Names ProjectNames Project

Jackie KnowlesJackie KnowlesRepositories Support ProjectRepositories Support Project

(and Names Expert Panel member)(and Names Expert Panel member)

Why?Why?

Part of JISC Repositories & Preservation Part of JISC Repositories & Preservation ProgrammeProgramme

People depositing copies of their papers, People depositing copies of their papers, learning materials, slides in institutional learning materials, slides in institutional and subject-based digital repositoriesand subject-based digital repositories

Need to add metadata to the digital object Need to add metadata to the digital object for information retrievalfor information retrieval

What?What?

Creators: people involved in creating Creators: people involved in creating itemitem

Affiliations: names of institutionsAffiliations: names of institutions

These may be entered in a variety of These may be entered in a variety of waysways

For example:For example:

Collis, G PCollis, G P Paddy CollisPaddy Collis G P CollisG P Collis Gerard Paddy CollisGerard Paddy Collis Collis, Gerard PCollis, Gerard P Gerard P CollisGerard P Collis Collis, Gerard PaddyCollis, Gerard Paddy Collis, PaddyCollis, Paddy

And these are all spelt correctly!

RetrievalRetrieval

Users may want to find all materials Users may want to find all materials by a particular individualby a particular individual

– Difficult if the name has been entered in Difficult if the name has been entered in a variety of waysa variety of ways

DisambiguationDisambiguation

Need to retrieve Need to retrieve onlyonly those materials those materials deposited by that particular deposited by that particular individualindividual

– With common names, there may be With common names, there may be many matches – loss of precisionmany matches – loss of precision

Need to be able to uniquely identify Need to be able to uniquely identify individualsindividuals

SubmissionSubmission

Need to make it easier for creators of Need to make it easier for creators of metadata to assign an unambiguous metadata to assign an unambiguous identity to an individualidentity to an individual

– Through an auto-complete function, for Through an auto-complete function, for exampleexample

Multiple authors and shifting affiliations Multiple authors and shifting affiliations means that it makes sense to do this at a means that it makes sense to do this at a national levelnational level

Project structureProject structure 17 month project17 month project

Mimas (University of Manchester) Mimas (University of Manchester) partnering British Librarypartnering British Library

Guided by an Expert Panel:Guided by an Expert Panel:

– Name authority expertsName authority experts– Metadata and copyright expertsMetadata and copyright experts– Representatives of repository servicesRepresentatives of repository services– JISC programme managersJISC programme managers

Project planProject plan Scoping phase for 6 months from July–Dec 2007Scoping phase for 6 months from July–Dec 2007

– Investigating existing services and data structuresInvestigating existing services and data structures– Establishing requirements of repositoriesEstablishing requirements of repositories– Identifying sources of dataIdentifying sources of data– Determining ideal data structureDetermining ideal data structure– Mapping source data to this structureMapping source data to this structure

Leading to specification for prototype serviceLeading to specification for prototype service

From January to November 2008, prototype From January to November 2008, prototype development and testingdevelopment and testing

Current plans for Names prototypeCurrent plans for Names prototype

A database with sample name authority records for A database with sample name authority records for individuals and institutions will be createdindividuals and institutions will be created

These records will represent particular issues that the These records will represent particular issues that the service will have to deal with (e.g. linking different versions service will have to deal with (e.g. linking different versions of the same name, individuals with multiple affiliations over of the same name, individuals with multiple affiliations over time or different names, different individuals with the same time or different names, different individuals with the same name at the same institution)name at the same institution)

Records will be output in various name authority formatsRecords will be output in various name authority formats

The prototype will accept searches and issue responses The prototype will accept searches and issue responses over HTTPover HTTP

UKCORRUKCORR Would a name authority service be of benefit to your Would a name authority service be of benefit to your

repository?repository?

How do you currently deal with:How do you currently deal with:– authors with the same name?authors with the same name?– same author with different name forms?same author with different name forms?

How easy would it be to interact with an external service for How easy would it be to interact with an external service for auto-completion of author names during submission?auto-completion of author names during submission?– EPrints v3 offers this kind of functionalityEPrints v3 offers this kind of functionality

Do you have any comments on the usage scenarios that Do you have any comments on the usage scenarios that were circulated before this meeting? Or any additional were circulated before this meeting? Or any additional uses for a name authority service?uses for a name authority service?

NamesNames

Project website: Project website: http://names.mimas.ac.ukhttp://names.mimas.ac.uk

Project manager: Project manager: amanda.hill@manchester.ac.ukamanda.hill@manchester.ac.uk