EULER: European Libraries and Electronic Resources in Mathematical Sciences Telematics for Libraries Project LB-5609
4th EULER Progress Report Reporting period: October 1, 1999 - March 31, 2000
Michael Jost
21 June, 2000
EULER Progress Report Project Name: European Libraries and Electronic Resources in Mathematical Sciences Project Acronym: EULER Project Number: LB-5609 Report Type: Progress Report Report Number: 4 Reporting period: October 1, 1999 - March 31, 2000 Date: 21 June, 2000 Author: Michael Jost FIZ Karlsruhe, Dept. Math. & Comput. Sci. Franklinstr. 11, D-10587 Berlin, Germany e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +49 30 3999340 Fax: +49 30 3927009
4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Introduction Since April 1998 DG XIII/E-4 of the European Commission is funding the EULER project in the framework of the Telematics for Libraries sector from the Telematics Applications programme. Main goal of EULER is to integrate different, electronically available information resources in the field of mathematics. EULER aims to construct a digital library mathematics from existing heterogeneous sources.
This fourth progress report gives an overview of actions and decisions from the end of the evaluation of the alpha version of the Demonstrator and the subsequent steps for the development of the final Demonstrator.
It consists of a management synthesis for the period October 1999 - March 2000 and contains a schedule by work package, a list of milestones attained; tasks completed and remaining; a schedule of work for the next reporting period. A synthesis of resources used to date vs. resources estimated is presented in tabular form.
The work carried out during the period of the report is assessed in the context of the expressed objectives of the project. Deviations from the initial objectives are noted explicitly. The report includes an assessment of technical options and a rationale for those selected. Major dissemination activities are detailed (publications, presentations, demonstrations) as well as participation in concertation activities.
p. 2 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Management synthesis
Work planned this reporting period: WP-0. Project Management WP-1. Requirements Analysis: T1.2 Revision of methodologies, standard development monitoring WP-2. Resource Adaptation T2.1 Bibliographic databases T2.2 OPACs T2.3 Preprint servers T2.4 E-journals T2.5 Internet math. resources WP-3. EULER Engine T3.3 Validation of the Prototype T3.4 Development and Implementation of the Demostrator WP-5. Information Dissemination and Exploitation Preparations: T5.1 Information Dissemination T5.2 Exploitation Preparations
Work actually carried out (per active work package)
Work Package 0: Project Management Responsible partner: FIZ Scheduled dates: April 1998 - September 2000 Actual dates: April 1998 - present Estimated achievement: 80%
The following Project Coordination Meeting took place: 6th meeting, October 10-12, 1999 at UNIFI, Florence 7th meeting, January 23-25, 2000 at SUB Göttingen Agenda and Minutes of the meeting are available from the internal EULER WWW server.
The 2nd Annual Peer Review Meeting was held at DG XIII, Luxembourg, on October 21, 1999. Participants present: Michael Jost (FIZ), Elizabeth Cherhal (MDC), Annius Groenink (CWI), Hans. J. Becker (SUB), Jörgen Eriksson and Mårten Berggren (NetLab), Bernd Wegner and Aleksandar Perovic (TUB).
Further project management activities in this reporting period were: discussing management matters via e-mail, administrative matters at the partners sites, writing Management Reports, preparing this Report, and preparing the 3rd Progress Report and Cost Statement.
Partners have checked the person-month distribution per Task for their institutions and submitted revised planning figures (indicated in the "labour resources" table below).
SUB: Further work on the co-ordination for WP-4. TUB: Preparation of exploitation discussion paper for the Goettingen meeting; discussions on legal questions connected with copyright issues.
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Work Package 1: Requirements Analysis
Active task:
Task 1.2: Revision of methodologies, standard development monitoring Responsible partner(s): NetLab Scheduled dates: periodically Actual dates: November 1998 - present Deliverables: D1.2 Periodical revision and internal standard development report Estimated achievement: 80%
The second of a set of periodical reports on different methodology matters was written in this reporting period. The resulting Deliverable is a bundle of methodology reports. This deliverable looks at two initiatives using Z39.50 (The virtual Canadian union catalogue and The Z-starts initiative) that are of interest to EULER. It also contains a comment to the 15 element collapse proposal (which is part of the previous periodic report) from a Z39.50 perspective. During the first annual review of the EULER project the contenders was asked to investigate the virtual Canadian union catalogue and Z-STARTS.
