CORDIS Archive

Telematics for Libraries - Projects

CASA

Updated: 22 NOV 99

Additional information is available from the CASA web site (http://www.casa.issn.org:1999/).

Action Line

Action line B: Telematics applications for interconnected library services.

Call Topic(s)

Call topic 4: Creating and testing interconnected library services, integrating applications for at least two different library service functions.

Project description

CASA addresses the needs of professional users (libraries, journal publishers and bibliographic agencies) to check, verify or revise bibliographic records of serials at the national and international ISSN level and of end-users searching for serials titles and their locations. CASA aims to create a serials authority list based on the ISSN system, allowing users to search distributed catalogues of national serials holdings and to locate serials, while offering national union catalogues and ISSN agencies the possibility of exchanging and revising bibliographic serials data in co-operation with the ISSN international centre.

Technical approach

CASA uses client-server architecture and explores possible uses of WWW technology to locate serial services via ISSN.

Based on comprehensive surveys of readily available software and commonly accepted standards, CASA is developing a common user interface for searching the distributed serials catalogues, taking into account in particular Z39.50 for retrieval and existing software development tools such as Java, JDBC, XML, Dublin Core. Three products are being developed:

• EuroCASA Server to act as master distribution point at ISSN-IC.
• National CASA Servers to contain national copies of the International Serial Register
• Community CASA Server prototype, to support local communities.

Key issues

The project addresses the following key issues:

• A facility for national agencies and libraries to enter, verify and amend serials data according to standardised protocols and software at national level and with the ISSN central register.
• The ability to search via a common user interface distributed union catalogues of serials.
• Creation of a Serial Services Directory for value-added related information.

Impact and expected results

The project encourages and facilitates collaboration of national SSN centres at European level and can offer significant improvements in access to, and quality of, serial databases. CASA's value-added service allows users to discover additional information about publishers, document delivery services and article citations and abstracts from multiple locations.

CASA is the vehicle for European-led collaboration for management of serials information. The pilot service, in Norway and Italy, provides valuable feedback for managing the distribution of the International Register throughout the EU.

Deliverables

Major deliverables, not all of which are for public release, include:

• User requirements report
• Bibliographic information flows
• Serial Services Directory feasibility study
• Distributed services study
• Copyright issues report
• ISSN Architecture and Functional specification and Data Conversion specification
• Site specifications
• Quality plan and overall pilot plan
• Stage 1 consolidation report
• Annual and Final project reports

Additional information is available on the CASA web site CASA web site.

Coordinator

Other Partners

• Analysis of results;