Reports on activities of the IODE Groups of Experts: IODE GROUP OF EXPERTS ON MARINE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (GE-MIM) (Dr Murari Tapswi, Chair GEMIM)

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1 Limited Distribution /IODE-XVII/15.2 Paris, 2 December 2002 Original: English INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION (of UNESCO) Seventeenth Session of the Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE), Paris, France, 3-7 March 2003 Reports on activities of the IODE Groups of Experts: IODE GROUP OF EXPERTS ON MARINE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (GE-MIM) (Dr Murari Tapswi, Chair GEMIM) 1. Important actions during intersessional period The GE-MIM had its 6 th Session in June 1999 (ie prior to IODE-XVI). With an intersessional period of over three years, the seventh Session was organized 23 and 25 October 2002 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Part of the achievements of this intersessional period (first year) were reported during IODE XVI. Since then the GE- MIM had some more achievements to report Products and services 1. Development of a Dynamic Content Management System (CMS) software BeeBox and its testing for the portals. 2. Reintroduction of the marine information products using dynamic content management system software (BeeBox). The products include: a. OceanPortal: A directory to assist in locating desired marine information sites by the marine scientists and managers. This is a new product since reported last. b. Ocean Teacher: A web site to provide training and tools to oceanographic data and information managers for continuous professional development. These tools are used and tested during IODE Training Courses. This is a new product since reported last. c. OceanExpert: A contact point for scientists, policy makers in various areas of expertise in the field of Marine or Freshwater Research and Management. This product is renamed from the Global Directory of Marine (and Freshwater) Professionals (GLODIR) with many enhanced features Capacity building 3. Initiation of the training resources for MIM (esp. for ODINAFRICA Network). This includes: a. Identification of hardware requirements for MIM in ODINAFRICA Network (SC-2002/CONF.209/CLD.3)

2 Page 2 b. The identification of off-the-shelf Integrated Library Management Software (ILMS) InMagic 1.3. Collaboration with the data community 4. The GE-MIM has been able to collaborate with the data community by providing assistance in some areas like bibliographic citations in MEDI catalogue, listing the IODE data centres having identified pollution data, etc. Some of the MIM professionals at their member states have been enhancing access to the data-sets that are available in the respective data centres by cataloguing and providing links as appropriate Network development and miscellaneous issues 5. The continued efforts of GE-MIM have lead to: a. MIM personnel within ODINAFRICA member states received basic and use of software training in first two training courses planned during October 2001 and March 2002 b. Another training was organised for MIM professionals during October 2002 for the members from ODINCARSA c. Use of standard vocabulary (ASFA thesaurus) for the keywords describing articles published in few core oceanography journals. d. Attendance of MIM professionals from developing countries at professional conferences e. Enhancement of electronic library with new documents published at 2. Important actions proposed during last session (GE-MIM VII) During the VII session of GE-MIM came up with two recommendations incorporating 32 items in action plan during intersessional period. Following are some of the important areas among action items: 2.1. Products and services 1. Enhance the utility of OceanTeacher by introducing information tools, products and guidelines for MIM 2. Provide a subject categorisation scheme for Marine information for OceanExpert and related products 3. Redefine recategorise and redescribe contents OceanPortal, Identify contractor for removing irrelevant content and adding new content 2.2. Network development 4. Identify a coordinator to follow-up the MIM progress and actions for ODINAFRICA network

3 Page 3 5. Identify MIM Professionals and centres in INDIO and WESTPAC region for possible networking activities 2.3. Cooperative efforts 6. Cooperate with marine information communities (professional associations) to a. Collect information on the training opportunities available to interns (subject areas, funding, etc.) for continuing education for MIM professionals in developing countries b. Revise the subject categories and expand scope of OceanPortal for MIM areas c. Use of standards for distributed libraries (e.g. Z39.50) d. Support participants from developing countries to attend their conferences 7. Cooperate with the data community within IODE to a. Enhance the access to the datasets by providing links from information related databases b. Provide information to the IODE community on the aspects of their interest c. Provide expertise in XML consortium and d. Make efforts to increase the participation of MIM community in the IODE sessions by identifying appropriate persons as national coordinators at par with national coordinators for Data 2.4. Appraisal 8. Review the technological advancements that could be used for MIM 3. Budgetary requirements While most of the items are handled by the small group of GE-MIM members on voluntary basis, some items like contracting of the jobs, assistance to the participants from developing countries to attend the professional meetings and organization of next GE-MIM session are budgeted for US$50, The Committee is requested to: Requested actions from the Committee Adopt the summary report of the Seventh session of GE-MIM including both the recommendations therein, and Provide a modest funding for the concerned actions: US$ 40,000 for the biennium

