Agora
an Elib funded project
The project aims to provide an open, standards based platform for distributed, mixed-media information management as well as a framework for end-user-oriented services and an infrastructure which can be scaled up to provide the backbone for national access to distributed collections (the Distributed National Electronic Resource). Building on the work if the existing EDDIS and MODELS projects (eLib phase 1), the project will be led from the University of East Anglia (UAE) with partners in the UK Office for Library and Information Networking, CERLIM (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Fretwell-Downing Informatics Limited.
Recognising that the hybrid library extends beyond the physical limitations of the library as "place" the AGORA project is working with the concept of an "information landscape" to refer to the view of resources (of many types) the hybrid library will present. The outcome of the project work will be a layer of software or "middleware" which hides the underlying differences between resources allowing for seamless access to them as well as the transparent addition of services and resources into the landscape. The Hybrid Library Management System will act as a broker to dynamically map user requests onto the underlying system requests. Integration of components will be done through a Z39.50 service and will include the library catalogue, CDROM's, "clump" entry points, subject gateways, Electronic Document Integration etc.
It will work through several associate groups. The library associate group are Heriot Watt University, University of East Anglia, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Hull, and the Bath Spa University. These will use the Hybrid Library Management System developed by Agora to deliver services that are adapted to their own circumstances. The service provider associate group are BLCMP, Edina, COPAC, Silver Platter, the Arts and Humanities Data Service, the British Library and LASER. These will work with Agora to ensure technical interworking and a consensus making platform. We also have the national Library of Canada as an associate partner tracking the project and providing feedback on project products.
This project is not about "interface" but about enabling the library to present a uniform service easily within its own technical environment. Focus areas for the project will be
- discovery of resources
- interaction with services
- control of access
- selection and acquisition of resources
- organisation or resources for access
Delivery of the technical component will be the responsibility of Fretwell Downing, user involvement will be organised by UEA, the communications products will be the responsibility of UKOLN, and project evaluation will be carried out by CERLIM.
The AGORA web site provides further information:
http://hosted.ukoln.ac.uk/agora/Further Information on CERLIM's involvement, Please contact:
Geoff Butters
Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM),
Manchester Metropolitan University, Dept. of Information and Communications,
Geoffrey Manton Building, Rosamond Street West,
Manchester M15 6LL UK
Tel +44 (0)161 247 6142
Fax +44 (0)161 247 6979
Email g.butters@mmu.ac.uk