Concrete actions were: NetLab: Wrote second D1.2 Report (vCuc, Z-Starts, 15 element collapse comment). Review of I-site software. TUB: Reading the W3C Consortium's Proposed Recommendation for XHTML 1.0 ("A Reformulation of HTML 4.0 in XML 1.0"). Having a quick look on a software solution (html2text) to analyze and enhance existing HTML code of ElibM in order to render it fit for XML/XHTML compatibility. Some adaptations for XHTML compatibility ofELibM metadata. SUB: Looking on other distributed Z39.50 search systems (KOBV, Berlin). Starting preparation and work on the recommended topics on document delivery. Starting preparation and work on alternative Z39.50 server. Reading about new DC developments and making application to EULER DC (for the recommendations see D2.2 and D2.5.1). FIZ: reviewing D1.2 report. Discussions with german Math-Net initiative on inclusion of Math-Net data in EULER. UNIFI: State of art regarding Z39.50 and other harvesting protocols.
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Work Package 2: Resource Adaptation
General (of relevance to all WP-2 tasks): FIZ: Work on the "General Introduction to WP-2 Deliverables". Coordination with specific Task documentation Deliverables. CWI: Assessment of next generation ISO requirements (statistics, "s.d"-solution and Chines/Japanese names solution from Perovic). Iso-tool: dates and statistics. SUB: Work on the recommendations for the development of the EULER DC (D2.2, D2.5.1).
Active Tasks:
Task 2.1: Bibliographic databases Responsible partner(s): FIZ Scheduled dates: June 1998 - January 2000 Actual dates: June 1998 - present Deliverables: D2.1 Frontend DC database incl. documentation Estimated achievement: 100%
FIZ: Started and completed adaptation of conversion routines to meet new specifications. Continued work and completion of task documentation (D2.1). Review of D2.3. Production of "orange" information sheet. Task completed.
Task 2.2: OPACs Responsible partner(s): SUB, Scheduled dates: June 1998 - September 1999 Actual dates: June 1998 - present Deliverables: D2.2 Frontend DC databases for partners OPACs incl. documentation Estimated achievement: 90%
Partners in this task have continued to adapt their extraction and conversion routines. Several new versions of iso-tool and Zebra server software were installed, data were loaded. Test databases are up and running, the task is nearly completed.
CWI: Added delivery component to OPAC records in EULER system. Contributed to draft D2.2. Complete redesign of the import program and original record display. Contributions to the documentation deliverable. Contributed to D2.2. Produced "orange sheets" for CWI OPAC. Split Zebra file to separate OPAC and Report/Preprint files respectively. SUB: Integrating on document delivery functionality (automatic bibliographic entries from the EULER page). Improving conversion programs (PICA+->EULER; PICA3->EULER; diacritics). Trying out new extraction strategies (comparison with the Zentrallblatt monographs) and supplying of MSC codes from the Zentralblatt. New Zebra installed (database splitting, uploading, new ISO version, etc). Orange Sheet for the database description was made. Further work on D2.2 (writing, integrating review comments etc.). Reviewing of D2.4. MDC: Written/corrected deliverable, correct minor bugs. Obtained data from libraries and written orange sheet UNIFI: Reload of data.
Task 2.3: Preprint servers Responsible partner(s): CWI Scheduled dates: June 1998 - September 1999 Actual dates: June 1998 - present Deliverables: D2.3 Frontend DC databases for preprints and grey literature incl. documentation Estimated achievement: 100%
Conversion programmes have been refined, and Zebra/iso-tool updates have been installed.
CWI: Drafted next version D2.3. Background reading on MPRESS. Discussions on possiblities and modalities of data sharing with MPRESS. Complete redesign of the import program and original record display.
p. 5 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Coordinated and edited D2.3. Contributed to D2.3. Produced "orange sheets" for CWI Reports/Preprints. Split Zebra file to separate Report/Preprint and OPAC files respectively. SUB: Integrating on document delivery functionality (automatic bibliographic entries from the EULER page). Improving conversion programs (PICA3->EULER; diacritics). New Zebra version installed (database splitting, uploading, new ISO version, etc). Orange Sheet for the database description was made. Further work on the contribution for D2.3. MDC: Further conversions. Preparation for MPRESS conversion. Changes to conversion program. New conversion program for MPRESS. Installation of converter and zebra/iso software in Osnabrück. Write part of D2.3. Obtained data, written orange sheet. Task completed.