4 Page 4 Annex: RECOMMENDATIONS GEMIM-VII Recommendation MIM-VII.1 : NOMINATION OF IODE NATIONAL CO-ORDINATORS Recommendation MIM-VII.2: ACTION PLAN OF THE GROUP FOR Recommendation MIM-VII.1 NOMINATION OF IODE NATIONAL CO-ORDINATORS The IODE Group of Experts on Marine Information Management, Noting the expertise present in the IODE Data and Information Management communities, Stressing the need for integrated data and information services and products to respond to the complex needs of the marine science community, Noting with concern the lack of representation of marine information management expertise in the sessions of the IODE Committee, Recommends the nomination of IODE National Co-ordinators for Information Management and IODE National Co-ordinators for Data Management, replacing the existing IODE National Co-ordinators, Calls on Member States to ensure the participation on both IODE National Coordinators in sessions of the IODE Committee. Recommendation MIM-VII.2 ACTION PLAN OF THE GROUP FOR The IODE Group of Experts on Marine Information Management, Having reviewed its completed and on-going activities, Being aware of the resource constraints (staff and funding) under which and its IODE are operating, Stressing the importance of Marine Information Management (MIM) as an important activity of IODE towards improving access to marine information, Adopts a plan of action for the intersessional period , as given in the Annex to this Recommendation.

5 Page 5 Annex to Recommendation MIM-VII.2 MIM ACTION PLAN FOR Action Agenda Item ACTION 1 3 GEMIM-VI. Action 1: Directory of Training Opportunities Clearing House: - canvass IAMSLIC & EURASLIC with the terms of reference for hosts. - set up online database as part of IAMSLIC (and/or EURASLIC web site) where candidates can apply. Hosts should also investigate means to sponsor interns through national/international funding agencies 2 3 GEMIM-VI Action 2: Catalogue of Online Publications : Retrospective digitisation of documents 3 3 GEMIM-VI Action 3: Request Publishers to ask Authors to Define Keywords using ASFIS Thesaurus : - contact marine science publishers. Need to indicate how the ASFIS Thesaurus is available - contact research institutions that publish journals on marine science 4 3 GEMIM-VI Action 4: Monitoring of Electronic Copyright Legislation in Relation to Electronic Document Delivery: - distribute the RoMEO report to GEMIM & to IAMSLIC/EURASLIC & ODIN networks - finalize document for publishing on the IODE web site 5 3 GEMIM-VI Action 5: Meeting of ICSPRO & other UN Agencies on Co-ordination of MIM Activities: IODE Secretariat to send letter to UN agencies to inquire about their MIM activities 6 3 GEMIM-VI Action 6: Development of Web page Template for Member States Web sites: data & information centres that are part of the IODE network include the IODE logo on their homepage 7 3 GEMIM-VI Action 9: Support to IAMSLIC/EURASLIC Conference Participants: continued financial allocation by /IODE 8 3 GEMIM-VI Action 12: ILL Software: recommend Prospero as a freeware alternative Date due ASAP Oct. 03 Ongoing Nov. 02 Cost To be identified US$ 10,000/ yr Responsibility J.Beattie J.Beattie S. Goulala P.Simpson S. Goulala IODE Secretariat IODE NCs

