NewsAgent for Libraries
alerting and current awareness service
NewsAgent for Libraries is a project in the Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib). The aim is to create a user-configurable electronic news and current awareness service for library and information staff with a mixture of content streams, including metadata (descriptions of documents). Content will include refereed and other papers, reviews and editorial matter from the most highly respected UK journals in the field, including Program, VINE, Library Technology, Ariadne and the Journal of Librarianship and Information Science. News and briefing materials will be provided by The Library Association, the Institute of Information Scientists, the UK Office for Library and Information networking (UKOLN), the British Library, and LITC, which already produce printed publications in this field and which are all developing Web sites in addition.
The project started in April 1996 and Phase 1 finished at the end of March 1998, during which time a pilot services was developed and tested by a group of real users. Information gleaned from the pilot has fed into further work towards achieving a full scale service. Phase 2 of the project began in August 1998 and will last for three years.
The new service will be launched in the Autumn of 1999.
The main consortium partners involved are:
- LITC, South Bank University, London (project coordinator)
- CERLIM, Manchester Metropolitan University (evaluation and marketing)
- Dept of Information and Library Studies, UWA, Aberystwyth (editorial coordinator in Phase 1)
- Fretwell-Downing Informatics Ltd (technical development)
- UK Office for Library and Information Networking (UKOLN) (technical development, networking, content provider)
Additional information provider partners include:
- The Library Association
- The Institute of Information Scientists
- Bowker-Saur
- The British Library
For further information about the project, please contact:
The Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM)
Manchester Metropolitan University
Department of Information and Communications
Geoffrey Manton Building
Rosamond Street West
Manchester
M15 6LL UK
Telephone:+44 (0)161 247 6142
Fax:+44 (0)161 247 6979
cerlim@mmu.ac.uk