New & Noteworthy
NISONew voting member
NISO, the National Information Standards Organization, is pleased to welcome a new member, Serials Solutions, to its voting roster. Serials Solutions is dedicated to improving the visibility of full-text electronic-format journals by providing client institutions of all types and sizes with comprehensive reports that show all the full-text electronic journals available at their institutions. The organization partners with a variety of aggregators to provide visibility for journals within collections, making these aggregated databases increasingly useful to library patrons.
In welcoming Serials Solutions to NISO, Pat Harris, Executive Director said:"Internet development has spurred tremendous growth in the information intermediary arena. We are pleased to have Serials Solutions, a new kind of information service vendor, join NISO and help us shape standards that will be useful to all players in the information industry."
Serials Solutions will be represented by Mike McCracken, Co-Founder and Director of Technology. More information about the Seattle-based company can be found on their Web site at http://www.serialssolutions.com.
NISO – http://www.niso.org
NISO Releases report of the NISO/BISG digital archiving meeting
The report on the NISO/BISG meeting on Digital Archiving held at the recent ALA Midwinter meeting is now featured on the NISO (National Information Standards Organization) Web site. This report on the recent meeting looks at three ongoing projects that examine cost-effective business models for archiving, explore rights issues, and identify needed standards.
NISO – http://www.niso.org
NISO OpenURL Standard
NISO, the National Information Standards Organization, reports that Committee AX, the NISO standards committee that is preparing the OpenURL Standard, met on January 24 and 25 at the CNRI headquarters in Reston, Virginia and continues to make significant progress.
Eric Van de Velde, the committee chair, summing up progress to date said that existing applications of OpenURL technology only scratch the surface of what else is feasible. Currently, we apply OpenURL technology to bibliographic citations. In the near future, we may apply it to many other types of information: subject headings, legal documents, biological (genome sequences),etc. Currently, we encode OpenURL in an HTTP GET or POST format.
In the near future, we may encode OpenURL links in XML. Currently, we think of OpenURL links being provided by specific information providers. In the near future, third parties may provide OpenURL links for any information resource. With these and other opportunities yet to be explored, it is obvious that OpenURL is a technology in its infancy, and we should think of the emerging OpenURL standard as the beginning of a long-term evolutionary process.
To ensure that progress made so far will continue to have value, the committee adopted the OpenURL draft originally submitted to NISO as Version 0.1 of the standard. This document is available as part of the official record on the committee's Web site. For complete details and background information,please refer to the OpenURL Web site at http://library.caltech.edu/openurl. See also: NISO http://www.niso.org
DPC and NLACollaborate on Digital Preservation
The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) and National Library of Australia(NLA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to work collaboratively on digital preservation activities. The parties recognize that the facilitation of the long-term preservation of digital heritage is a shared goal of the DPC and NLA, which can be enhanced by working together.
As a new product of this collaboration, the DPC and NLA will jointly compile a "What's New in Digital Preservation" electronic digest of selected new items added to PADI and to the JISCmail Digital-Preservation list. The digest will be compiled as a quarterly list and as an annual edition containing an evaluation of the year's additions in review.
Users of PADI will also now have access to resources relating to digital preservation initiatives and events in the UK contributed directly to PADI by the DPC. This will provide comprehensive UK input to the database and direct UK support for this international resource. In addition to pointing to padiforum-l,PADI's own discussion list for the exchange of news and ideas about digital preservation issues, PADI will also now provide a direct link to the Digital-Preservation list archive from its News and Discussion area.
The Preservation Management of Digital Materials handbook – a selective, peer-reviewed, cross-sectoral introduction and guide to best practice in digital preservation – was published in October 2001. The DPC will shortly provide and maintain an electronic edition online. This will include the PADI search function. Users of both PADI and the Preservation Management of Digital Materials will benefit from the shared expertise of NLA and DPC in writing and review of selected topics of interest to both resources.
