The MAGiC Project

1

• The MAGiC Project
• Paul Needham - Project Officer, Cranfield
  University
• ADLG AGM - 19th March 2001

2
Objective of Presentation

• outline key aims, outcomes and activities
• progress update
• demonstration of web site
• invitation to participate

3

• Exploring ways to enhance awareness, access and
  use of key collections of technical reports (grey
  literature) for the benefit of UK engineers and
  UK plc

4
Context

• Access to electronic information resources
• DNER Journals vs. grey literature
• US
• strenuous attempts to disseminate research
• GrayLIT Network, NACA Report Server
• UK
• major collections are scattered
• difficult to find
• use of third party databases
• The MAGiC project

5
Partners

• British Library Document Supply Centre
• Cranfield University
• Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
• Loughborough University, Dept of Information
  Science
• The Public Records Office
• SIRSI Limited

6
Aim

• To enhance awareness, access and use of key
  collections of technical reports (grey
  literature) for the benefit of UK engineers and
  UK plc.

7
Objectives

• collection development, management and retention
• map key holdings
• explore collection rationalisation
• collection analysis methodology
• enhancing the visibility of key collections
• National Reports Catalogue
• cross searching
• controlled access to limited distribution reports
• enhance access via electronic storage and
  document supply
• core electronic archive of engineering report
  literature
• feasibility of commercial service

8
Key tasks

• Assessment of the use and value of engineering
  grey literature
• Mapping key holdings/Role of the Public Record
  Office
• Collection analysis methodology
• Distributed National Reports Catalogue
• Full-text archive
• Document delivery
• Monitoring and evaluation

9
Benefits and outcomes

• Technical reports collections
• greater awareness and better access
• enhanced competitiveness
• ARC reports
• Distributed National Reports Catalogue
• identification, location and supply
• content for engineering portal
• Commercial viability
• Framework for collection management
• methodologies
• prioritising

10
Dissemination

• Continuous dissemination
• Publication activities
• Conference presentations / Seminar
• Collaboration with other professional groups

11
Progress to date

• Use/Value Study
• literature review
• wealth of earlier studies
• emphasis on value
• end of project seminar

12
Progress to date

• Collection Analysis Methodology
• quantitative indicators
• qualitative indicators
• use of electronic discussion forums

13
Progress to date

• Collection Mapping
• raise awareness of key collections
• lack of existing signposts
• collection v item level descriptions
• enhancing reports cataloguing

14
(No Transcript)
15
Metadata exchange between MAGiC and other
organisations
DNER
Metadata recipients
Metadata providers
Engineering portal
MARC/ Z39.50 XMLDC etc.
ILL or document supply system
Full textelectronic document archives
Harvest full text indexes
MAGiC portal
Authentication
http

• Local metadata store
• Collection Level Descriptions
• item level descriptions
• locations of holdings, electronic or physical
• full text indexes

End user searches or browses tech reports
metadata/full text indexes. A list of reports,
physical or electronic, matching requirements is
returned, along with their locations. Subject to
authentication and payment, the user can receive
electronic reports at the desktop. Print reports
can be ordered through ILL requests, for loan,
photocopy, fax or email using digitization on
demand.
16
- demonstration of MAGiC web site
17
Getting involved

• collection mapping
• electronic discussion
• ideas/suggestions for dialogue with the
  engineering community

18

• Thank you for listening