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Task 2.4: E-journals Responsible partner(s): FIZ Scheduled dates: June 1998 - September 1999 Actual dates: June 1998 - present Deliverables: D2.4 Frontend DC databases for EMIS electronic journals incl. documentation Estimated achievement: 85%
TUB: Debugging, modification and enhancement of the Metadata Extraction Tool for ELibM-produced journals. Further work on the specification of journal editors' guidelines for supplying metadata in ELibM- mirrored journals. Further improvement of mirroring procedures (testing of wget as an integrated tool for both HTTP and FTP mirroring with automatic conversion from absolute to relative links). Final drafts of editors' guidelines and the Deliverable 2.4 report presented in Goettingen. Developed adaptation procedures for FIZ metadata into ELibM. Revision of Deliverable 2.4 to account for these procedures.
FIZ, TUB: Discussion on linking articles from electronic journals to Zentralblatt MATH and vice versa, and re- use of Zentralblatt data for ElibM.
Task 2.5: Internet math. resources Responsible partner(s): NetLab Scheduled dates: June 1998 - January 2000 Actual dates: June 1998 - present Deliverables:
D2.5.1 Quality controlled information gateway Mathematics, incl. frontend DC database and documentation D2.5.2 Robot-generated "Mathematical Web Index" incl. metadata and documentation D2.5.3 Public DC metadata creation and support site for mathematicians
Estimated achievement: 95%
NetLab: Working on revision of public metadata creation and support site for mathematicians according to the recommendations from D3.3. Adjustments to D2.5.2 deliverable in accordance with the reviewers comments. Finalising 2.5.3. Review and discussion regarding 2.5.2 and 2.2, publishing draft of T2.5.2 deliverable "The creation of a web-index for the EULER service". CWI: Submitted suggestions for inclusion through MathGuide. Agreed on different screening and input procedure. Continued selection of Internet Math. Resources for MathGuide. Reviewed D2.5.2. SUB: Continued work on the conversion program MathGuide/EULER. Further discussions of the workflow with the CWI. Conversion of another subject guide (Math-Net Links) to an working format for the evaluation by CWI and SUB with the aim of a later inclusion into EULER via the MathGuide format. New Zebra version installed (database splitting, uploading, new ISO version, etc). Orange Sheet for the database description was made. Further work on D2.5.1(integrating review comments).
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Work Package 3: EULER Engine
Active Tasks:
Task 3.3: Validation of the prototype Responsible partner(s): SUB Scheduled dates: May 1999 - August 1999; changed to June -October 1999 Actual dates: June 1999 - present Deliverables: D3.3 Evaluation of prototype (internal report) Estimated achievement: 100%
NetLab: Adding log analyses to D3.3. Commenting on D3.3. SUB: Further work on analysis and the interpretation of the results. Discussion and revising of D3.3 (e.g. adding NetLab's log file analysis to the log file analysis of SUB). Start of work the public versions to the metadata creator and the user evaluation. Task completed November 1999.
Task 3.4: Development and Implementation of the Demonstrator Responsible partner(s): NetLab Scheduled dates: August 1999 - August 2000 Actual dates: September 1999 - present Deliverables: D3.4 EULER information system demonstrator Estimated achievement: 70%
NetLab: Making a proposal of work priorities for T3.4. and collecting comments on the proposal. Continued work on demonstrator. CWI: Gathered EULER-internal alpha comments. General comments on required interface characteristics. SUB: Making a user comment site for the EULER engine. Comments to the suggested draft priority list for work on the beta engine from NetLab. Check of the URL search functionality. Work on developing the Orange Sheet for database description together with UNIFI and FIZ. MDC: Work on MSC 2000 browser. FIZ: Proposal for new design for EULER pages. Discussions on EULER profile field name conventions. UNIFI: Evaluation of pre-beta version and User interface refinement.
p. 8 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Work Package 5: Information Dissemination and Exploitation Preparations
Active Task:
Task 5.1: Information Dissemination Responsible partner(s): FIZ Scheduled dates: periodically Actual dates: April 1998 - present Deliverables: D5.1.1 List of publications, presentations at events and workshops D5.1.2 WWW document server with public EULER reports Estimated achievement: 75%
An edited version of the Annual Review report was produced and uploaded to the public EULER WWW site. Various partners: Preparing and delivering talks and demonstrations. See below under "Dissemination activities" for a list of participations at events and workshops.
