EDIT WP5 Platform for Cybertaxonomy

Software recommendations for system components of ViTaL, the Virtual Taxonomic Library, are as follows:
1 Bibliographic reference harvesting, aggregation and search modules
• The choice of application server framework and language is still open and will be decided in consultation with the development team.
2 Web application framework
• Drupal with standard and bespoke modules.
3 Metasearching and linking
Ex Libris Group applications
Metalib for metasearching, with the X-Server API module
SFX OpenURL link resolver and context management tools

We are delighted to welcome Julius Welby from the Natural History Museum, London, to the WP5 team!

Julius is part of the WP5.3 "Virtual Library of Taxonomic Literature and Documentation" team lead by Jane Smith (NHML).

For further information on the WP5 work plan please visit: http://cybertaxonomy.eu/blog/2007/04/04/workplan

I am pleased to announce the release of Component C5.18 - Statement of Requirements. This report has been produced by the Natural History Museum London and covers the user requirements for the European Virtual Library of Taxonomic Literature (E-ViTaL). It includes the results of an online user survey conducted at the beginning of June. The report can be downloaded here.

Component C5.3.1 provides an overview of existing Digital Library activity, taking into account established principles and standards in the field. It examines practices and standards related to the accompanying software specification and other deliverables for work package 5.3. of the EDIT project.

This is just to let the community know that I have been asked by Jane Smith to prepare the Requirements Document for the European Virtual Library of Taxonomic Literature (E-ViTL). My aim is finish the report by 6th June. It should then provide a set of criteria, related to user requirements and technical specifications, that will allow tendering for a system to take place.

I am currently in the process of capturing user requirements. Following brainstorming with fellow scientists at NHML, and attendance at the recent WP6 Meeting, I have set up an online questionnaire, which everyone in the EDIT Community is invited to participate - so tell your friends and colleagues! I shall also extend the invitation via the TAXACOM and TDWG listservers.

The survey can be found at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?A=193016818E830

I shall run the survey until Friday 11th May and shall then start writing the requirements report.

In addition to the questionnaire there is also a debate starting on the WP6 Web Revisions Forum, which you are invited to contribute to: http://www.editwebrevisions.info/forum/17. Alternatively you can always e-mail your thoughts and comments to me : c.hussey (at) nhm.ac.uk.
NOTE: E-ViTL is likely to be a resource discovery tool rather than a repository of full text articles. It could, however, point users to repositories, such as the Biodiversity Heritage Library (http://bhl.si.edu/), online journals and other sources.

There is some debate over whether E-ViTL should attempt to provide reference management functions, in addition to providing access to literature. Also, whether it should be a repository for reference lists, rather than a portal to search distributed repositories. However, the purpose of this survey is to gather user requirements and, although it is unlikely that E-ViTL will be able to incorporate all possible requirements, your views will provide a useful pointer for future development.

Thank you all for your interest.

Charles Hussey