The NLA currently coordinates and maintains the PADI safekeeping initiative to promote the permanent preservation of selected significant digital preservation resources. As part of this initiative, the DPC will work to ensure long-term preservation of the archives of its Digital-Preservation list and the DPC Web pages. It will also contribute to the shared annual selection of new digital preservation resources for this initiative.
Digital Preservation Coalition – http://www.jisc.ac.uk/dner/preservation
EBONE Underpins Austrian Academic Network
ACOnet, the Austrian Academic Computer Network and one of the largest ISPs in the country, has upgraded its IP and broadband network with Ebone due to growing user demand, the need to increase network effectiveness, and to improve access to other international networks. Ebone, which first provided ACOnet with broadband services in 1992, has upgraded ACOnet's bandwidth Internet connectivity to 600Mbps.
ACOnet connects over 200,000 users at Austria's leading universities, schools and academic institutions using broadband IP technology. ACOnet is also connected to other academic networks like the pan-European Gigabit Research and Education Network (GEANT) – the world's largest academic and education network. ACOnet was established in 1986 to provide the Federal Ministry of Science and Research with a reliable network service. It is one of the many academic networks that operate in Europe and the rest of the world.
Ebone – http://www.ebone.com
GFI Discovers security flaw in Internet Explorer and Microsoft Access 2000
GFI has discovered a security flaw in Internet Explorer and Microsoft Access 2000 that allows macros to be executed automatically on a victim's machine. GFI has notified Microsoft Corp., which issued an advisory (Microsoft Security Bulletin number MS02-005).
This flaw within Internet Explorer allows a malicious user to run arbitrary code on a target machine as it attempts to view a Web site or an HTML e-mail. It can be exploited by embedding macro code (such as VBA Visual Basic for Applications) within an Access database file (.mdb) that in turn lies within an Outlook Express e-mail file or Multipart HTML File (.mhtml). If this file is accessed using Internet Explorer, the attachment can be automatically executed without triggering any warnings.
The flaw may be exploited through e-mail by using an iframe tag in an HTML e-mail or a window.open() within a <Xcript> tag, allowing Internet Explorer to automatically access the exploit eml file. To prevent the exploit from running through e-mail, GFI advises filtering all HTML e-mail for JavaScript and similar scripting capabilities, as well as checking for IFRAME. GFI also recommends filtering out mdb files and possibly blocking access to eml,mhtml and mht files through HTTP and e-mail. It is also important to apply the patch distributed by Microsoft Corp.
GFI – http://www.gfi.com
Web Services Interoperability (WS-I) OrganizationFormed by Technology Leaders
A broad group of technology leaders has formed the Web Services Interoperability (WS-I) Organization. This cross-industry initiative is designed to accelerate the development and deployment of interoperable Web services across a variety of platforms, applications and programming languages.
Web services are a platform- and language-independent means of building distributed systems that can connect and interact with one another easily and efficiently across the Internet, based on industry standards. WS-I, whose founders include Accenture, BEA Systems Inc., Fujitsu Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Co.,IBM Corp., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp. and SAP AG, is open to all organizations committed to promoting interoperability among Web services based on industry-accepted definitions and open standards support.
The mission of WS-I will be to provide implementation guidance to support customers deploying Web services, promote consistent and reliable interoperability among Web services, and articulate a common industry vision for Web services.
The following companies are signing on in support of WS-I: Akamai Technologies Inc., Autodesk Inc., Borland, Business Objects, Cape Clear Software Inc., Commerce One, CommerceQuest, Compaq Computer Corp., Corechange Inc.,Corillian Corp., Daimler/Chrysler AG, Dassault Systemes, J.D. Edwards,Epicentric, Epicor Software Corp., ESRI, FileNET, Flamenco Networks, Ford Motor Co., FrontRange Solutions Inc., Grand Central Networks Inc., Groove Networks Inc., IONA, Jamcracker Inc., Kana Inc., Loudcloud Inc., Macromedia Inc.,McAfee.com, Onyx Software Corp., Peregrine Systems, Pivotal Corp., Plumtree Software Inc., POSC.org, Qwest Communications Inc., Rational Software Corp.,RealNames Corp., Reed Elsevier, Reuters, Sabre Holdings Corp., SAS Institute,Sybase Inc., Toshiba TEC Corp., United Airlines, Versata Inc., VeriSign, and webMethods Inc.