FIZ: Revision of public EULER WWW pages. SUB: Start of work on a publication about EULER with the centre of the evaluation.
P. Cotoneschi (UNIFI), A. Perovic (TUB), and M. Jost (FIZ) participated in the concertation meeting "Consolidating the European Library Space", November 17-19, 1999 in Luxembourg.
Task 5.2: Exploitation Preparations Responsible partner(s): FIZ Scheduled dates: September 2000 Actual dates: February 2000 - present Deliverable: D5.2 Recommendations for the continuation of EULER services Estimated achievement: 10%
CWI: Internal discussion on exploitation costs. TUB: Cost assessment of continued EULER services for ELibM. FIZ: Internal discussions on continued EULER services after project end. SUB: Internal discussions on the work for the continuation of EULER at SUB Göttingen and the costs for it.
p. 9 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Work Package completion table Work Package / Task % complete % complete current period previous period WP-0. Project Management 80% 65% WP-1. Requirements Analysis - - T1.1 User Requirements 100% 100% T1.2 Revision of methodologies, standards 80% 45% development monitoring WP-2. Resource Adaptation - - T2.1 Bibliographic databases 100% 70% T2.2 OPACs 90% 70% T2.3 Preprint servers 100% 75% T2.4 E-journals 85% 60% T2.5 Internet math. resources 95% 70% WP-3. EULER Engine - - T3.1 Functional specification 100% 100% T3.2 Prototype of Engine and user interface 100% 100% T3.3 Validation of prototype 100% 60% T3.4 Development and Implementation of Demonstrator 70% 5% WP-5. Information Dissemination and Exploitation Preparations - - T5.1 Information Dissemination 75% 55% T5.2 Exploitation Preparations 10% 0%
List of milestones/checkpoints attained The following Deliverables were completed in the reporting period:
D3.3 Internal report: "Evaluation of the Prototype", November 19, 1999.
D1.2: Periodical revision and internal standard development report. (second of a set of periodical methodology reports)
D2.1 A Frontend Dublin Core Database for Zentralblatt MATH (March 14, 2000)
D2.3 A Front-end Dublin Core Database for Preprints and Research Reports (March 9, 2000)
D2.5.2 The creation of a web-index for the EULER service. (March 3, 2000)
D2.5.3 A public Dublin Core Metadata creation and support site for Mathematicians (February 23, 2000)
Work planned next reporting period The third major milestone (resource adaptation (WP-2) completed) was scheduled for January 2000. Additional work in the internal peer-review process for D2.* Deliverables has delayed the completion of T2.* tasks. There are no dependencies with other tasks. It is expected that WP-2 will be attained early during the next reporting period.
The fourth major milestone (system ready, start demonstration) is scheduled for July 2000. Necessary steps (WP 3) include continued work on the revision of the EULER Engine specifications according to the intermediate evaluation results and ongoing discussions. Better user interface design and enhanced functionality will be added to the EULER Engine implementation.
WP 4 (Evaluation and Demonstration) will start in July 2000 with help from sponsoring partners.
In WP 5 (Information Dissemination and Exploitation Preparations), information dissemination from the project will continue, by publication of articles and presentations at events and workshops. The final exploitation plan for EULER services and other project results will be prepared, based on the results of WP-4. Commercial exploitation for future operation of EULER services
p. 10 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000 and transfer of EULER results other subject domains will be considered. Contracts within the consortium (and beyond) will ensure the continuation of EULER services after the project comes to an end.
Continued monitoring activities (WP 1) will ensure flexibility of the project with respect to technological changes and developments of important standards and other related developments.
