Using Channels, Topics, Keywords and other Metadata in an Electronic Alerting Service Available to Purchase

An electronic alerting service which gathers both conventional and electronic documents and presents them to users still needs a vocabulary to match documents with profiles. Based on a project in the Electronic Libraries Programme known as NewsAgent; a personalised current awareness service for library and information staff, a design for a controlled vocabulary is described based on three levels of specificity: Channels, Topics and Keywords. The printed models for these vocabularies are identified, and examples given from the field of Library and Information Services. NewsAgent decided to adopt the Dublin Core metadata scheme in which to include this vocabulary, and details of both the simple and advanced use of this metadata by NewsAgent are discussed and illustrated, including the use of standard resource types which include an indication of quality. The publications which were used in the trial of NewsAgent are identified, and some future developments in electronic alerting outlined.