Customers implementing Web services want their investment to comply with the existing standards-based model that enables interoperability and fast time to market. WS-I will provide the clarity, guidance and direction around Web services that customers have been requesting as they move into the Web services model of computing.
To assist in ensuring the interoperability of Web services, WS-I will initially create a suite of tools and materials for testing implementation and conformance with "basic level" Web services standards: XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI. These testing capabilities are important so customers can ensure that their implementations comply with the best-practices use of these Web services specifications. Tests will be self administered and aimed at uncovering unconventional usage or errors in specification implementations, thus improving interoperability between applications and across platforms.
As Web services mature and gain mainstream momentum, the need will arise for additional capabilities that are not fully addressed in the current Web services standards. To meet these needs, WS-I will publish an architectural road map for identifying functional areas and capabilities that need to be addressed in future Web services specifications. As new specifications are created and adopted by multiple standards organizations to enhance current Web service capabilities, WS-I will provide a forum to ensure testing materials support the evolving set of requirements and their interdependencies.
Web Services Interoperability (WS-I) Organization – http://www.ws-i.org/
Openwave Supports Open Mobile Architecture (OMA)
Openwave Systems Inc. has announced support for the Open Mobile Architecture(OMA) initiative. Openwave has already undertaken activities to drive immediate collaboration in key areas of standards development and interoperability with leading OMA supporters and will continue to align its product development strategy to be consistent with the mission of the initiative, which is to accelerate the advancement of consumer mobile services and their mainstream adoption.
The participants in the Open Mobile Architecture initiative have committed to developing products and services based on open mobile architecture enablers such as WAP2.0/XHTML, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) and Java technology. They will work closely with standards bodies such as the 3GPP, the WAP Forum and Java Community Process (JCP). The participants will also identify new technologies that are needed to achieve openness and interoperability and map them to the appropriate standards and/or interoperability testing (IOT) body. Openwave also partners with IBM on mobile Internet solutions and services innovations.
Openwave Systems Inc. – http://www.openwave.com
Current MedicineLaunches online encyclopedia of medical images
Current Medicine, Inc. has launched images.MD (www.images.md),the first comprehensive Web-based database of medical images. This new database brings together images and text supplied by 2,000 of the world's finest physicians in 75 subject specialties.
images.MD contains over 40,000 medical images annotated with authoritative explanations. Subscribers will be able to navigate through medical information using a search facility that allows exploration by keyword or image type (e.g. table, diagram or photograph). The information can then be personalized,allowing users to delete text, rename the image, or add personal notes to create their own library of images. Customized slide sets can then be created as PowerPoint1 presentations that can be e-mailed to the subscriber;alternatively, subscribers can choose to have their presentations mailed to them on a CD-ROM.
This new service will be a useful tool for physicians preparing lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations as well as providing a reference source for researchers, medical students, and nurses. Librarians will also find that images.MD is able to meet the needs of their users with a one-stop resource for medical images.
images.MD – http://www.images.md
BioMed Central & ARLSupport Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI)
BioMed Central has announced its involvement in, and support for, the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI). This initiative, which was launched by George Soros's Open Society Institute, is dedicated to freeing online access to peer-reviewed research literature. BioMed Central is to provide the technology to deliver open access peer-reviewed research in biology and medicine.
There are currently more than 20,000 peer-reviewed journals of scientific and scholarly research worldwide, publishing over 4 million articles per year. However, access to the vast majority of these research articles can only be had for a fee. This makes them accessible only to researchers at the world's wealthiest institutions. Furthermore, even the wealthiest research universities can only afford to subscribe to a small proportion of the 20,000 available journals, resulting in access to the latest scientific and medical advances being restricted as a matter of course.