The 8th project coordination meeting is scheduled for April, 16-17, 2000 at FIZ in Berlin. The 9th (final) project coordination meeting is scheduled for September,m2-4, 2000, at ETHZ Zürich. An intermediate meeting will take place during the 3rd European Congress of Mathematics, Barcelona, July 10-14, 2000.
p. 11 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Overview of resources used
Participant: FIZ Resources: costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. this period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 231 85 316 18 1 16 10 26 1 2 181 36 217 13 3 33 3 36 5 5 37 14 51 2 Total 498 148 646 21
Participant: TUB Resources: costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 15 18 33 2 1 10 4 14 3 2 94 45 139 1 3 6 0 6 0 5 4 7 11 2 Total 129 74 203 8
Participant: TUB Resources: non-costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 28 14 42 2 1 15 1 16 3 2 25 11 36 1 3 4 0 4 0 5 16.5 17 33.5 2 Total 88.5 43 131.5 8
p. 12 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Participant: MDC Resources: Costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 43 18 61 2 1 9.5 0 9.5 1 2 82 40 122 7 3 21 9 30 3 5 15.5 1 16.5 1 Total 171 68 239 14
Participant: NetLab Resources: Costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 13 16 29 2 1 22.5 13 35.5 4 2 140 15 155 10 3 296 71 367 25 5 10.5 3 13.5 1 Total 482 118 600 42
Participant: NetLab Resources: non-costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 23 4 27 2 1 26 4 30 4 2 179 30 209 10 3 193 42 235 25 5 7 7 14 1 Total 428 87 515 42
p. 13 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Participant: SUB Resources: costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 22 12 34 2 1 40 10 50 4 2 109 86 195 12 3 42 18 60 5 5 13 3 16 1 Total 226 129 355 24
Participant: SUB Resources: non-costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 48 13 61 2 1 39 12 51 4 2 85 51 136 12 3 34 10 44 5 5 17 4 21 1 Total 223 92 315 24
Participant: CWI Resources: costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 51.5 12 63.5 2 1 27 0 27 3 2 146 23 169 10 3 45 2 47 3 5 11 0 11 1 Total 280.5 37 317.5 19
p. 14 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Participant: UNIFI Resources: Costed labor
WP- Accumulated prev. This period (person Accumulated to date (person Total estimated in TA (person- No. Report days) days) months) 0 28 14 42 2 1 30 6 36 3 2 69 1 70 4 3 38 5 43 4 5 15 5 20 1 Total 180 31 211 14
p. 15 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Changed person-month layout as requested and agreed upon by partners:
FIZ: WP/Task planned person-months new person-months
WP-0 18 19
T1.2 1 1 total WP-1 1 1
T2.1 5 10 T2.4 8 0.5 total WP-2 13 10.5
T3.1 1 1 T3.3 1 1 T3.4 3 1.5 total WP-3 5 3.5
T5.1 1 2.5 T5.2 1 2.5 total WP-5 2 5
TOTAL 39 39
TUB: WP/Task planned person-months new person-months
WP-0 2 2
T1.1 2 0.5 T1.2 1 0.5 total WP-1 3 1
T2.4 1 7 total WP-2 1
T3.1 0 0.5 T3.3 0 0.5 total WP-3 0 1
WP-4 6 1
T5.1 1 0.5 T5.2 1 1.5 total WP-5 2 2
TOTAL 14 14
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MDC: WP/Task planned person-months new person-months
WP-0 2 3.25
T1.2 1 1 total WP-1 1 1
T2.2 3 2.45 T2.3 4 3.35 total WP-2 7 5.80
T3.1 1 0.45 T3.3 1 0.6 T3.4 1 0.9 total WP-3 3 1.95
T5.1 1 1 T5.2 0 1 total WP-5 1 2
TOTAL 14 14
NetLab: WP/Task planned person-months new person-months
WP-0 2 2,5
T1.1 1 1 T1.2 3 3 total WP-1 4 4
T2.5 10 9 total WP-2 10 9
T3.1 2 2 T3.2 13 13 T3.3 2 2 T3.4 8 8,5 total WP-3 25 25,5
T5.1 1 1 total WP-5 1 1
TOTAL 42 42
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SUB: WP/Task planned person-months new person-months
WP-0 2 2,5
T1.1 3 0 T1.2 1 3 total WP-1 4 3
T2.2 5 5 T2.3 3 3 T2.5 4 4 total WP-2 12 12
T3.1 1 0 T3.3 2 2,7 T3.4 2 2 total WP-3 5 4,7
WP-4 1 1,5
T5.1 1 1 T5.2 - 0,3 total WP-5 1 1,3
TOTAL 25 25
CWI: WP/Task planned person-months new person-months
WP-0 2 3.5
T1.1 2 1 T1.2 1 1 total WP-1 3 2
T2.2 4 4 T2.3 4 3 T2.5 2 2 total WP-2 10 9
T3.1 1 1 T3.3 1 1 T3.4 1 1 total WP-3 3 3
T5.1 1 0.5 T5.2 0 0.5 total WP-5 1 1
TOTAL 19 18.5 + 0.5 ==>> travel
UNFI: No substantial changes.
