access to LIBNET. The paper states that LIBNET is currently expanding from 6 to 15-20 sites. The final paper in the set is by two colleagues of Shraiberg's at the Russian National Public Library of Science and Technology. It treats the application of optical character recognition technologies to Cyrllic. After a late start, it reports on the considerable progress that has been made recently and on software that is now available.

UDT Occasional Paper No.1 was distributed in print form with No.27 of the UDT Newsletter, which all Section members should have received. It is also now available from the IFLA WWW site

http://www.ifla.org/VI/5/udt.htm

ONGOING PROJECTS

Multimedia Software

Standing Committee member Jan van der Starre from the Netherlands Institute for Art History is the project leader for this project to carry out a feasibility study for preparing a guide to multimedia software. Jan plans to submit a report on phase one early in 1995 (not yet recieved) and will report on the future of the project at the Standing Committee meeting in Istanbul. (1995 project; budget 950 NLG)

Standards for Graphical User Interfaces

IT Standing Committee members Wilda Newman (U.S.) and Bruce Royan (U.K.) volunteered to carry out a study to ascertain the feasibility, and if feasible, the scope, of a project to define universal prompt symbols for graphical user interfaces. Wilda and Bruce will complete the study in 1995 and plan to have a preliminary report ready by the Standing Committee meeting in Istanbul. (1995 project; budget 1000 NLG)

Electronic Library Study

A large two year project to document the trends associated with increasing reliance on sources in electronic form is being undertaken by Standing Committee member Michael Malinconico (U.S.). Michael is going to report on the project in a presentation at the IT Open Session in Istanbul. (1995-1996 project; budget from IFLA: 5645 NLG)

Database of Multiscript Systems

Monica Ertel (U.S.) assumed responsibility for the task of building a database of descriptive information about vendor systems that could handle multiple scripts and making it available on an IFLA electronic access mechanism. Monica will report on the project in Istanbul. (1995 project; budget 500 NLG)

Character Set Mappings

Standing Committee member Xavier Agenjo (Spain) is responsible for a project to develop a report on mapping activities from the currently used 8-bit character sets to the 16-bit Universal Character Set (UCS) (also known as UNICODE). (1995 project; budget 500 NLG)

Standing Committee Membership

New Members (1995-1999 term)

Monica Ertel (Cupertino, USA) (2nd term)
Shahar Banum Jaafar (Malaysia)
Christian Lupovici (France) (2nd term)
Masamilsu Negishi (Tokyo, Japan)
Evelyn Schelm Murphy (Des Moines, USA)
Svein Arne Solbakk (Oslo, Norway)
Roar Storleer (Trondheim, Norway)

Continuing members (1993-1997 term)

C. Barlya (Rome, Italy)
Niels Senius Clausen (Denmark) (2nd term)
M. Chazal (Paris, France)
B. Dugall (Frankfurt am Main, Germany)
C.M. Elderink (Deventer, Netherlands)
Sally McCallum (Washington, USA) (2nd term)
Wilda B. Newman (Maryland, USA) (2nd term)
Jan-Erik Nordstrand (Sweden) (2nd term)
A.C. Klugkist (Groningen, Netherlands)
Bruce Royan (Stirling, UK)
Leigh Swain (Ottawa, Canada) (2nd term)
Jacob Shraiberg (Moscow, Russia)
John C. Tyson (Richmond, USA)

Members Completing Tenure (1991-1995 term)

Xavier Agenjo Bullon (Madrid, Spain)
Eirik Gaare (Oslo, Norway)
K. Hosono (Yokohama, Japan)
Michael Malinconico (Tuscaloosa, USA)
Ching-chic Chen (Boston, USA)
Jan van der Starre (The Hague, Netherlands)
T. Viswanathan (New Delhi, India)

IT on IFLANET WWW Server

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s21/sit.htm

If you have not yet accessed the IFLANET WWW server, you should. There are a number of key documents in the technology area that are available through links. The general access address is:

http://www.ifla.org

Editor

Editor - Sally McCallum

Contributions are welcome.