BioMed Central supports the concept of open access to research articles and provides support for this initiative in three ways. First, it maintains a policy of open access to research articles in all the online journals it already publishes. Second, it provides the technology for scholars in the fields of biology and medicine to start their own journals. Finally, by encouraging authors to use their copyright in the research articles to stimulate maximum dissemination, rather than to transfer their copyright to a publisher to be used for restricting access, it promotes the widest possible visibility of full-text research articles across the Internet, for the benefit of science and mankind.
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has signed on to support the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI). Over the past ten years, ARL has worked to engage the academic community in discussions of the issues facing scholarly communication. It applauds those who are now actively seeking change.
The BOAI, released on 14 February 2002, aims to accelerate progress in the international effort to make research articles in all academic fields freely available on the Internet. The initiative has been signed by hundreds of individuals and organizations around the world, including scientists and researchers, universities, laboratories, libraries and library organizations,foundations, journals, publishers, and learned societies.
ARL, motivated by the decreasing ability of research libraries to provide access to the world's increasing output of scholarly information, has invested significant resources to ensure equitable access to and effective use of recorded knowledge in support of teaching, research, scholarship, and community service. ARL programs seek to partner with scholarly societies, university presses, and university administrators to build a better understanding of scholarly publishing and to collaborate on viable alternative systems.
Open access as defined by the BOAI is a laudable goal in sync with the aims of ARL. The BOAI states that those works that "scholars give to the world without expectation of payment" should be freely accessible online without cost to the user. ARL is committed to working with scholarly publishers interested in experimenting with new funding models to develop a realistic assessment of the economic impact of open access. The Association believes an environment that better reflects the values of the research and educational communities could have the benefit of restoring to the academic community the control of its own intellectual property while reducing costs. It would demonstrate to policy makers and legislators the economic and intellectual vitality of a system that more fully balances societal good with economic interests. ARL – http://www.arl.org/scomm/boai.html
Budapest Open Archives Initiative – http://www.soros.org/openaccess/
DK AssociatesSurvey ranks chemistry Web sites
A recent survey of over 1,300 chemists worldwide shows that their first port of call on the Web is ChemWeb.com, closely followed by Google. The Web-based survey was conducted by DK Associates, based in London, UK.
Of the 1,338 chemists surveyed, over 57 percent used ChemWeb.com several times a week, with 56 precent using Google several times per week. Of the other chemical sites mentioned in the survey the next most accessed site was www.chemistry.org with 15 percent using it more than once per week, followed by www.ChemSoc.org with 12 percent.
Chemists cited four main reasons for visiting ChemWeb.com in preference to the others:
- 1.
free searching of many thousands of abstracts from the chemical literature,a feature unique to ChemWeb.com;
- 2.
ease of searching;
- 3.
the range of chemical information available on the site; and
- 4.
up-to-date news of developments in the chemistry field.
Sites included in the survey were: www.ChemWeb.com, www.google.com, http://dir.yahoo.com/Science/Chemistry/, www.chemistry.org, www.ChemSoc.org, http://webbbook.nist.gov/chemistry, www.chemindustry.com, www.scirus.com, www.thescientificworld.com, www.chemind.org, and www.ch.cam.ac.uk.
Contact Jenny Drey, DK Associates – jenny.drey@dial.pipex.com
IFLAAnnounces project update
During its August 2001 meeting, IFLA's ISBD Review Group decided to initiate and oversee a study of the International Standard Bibliographic Description for Electronic Resources (ISBD(ER)) to determine the need for updating it in specific, determined aspects. With the sponsorship of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc., the Group has appointed Ann Sandberg-Fox as Principal Investigator for this project.
Ms Sandberg-Fox has substantial expertise in this area and served as the editor of the ISBD(ER) published in 1997. Her remit is to mount an investigation that will:
Focus on only the most significant problem areas in the ISBD(ER) that are in need of immediate resolution. These areas are: 0.5; Area 3; and Area 5. Other areas might also be taken into consideration in so far as they are deemed to be significant, problematic, or increase the utility of ISBD(ER) within the confines of a limited revision.
