Testing and Improving Interoperability

The Z39.50 Interoperability Testbed

William E. Moen<wemoen@unt.edu>

School of Library and Information SciencesTexas Center for Digital Knowledge

University of North TexasDenton, TX 72603

Illinois Statewide Cataloging Standards Committee Springfield, IllinoisJune 2002

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Overview The Interoperability Challenge Key Factors to Address The Z39.50 Interoperability Testbed

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Factors affecting interoperability Multiple and disparate systems

operating systems, information retrieval systems, etc. Multiple protocols

Z39.50, SOAP, HTTP, etc Multiple data formats and syntax

MARC 21, UNIMARC, XML, etc. Multiple metadata schemes

ISBD/AACR2-based, Dublin Core, VRA, etc. Multiple vocabularies, ontologies, disciplines

LCSH, MESH, AAT Multiple languages, Multiple character sets

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Factors reduced … Within the library community’s catalogs

Bibliographic records relatively homogeneous Common metadata scheme Common syntax for exchanging records Commonly accepted access points Common controlled vocabularies, authorities, etc. Common protocol for IR, namely Z39.50

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Z39.50 Virtual Catalog

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Key factors to address Quality of data in records (cataloging quality)

Setting standards for consistent quality Encouraging adherence to standards

Functionality of online catalog for searches Keyword, phrase, and exact match searches Truncation Proximity searches

Indexing policies on local catalogs

Z39.50 server configuration

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Indexing policies Common access points (generally) but….

Why have agreement on indexing policies?

Which fields and subfields to index?

How easy is it to configure indexing policies?

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Z39.50 server specifications Use of national and international Z39.50 profiles

Bath Profile, U.S. National Z39.50 Profile Profiles can:

Identify searching requirements (tasks) Define the searches (semantics and behavior) Specify Z39.50 query to represent the search

Profiles are a solution path for improving interoperability Represent community consensus on requirements Identify Z39.50 specifications to support those requirements Aid in purchasing decisions Provide specifications for vendors

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Interoperability testingRealizing the Vision of Networked Access toLibrary Resources: An Applied Research andDemonstration Project to Establish andOperate a Z39.50 Interoperability Testbed

A Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant

Goal: Improve Z39.50 semantic interoperability among libraries for information access and resource sharing

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Vision Provide a technically and organizationally trusted

environment for vendors and consumers to demonstrate and evaluate Z39.50 products

Develop rigorous methodologies, test scenarios & procedures to measure and assess the extent of interoperability

Demonstrate and operate a Z39.50 interoperability testbed

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Outcomes Improved interoperability Best practices to identify implementation

strategies Improvements in information retrieval system

implementations and Z39.50 products Interoperability testbed model for others to utilize

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE…

http://www.unt.edu/zinterop/

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Testbed components Test dataset

400,000 MARC 21 records from OCLC Z39.50 reference implementations

Z-client, Z-server, information retrieval system Test scenarios & searches

Searches with known result records from dataset Benchmarks

Results of test searches against reference implementations

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Analysis logic

TestDataset

1. Examine for occurrence of word “river”

CandidateRecordGroup

2. Yields Aggregate Record Group

for word “river”

3. Examine for occurrence of word

“river” in selectedfields/subfields

4. Yields Candidate Record Group for word “river” in selected

fields/subfields

AggregateRecordGroup

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A central question What are the appropriate Author, Title, and Subject

fields to look in for the word? Guidelines for indexing to support profile searches

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Reference implementations Online Catalog Software

Phase 1 testing will use SIRSI’s UNICORN system Test dataset loaded on the system Indexing policies based on guidelines

Z39.50 Server SIRSI Z39.50 Module Configured according to Bath/NISO Profile

Z39.50 Client Bookwhere 2000 Configured according to Bath/NISO Profile

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Establishing benchmarks

Reference Z39.50 Client

Reference Z39.50 Server

Configuredto Support

ProfileSpecifications

Configuredto Support

ProfileSpecifications

Indexed peragreementsto support

Profile searches

Test Dataset

Test searchesusing words selected in analysis of dataset

RetrievalBenchmarks

CandidateRecordGroup

Compared to

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Interoperability testing Test dataset loaded by participants on their systems Configured and indexed to conform with Bath/NISO

Profiles For participants with Z-servers

Z-Interop will send test searches from reference Z-client Report results compared with benchmarks Analyze results to assist implementor to improve interop

For participants with Z-clients Test searches sent to reference Z-server

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Testing and assessmentReference

Z39.50 Client Vendor

Z39.50 Server

Configuredto Support

ProfileSpecifications

Configuredby Vendor

for Conformance

to Profile

Indexed by Vendor

According to Vendor’s

Specifications

Test Dataset Loaded by Vendor or Library

Test Searches

RetrievalResults

RetrievalBenchmarks Compared to

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Will you participate? Would your organization be interested? Could you load a 400,000 record test dataset? How long would it take you to index and configure prior to

testing? How does your system handle data in the 001/003? What would you like to learn from this testbed?

Once the testbed is operational and proven, would you add to your RFPs, “must demonstrate interoperability through UNT’s Z-Interop Testbed?”