6 Page 6 to Ariel 9 3 GEMIM-VI Action 13: Paper on Hardware/software Requirements for Marine LIC: circulate the document to the GEMIM members. After revision the document may be included in OceanTeacher 10 3 GEMIM-VI Action 14: Detailed ILMS Module Description: circulate the document to the GEMIM members. After revision the document may be included in OceanTeacher 11 3 GEMIM-VI Action 17: Send Recommendations on MEDI to AODC: SG-MEDI to ensure that MEDI could include bibliographic citations GEMIM-VI Action 22: Development of Promotional Material, Promotion of OceanExpert: presenting a paper during major marine science conferences or have an exhibit. It may be possible to team up with others to share an exhibit 13 3 GEMIM-VI Action 23: Identification and Detailed Description of MIM Training Modules: - review OceanTeacher & report to OceanTeacher Steering Group - circulate module definitions to GEMIM members 14 3 GEMIM-VI Action 25: MIM web site Development: - expand the GEMIM section to include links to products & services and projects developed by or with GEMIM - contact IAMSLIC President &IAMSLIC exec to jointly review OceanPortal. - recommend categories in OceanPortal (see also Action 17) Content Details for MIM Module of OceanTeacher/Follow-up Co-ordinator ODINAFRICA: - See Action 13 - draft job description for ODINAFRICA MIM follow-up co-ordinator - consult with IAMSLIC for the possible hiring of a marine information follow-up co-ordinator for ODINAFRICA Integrated Library Management System Software: user survey amongst the ODINAFRICA librarians to evaluate their experience with INMAGIC ASAP As appropri ate Apr. 03 Next TC Gateway to Electronic Ocean (i) & (ii): J 03 Travel M. Tapaswi to G. Reed As appropriate Members Chair + members M. Goovaerts + members (L. Pikula) (L. Pikula) - M. Tapaswi (L. Pikula)

7 Information Resources: OceanPortal: (i) define scope; (ii) re-define categories; (iii) re-categorize content &redescribe descriptions; (iv) remove irrelevant content; (v) add new content OceanExpert: - review & evaluate the new system - in co-operation with IAMSLIC & EURASLIC, promote OceanExpert - in co-operation with IAMSLIC &EURASLIC, recruit editors 19 5 ODINCARSA: investigate possible donors for ODINCARSA (networking in information management) ODIN Other Regions: - survey of marine libraries &information centres in INDIO &WESTPAC regions & Southern Pacific - discuss with the MAMA Group the possibility to include a more extensive information management programme with emphasis on resource sharing IODE-XVI para. 221 (Marine Pollution): the documenting of experience within the IODE community in managing and archiving pollution data and in increasing the visibility in the community of this expertise. The collected information should be posted on the IODE web site : finalize document & add searching results for GCMD 22 IODE-XVI para. 278 : the Committee tasked the IODE Group of Experts on Technical Aspects of Data Exchange and the IODE Group of Experts on Marine Information Management to develop a comprehensive inventory of (i) data and information products; and (ii) data and information management software and related tools. The Committee further decided that these inventories should be disseminated through the IODE web site and should be included in the IODE Resource Kit: circulate the (software) list to the IAMSLIC membership (through the IAMSLIC exec) for input. The list will be included in the MIM module of the OceanTeacher/ResourceKit Co-operation with ASFA: (iii) Jun. 03 (iv) Jul. 03 (v)>jun. 03 Feb. 03 Aug. 03 Sep. 03 Feb. 03 /IODE-XVII/15.2 Page 7 $10,000 (i),(ii),(iii): M. Goovaerts (iv),(v): Contractor S. Davies & members S. Davies / S. Davies S. Goulala M. Tapaswi & members ;

8 Page 8 consult with ASFA Partners & prepare a proposal on The acquisition of data set citations for inclusion in ASFA (probably) using automated methodology for discussion at the 2003 ASFA Board Meeting Co-operation with Science Programmes: take measures to ensure that project documents be archived permanently by a designated library/information centre that commits itself to be a permanent archive 25 7 MIM Subject Categorization The Group agreed to discuss further details on the scheme by & complete the scheme by December Access to E-Journals: ODINAFRICA & ODINCARSA coordinators should contact Publishers to identify conditions to obtain e-journals e-print repositories: Cross-search Service for Marine Science: establish a search engine that will search archives of marine libraries z39.50 and Distributed Libraries: - identify the resources required for developing custom made Z39.50 middleware for non-z39.50 compliant library catalogue databases. These would be of specific interest to developing countries - strongly promote the IAMSLIC Z39.50 project as an excellent example of resource networking & resource sharing for the benefit of the marine science community Semantic Networks/web: investigate the possibility to identify a colleague at the NOAA Library to monitor the progress of the W3C Semantic Web Initiative Digital Video Archiving: include a chapter in OceanTeacher on the development of digital image libraries Dynamic Content Management Systems: BeeBox: add BeeBox in the software list of OceanTeacher (MIM) Nov. 02 Jul. 03 Cont Dec. 03 Apr. 03 IODE/Science programmes Group M. Goovaerts IAMSLIC/ Members / M.Goovaerts GEMIM-VIII ,000 BUDGET 2003/ ,000