Take into account, within this focus, changes being adopted by the Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR (JSC) and other sources (e.g. changes proposed by the ALCTS CC:DA).
In considering these topics, Ms Sandberg-Fox will consult with experts from such other IFLA sections as Geography and Maps, Audiovisual, Serials, and Information Technology. She will recommend specific changes to the ISBD(ER)which the ISBD Review Group will consider. Modifications to this ISBD which the Review Group approves for further consideration will then be posted on IFLANET for worldwide review at a time to be determined and announced later.
Contact John D. Byrum – jbyr@loc.gov
ISCAEstablished by research library associations
Eight of the world's principal research library organizations have established the International Scholarly Communications Alliance (ISCA). The ISCA, an initiative of research library associations in Australia, Canada,Europe, Japan, Hong Kong SAR, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA, is an action-oriented global network that will collaborate with scholars and publishers to establish equitable access to scholarly and research publications.
The ISCA – whose members represent over 600 research libraries worldwide– will engage in a series of activities that focus the scholarly publishing process on the primary goals of the academic research community, advancing the discovery of new knowledge and facilitating its dissemination. Through sharing expertise on scholarly communications issues, these organizations, whose total library budgets equal over US$5 billion and which serve well over 11 million students and faculty, will be prepared to act as a unified body in creating policies and taking actions that advance these goals.
Because the ISCA recognizes that both the publishing industry and the research community are global, its members will concentrate on ways to ensure open and affordable access to scholarship across national boundaries. Its essential partnership will be with the scholar-author, the key provider of the world's research.
Many scholar-authors have already become active partners with their university library, playing a visible role in making research more accessible. Both within faculty departments and in libraries, the spiralling cost of journal literature (in particular research in science, technology, and medicine) is a cause of concern. During the past 15 years, serial unit cost increases have outpaced general inflation in the economies of developed countries. This has resulted in increased costs of 226 percent (USA) for universities and their libraries and a reduction in their ability to deliver access to the global knowledge base for their researchers.
As a body, ISCA will promote solutions which its members agree are necessary,practical and viable approaches. Members will then collaborate to develop,expand, and leverage initiatives to transform the scholarly communications process, including strategic and advocacy programs including but not limited to:
SPARC, the ARL-initiated effort to facilitate competition in scientific communication through the creation of high-quality alternatives to commercial titles, and SPARC Europe, recently launched to provide a European operational arm for SPARC activities.
The establishment of institutional and discipline-based archives that allow public access to content and employ the Open Archives Metadata Harvesting Protocol.
Initial members of ISCA include: the Association of Japanese National University Libraries (ANUL); the Association of Research Libraries (ARL); the Canadian Association of Research Libraries/Association des bibliothèques de recherche du Canada (CARL/ABRC); the Consortium of University Research Libraries, UK (CURL); the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL);the Council of New Zealand Librarians (CONZUL); the Ligue des Bibliothèques Europeennes de Recherche (LIBER), and the Joint University Librarians Advisory Committee, Hong Kong SAR, China (JULAC).
ARL – http://www.arl.org
IRNFinds healthy growth in online information market despite downturn
Europe's online information market – representing the sale of paid-for content – grew by 6 percent in 2001, surpassing its 4 percent growth in 2000, according to a new report. Revenue in this sector was worth £984m in 2001.
The report was commissioned by Learned Information Europe, organizers of Online Information, the largest information industry event in the world. The findings came from a survey of 260 information professionals from the UK,France, Germany and Scandinavia, the four largest markets in Europe. The survey,which was carried out by IRN Services Ltd in November 2001, was supported by interviews with major information providers and desk research.
Business information (news, company, market research and legal information)currently accounts for 77.6 percent of the industry, with scientific, technical and medical information (STM) accounting for the remaining 22.4 percent.
Sales growth has been achieved through an increased penetration of Web-based products and services at the desktop, more flexible delivery and pricing options, and the further penetration of European markets outside the UK.