p. 18 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Assessment of interim results
Objectives set versus objectives attained, deviations The overall aim of the EULER project is to offer a one-stop-shopping site for users interested in mathematics. One single integrated networked based access point is being developed, covering samples of the most frequently used publications-related information resources on mathematics:
• Scientific literature databases
• Library OPACs and document delivery services
• Electronic journals from academic publishers
• Archives of preprints and grey literature
• Quality controlled subject information gateways on the Internet
• Robot-generated indexes of other relevant Internet resources
A common user interface, available on the World Wide Web, will allow a homogeneous access to all integrated information types. The interface is being developed in close cooperation with the mathematical user community. Only one search will be necessary to generate a broad range of (mixed) hits, irrespective of resource type and information provider. The EULER service are developed starting with selected important information sources from the consortium partners. The goal is to design an open architecture. New sources of data also from other information providers and libraries can easily be added later.
Objectives for this 3rd reporting period were:
• Methodological investigations on EULER approach and comparison to other approaches (WP 1).
• Complete the adaptation of existing resources to the common standard format and provide databases from all information providers for the alpha and beta version of the EULER Engine (WP 2).
• Complete the evaluation of the alpha version. Continue the implementation of the beta version of the common user interface and EULER Engine (Demonstrator, WP 3).
• Information dissemination (WP 5).
In WP 1, the second of a set of periodical reports on different methodology matters was written in this reporting period. The resulting Deliverable is a bundle of methodology reports. This deliverable looks at two initiatives using Z39.50 (The virtual Canadian union catalogue and The Z-starts initiative) that are of interest to EULER. It also contains a comment to the 15 element collapse proposal (which is part of the previous periodic report) from a Z39.50 perspective. During the first annual review of the EULER project the contenders was asked to investigate the virtual Canadian union catalogue and Z-STARTS.
In WP 2, all partners have continued to select and extract data from their services and resources. Versions of converters to the common format were improved. This common Dublin Core based metadata format (formats and rules for single DC database fields) was further discussed during the meetings and via the project's mailing list, in close connection with WP 3 tasks, and is now fixed. The common post processing tool was adapted. It creates uniform index entries and constructs common de- duplication identifier for all documents. Extraction routines, converters, and the post-processing tool were continuously refined and updated, following the formats/rules discussions. Local Z39.50 database installations were completed by all partners. The Z39.50 servers share common configurations and are accessible from the alpha and intermediate beta version of the WWW gateway (EULER Engine). Additional work in the internal peer-review process for D2.* Deliverables has delayed the completion of T2.* tasks. There are no dependencies with other tasks. It is expected that WP-2 will be attained early during the next reporting period.
p. 19 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
In WP 3, the intermediate evaluation (done during last reporting period) was completed, resulting in a set of recommendations for necessary improvements. Implementation of the final version of the EULER Engine and user interface continued, with some intermediate internal releases that were commented on and discussed in the consortium.
WP-5 Information Dissemination activities are listed in detail below. The "Exploitation" task (T5.2) was originally scheduled for only 1 month running time. As decided during the the Florence meeting it started earlier, in February 2000, with more partners. First investigations on costs for a continued EULER service were done by some partners, discussions on a possible future consortium structure took place.
p. 20 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Technical options adopted The integration approach makes use of common resource descriptions based on the Dublin Core (DC) element set and access to those descriptions via the Z39.50 protocol. User access to EULER services is via standard World Wide Web browsers. Technically, all information providers are producing converted records - in a DC metadata based format - for their resources and offer them as distributed databases, which are located at the providers' sites. The central EULER Engine queries these databases parallely via a common Z39.50 profile and perform result set merging and presentation formatting. The integration approach takes into consideration the requirements of the user community and the different information providers. Participating institutions are still autonomous in deciding on their scientific and organisational policies, while at the same time providing a common access strategy to their information services.
The project has chosen a list of existing or emerging standards, formats and protocols, that are now widely used or are expected to become important in the near future:
• Dublin Core metadata element set (with some extensions where necessary) as basis for a common resource description format
• XML based syntax for entries and records.
