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HEADLINE Project - Appendix B - Details of Project Plan

Last Modified: Thursday 19 February 1998 
 

Phase 1: Analysis and Prototyping 

• Development of prototype environment
• Design of the resource compendium
• Evaluation of access methodologies
• Design of service environment
• Evaluation of Phase 1

Phase 2: Production and Testing 

• Synthesis of hybrid library working model
• Deployment of working model in institution
• Development of feedback mechanisms
• Enhancement of service environment
• Evaluation of Phase 2

Phase 3: Enhancements and Dissemination of Results 

Phase 1 (Calendar year 1998): Analysis and Prototyping

B1.1 Development of prototype "presentation of resources" environment

This project strand focuses on the technical database management, standards and database-to-Web issues, building on existing work at LBS developing virtual student environments. 

Work includes: 

establishment of methodology for reusing/managing MIS data to provide user information for library resource access/management

development of a prototype resource compendium using SQLServer to describe LBS library resources that will 

comprise a database driven management environment able to keep together all information about the resource (technical, management, content)

manage dynamic publication of resource details to the Web

manage access by using rules to link resources with user profiles

act as a storage point for document management information about the resource

invoke calls to launch mechanisms where practicable

extension of resource description to include Dublin Core and, possibly, ROADS templates, enabling dynamic inclusion of meta tags in Web pages as they are served

Deliverables 

prototype for Web-based resource presentation/management environment based on user profile

incorporation of Dublin Core meta tags in resource descriptions

report on methodology, structures and issues for handling MIS data

B1.2 Design of the resource compendium

analysis of user requirements across institutions for resource compendium

evaluation, by all participants, of their resource components to be included in the compendium

focus on access agreements across sites to: 

free/institutionally owned resources

commercial resources used by more than one site

commercial resources provided by commercial partners

Deliverables 

design specification of the resource compendium

consolidated dataset of resource compendium contents

consortia agreements set up; exploration of licensing issues

B1.3 Evaluation of access methodologies

evaluation of methods for launching applications from Web browser, building on work with EASI (LSE) and at LBS (w3launch etc.)

selection of launch mechanisms for components in resource compendium

exploration of Z39.50 issues, including Sirsi UNICORN Z39.50 server; http to Z39.50 gateways; other freely available Z39.50 clients

Deliverables 

methodologies for accessing applications from Web browser

test launch mechanisms for library resources for inclusion in the prototype application

prototype use of Z39.50 to search across multiple databases

B1.4 Design of service environment

The purpose of the service environment is to present to the user the available options for accessing an identified item. Options include: 

identification, at the search stage, of all available sources which may provide useful items, the retrieval process presenting an aggregated set of "found items" drawn from different sources

identification, at the "found item" stage, of available means of access

Benefits of the focus on identified items for initiating document delivery include: 

access process put into effect only when a specific item is identified

need to address searching/search-language mapping issues across applications eliminated

cross searching process simplified as only those resources delivering access - e.g. library catalogue, full text sources - need be included

Work includes: 

analysis of functionality required for service environment

analysis of technical issues involved in developing service environment

exploration of the role of document identifiers (DOI, SICI etc.); utilisation of DOIs in document delivery

Deliverables 

specification, functional and technical, for developing service environment

service environment prototype

B1.5 Evaluation of Phase 1

establishment of User Panel and associated evaluation mechanisms

detailed review of Year 1, including user feedback where possible

Deliverables 

Year 1 Annual Report

Year 2 Technical Workplan

Phase 2 (Calendar year 1999): Production and Testing of the Hybrid Library Model

B2.1 Synthesis of hybrid library working model (stage 1)

production of the resource compendium database in line with user specification

population of the resource compendium with library resources (all sites)

consolidation of hybrid library components so far developed into working model

Deliverables 

implementation of working model at institutional sites

B2.2 Deployment of working model in institutions

testing of the model by library staff (management and information provision) and users (teaching, learning and research)

development of the information content, especially from the perspective of subject librarians and teaching staff

enhancements to the resource base; investigation of including resources not traditionally managed by the library such as software or computerised teaching materials in the resource compendium

Deliverables 

multi-perspective evaluation of the hybrid library working model

B2.3 Development of feedback mechanisms

development of methodology for tracking resource use

investigation of the use of qualitative feedback measures (on-line dialogue, evaluation forms etc.)

implementation of individual configuration of resource presentation based on user preference/behaviour

investigation of proactive alerting strategy based on user behaviour

Deliverables 

prototype feedback component

B2.4 Enhancement of service environment

ongoing development from Phase 1

B2.5 Evaluation of Phase 2

detailed review of Year 2, incorporating user feedback from deployment of hybrid library prototypes

Deliverables 

Year 2 Annual Report

Year 3 Technical Workplan

Phase 3 (Calendar year 2000): Enhancements and Dissemination of Results

This phase is necessarily given only in outline, since it will need modification in the light of experience with Phases 1 and 2. It is expected to include 

Implementation of feedback mechanisms at consortium sites

Implementation of enhancements/modifications at consortium sites

Possible extension to other subject areas

Potential extension to additional sites outside the consortium

Summative evaluation

Final reports, seminars and other dissemination activities

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