The last 12 months has seen the three major business information vendors(Thomson Corporation, Lexis Nexis and Factiva) concentrate on internal restructuring and re-focusing. In the STM information sector, the major players(Elsevier Science, Wolters Kluwer, Thomson and John Wiley) have concentrated on the development of more Web-based products.
The European online information market, as defined in the report, includes online company, financial, news, legal, and market research information, and online scientific, technical and medical in CD-ROM format as well as Web-based and traditional online sources. It includes historical information services and near real-time services, but excludes real-time services.
Full results are published in the European Online Information Market report. The report covers two markets: business information and STM information. Copies of the report can be ordered via Learned Information on +44 (0) 1865 388034, or log on to http://www.learned.co.uk/report.
IRN Services – http://www.irn-research.com
RDNLaunches training page
The Resource Discovery Network (http://www.rdn.ac.uk)has launched its training page, which includes a new workbook designed to introduce users to some of the services of the RDN. The workbook contains practical tasks and exercises and can be used to support a hands-on workshop or can be used by individuals for self-paced learning. It also contains quizzes,tips and hints, as well as scenarios designed to suggest ways in which the RDN can be used practically to support learning and teaching.
Other features of the training page include links to subject-specific training materials from RDN hubs and the Virtual Training Suite, copies of RDN and Virtual Training Suite posters and flyers, and a Powerpoint presentation designed to support user education sessions in colleges and universities.
The RDN provides access to high-quality Internet resources that have been selected and described by subject specialists.
British LibraryImproves access to BNB information
The British Library has announced that users of the British National Bibliography (BNB) on CD-ROM can now update the CD's records weekly via the Internet. This development means that subscribers can access the latest data whilst benefiting from the CD-ROM's search capabilities.
The BNB on CD-ROM, the most comprehensive listing of UK and Irish books published since 1950, is published on two discs. The current file covering 1996-present is available via the subscription service. The backfile (1950-1995)is available for free to current subscribers, while new subscribers can purchase it at a substantial discount. Records from either disc can be exported in both UKMARC and MARC21 formats.
British Library – http://www.bl.uk
ISI ResearchSoft Releases Reference Manager 10 Network version
ISI ResearchSoft has released Reference Manager 10 Network Version, a major upgrade that now offers the same dynamic features as the single-user version: an enhanced integration with Microsoft Word, new ways to store links to Web-based research, and direct access to ISI Web of Science. This network version contains links from Reference Manager to data visualization software and the OpenURL standard.
ISI ResearchSoft – http://www.refman.com
Derwent InformationAnalyses patent developments
Derwent Information has published an in-depth overview of major developments in the world of patents. Derwent's Patent Focus looks back at events from 2001 and looks ahead to likely developments in 2002. It also includes comments by experts on the key issues currently facing patent owners.
Written by Joff Wild of White Page, Derwent's Patent Focus is designed to give anyone who uses patents an authoritative snapshot of the latest events and opinions. It is available on the IP Matters Web site (http://www.derwent.com/ipmatters),Derwent's Web-based intellectual property forum, and consists of three downloadable articles: Review of 2001; Looking ahead to 2002; and The year ahead– the expert's view.
Derwent Information – http://www.derwent.com
Context Releases link studio
Context Limited has released a new information management product which automatically creates hypertext links within documents. The new product, Link Studio, converts references, such as bibliographic citations, appearing within the text of documents into hypertext links to the full text of the cited documents, without the need for any manual editing or document markup. It is aimed at electronic publishers and other organizations which publish or produce large amounts of data electronically.
Link Studio is designed to enhance the quality and usability of many different types of electronic content – such as legal and regulatory information, academic and professional journals, training materials and business data – by enabling end users to navigate seamlessly between related documents. It is also intended to stimulate increased traffic to Web sites and encourage more productive use of electronic information products and corporate intranets by providing instant, single click access to cited documents and other relevant resources.
Context Limited – http://www.context.co.uk