• Public domain Z39.50 database server (Zebra) at information providers' sites
• EUROPAGATE's HTTP - Z39.50 gateway software as basis for the EULER Engine.
• World Wide Web HTTP protocol and HTML forms and pages as user interface to the EULER services
• ISO-LATIN-1 character set for diacritics (where applicable)
• Mathematics Subject Classification (MSC) for contents descriptions
p. 21 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
Dissemination and exploitation activities The following lists of publications and presentations at events and workshops are presented in reverse chronological order.
List of presentations at events and workshops Patrizia Cotoneschi Michael Jost Presentation of Euler project EULER und LIMES: zwei Europäische Initiativen Seminar "Formati Bibliografici e Metadata" IuK2000: Information, Knowledge and Knowledge Roma, Biblioteca Angelo Monteverdi, 10-11 febbraio 2000 Management Sitzung der IuK-Fachgruppe der Bernd Wegner Deutschen Mathematiker-Vereinigung Presentación del proyecto LIMES y otras actividades de la TU Darmstadt, 29 March 2000 SME en información y comunicación en matemáticas Bernd Wegner Congreso de la Real Sociedad Matemática Española Presentation "The Electronic Offers in EMIS" Madrid, Complutense, 27-29 enero 2000 Brainstorming Session on Electronic Services in Mathematics Springer-Verlag, New York, 28.3.-30.3 2000 Elizabeth Cherhal L'accès multibases/multiserveurs, le RNBM et Euler Mårten Bergren, Traugott Koch Meeting of "Réseau National des Bibliothèques Presentation of and discussion about the methodologies behind de Mathématiques" the Paris, December 6th 1999 EULER-service and presentations of Alpha version. Digital Library Seminar "Advances in resource discovery", Bernd Wegner Lithuania Kaunus, 8.3. - 9.3.2000 Projects in Electronic Information and Electronic Publication supervised by EMS Mårten Bergren, Traugott Koch The Future of Mathematical Communication: 1999 Presentation of and discussion about the methodologies behind Berkeley, California, December 1-3, 1999 the http://www.msri.org/activities/events/9900/fmc99/ EULER-service and presentations of the Alpha version. Digital Library Seminar "Advances in resource discovery", Bernd Wegner Lithuania Vilnius, 6.3.- 7.3. 2000 The electronic information offer of the EMS Campus of U.A.E. University Bernd Wegner Al-Ain, U.A.E., November 24, 1999 Plenary Conference "Información y Comunicación en Matemática Aplicada - Aleksandar Perovic, Patrizia Cotoneschi, Michael Jost Ofertas Mejoradas para América Latina" EULER systems demonstration 4. Congreso Internacional sobre Investigación Operativa Consolidating the European Library Space Havanna, 6.3.-7.3.2000 Luxembourg, November 17-19, 1999
Bernd Wegner Anna Brümmer Plenary Lecture "Proyectos de la SME en Información EULER - a One Stop Shopping Site y Comunicación en Matemáticas" The Swedish Society for Technical Documentation, Reunión de Decanos y Directores de Matemáticas Autumn Conference, Santiago de Compostela, 18.2.-19.2.2000 Stockholm, 8-9 November 1999
Bernd Wegner Annamaria Tammaro, Patrizia Cotoneschi, Valdo Pasqui, Plenary Lecture "EMIS - The Offer of EMS in Electronic Bernd Wegner, Michael Jost Information and Presentazione del prototipo del sistema EULER Communication in Mathematics" EULER: sistema di informazione integrata per la matematica Electronic Information and Electronic Libraries Firenze, 12 Ottobre 1999 Puschino/Moscow, 16.-18. February 2000 An article, translated into Russian, will appear in the Michael Jost conference Proceedings EULER meets KOBV Kooperativer Bibliotheksverbund Berlin-Brandenburg Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationstechnik Berlin (ZIB) Berlin, 6. Oktober 1999
Note: Most travels of Bernd Wegner were provided as non-costed efforts to the project.
Concertation at Libraries Sector and Telematics Applications Programme levels
p. 22 4th EULER Progress Report, October 1999 - March 2000
P. Cotoneschi (UNIFI), A. Perovic (TUB), and M. Jost (FIZ) participated in the concertation meeting "Consolidating the European Library Space", November 17-19, 1999 in Luxembourg. Reports from the workshops were given during the Göttingen project coordination meeting
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