By Tim Tripp

It Wasn't the Original Idea

In the latter part of 1997, the Toronto Chapter of SLA was discussing the idea of creating a database of the chapter membership. It was felt that keeping the chapter records up to date in a local database, with the ability to quickly generate mailing labels and lists of email addresses, would better facilitate communication with the membership.

We had the tools to do this, and with access to Inmagic Inc.'s DB/TextWorks database software, and it's WebPublisher component, the chapter executive realized that we could actually have our membership database searchable on the web. Now membership data is controlled by SLA Headquarters in Washington. Although such a project seemed like a good idea, we began asking ourselves if the whole effort would be redundant. The idea was debated for a while, but when word came back from Washington that SLA was planning on putting the "Who's Who in Special Libraries" up on the web as a searchable database, it became apparent that doing essentially the same thing for the Toronto Chapter would be a duplication of effort.

A Change in Scope

This deflated us a bit, but someone suggested that instead of doing a membership database, why not turn the "Directory of Special Libraries in the Toronto Area" into a database and publish it on the web? It was one of those "Eureka!" moments. The possibilities! The Directory has had a long and respected history as a local reference tool, having gone through 14 print editions. However, publishing the Directory was a major administrative task. By turning it into a digital publication it would make updating much easier, and eliminate the cost and effort of producing a print publication.

So, in December of 1997, the Internet Committee met with Colin Hoare and Greg Barber of the Directory Committee to discuss the idea. There was some trepidation that by putting the Directory on the web, the Chapter would lose a significant revenue source. Colin, however, felt that the print directory was reaching the threshold of diminishing returns. The rash of provincial government and other library closings had meant not only less content for the Directory, but less potential sales.

Passing the Torch

So with the blessing of the folks responsible for publishing an excellent hard copy directory, it was decided that the directory had seen it's last printing, and should move to a digital format. I was at that meeting and left with a certain ambivalence. Yes, the thought of producing a web searchable version of the Directory was an exciting one. However, I couldn't help feel that the torch was being passed onto a new generation - that we had somehow reached the end of an era. Always a sucker for such romantic points in movies, I couldn't help but feel a certain melancholy at the thought.

Life does, as they say, go on. The decision had been made, and it was a good one. Now we had to figure out how to go about completing the project. The first step was to create the database. We decided to stick with Inmagic's software as it had the ability to be web searchable, and was fairly commonly used in libraries - an important factor since much of the maintenance of the directory database would have to be done by chapter volunteers. If we could get the electronic source files for the last print directory from the publisher, then it would be be a fairly simple task to convert the existing data to a format which could be imported directly into an Inmagic database. "If" turned out to be the operative word here though! After a couple months of ignored emails, voice mails and faxes to the publisher, we gave up trying.

A Bit of a Set Back

This was a bit of a set back. It meant that the Directory would have to be re-entered into a database, starting from scratch. With 400 entries, this was no small task. At the end of April, a call for help was put out on the sla-toronto listserv, and within a week we had over 20 volunteers.

Rather than re-key all of the data, the hard copy of the directory was scanned and run through optical character recognition (OCR) software. The resultant electronic file was then split up into twenty odd chunks, one for each volunteer. But how to co-ordinate this project? Not everyone had the Inmagic DB/TextWorks software nor the latest edition of the Directory for proofreading (OCR software is far from perfect!). Fortunately, DB/TextWorks allows importing of text files which are "tagged" to indicate which bits of text go into which database fields. This meant that the only software needed would be a word processor.

Web Based Project Management

Still, we needed to track progress, provide instructions and the scanned text files, and get copies of the directory to volunteers who didn't already own it. Since we were moving the Directory to a web based model, why not do the same with the project management? A project matrix was set up on the web which included a table with all the volunteers names and email addresses, a downloadable file of the text they would need to tag, the section it corresponded to in the print directory (complete with links to a scanned Acrobat® PDF version of those pages for those who needed them) and a status column.

A secondary page gave instructions on how to go about tagging the files for importing into DB/TextWorks as well as a template for the directory database structure. Once the the files were coded, they were to be emailed back for importing into the database. All progress made was annotated on the project page on the web. Announcements of milestones and addenda to instructions were sent out to the group via email.

So, on the first of June, 1998, the message was sent out to all the volunteers that their assignments were ready to be picked up from the web. On the third of June, we had the first completed assignment returned! Of course, not everyone was able to achieve such quick turn around, but all files were returned close to the one month deadline. The tagged data files were then imported into the newly created directory database, and search screens and report forms were designed using the DB/TextWorks software.

Finding a Host

We still had to put the database on the web, however. This required a Windows NT based web server, which was running the Inmagic WebPublisher software. Since SLA's web servers were all Unix based, we needed to find someone else who would be willing to host the directory. A call to local Inmagic reseller, Judy Smith, resulted in the suggestion that we contact Andornot Consulting out in Vancouver. They were set up with the WebPublisher software, already hosting a number of Inmagic databases, and working on similar projects with the Western Canada Chapter of SLA. Andornot was more than happy to host the directory on behalf of the Chapter, simply for an acknowledgement.

By midsummer, all the initial work was completed. The database files had all been imported, a search screen and report formats designed, and the files transferred to Andornot's server in Vancouver. All of the people involved were notified that they could go and check out their handiwork.

What Next? - Online Updating

Currently, the database is searchable through two different forms. One search form utilizes Inmagic's "WordWheel" - a java applet that actually allows you to browse the database entries in particular fields. For people who don't have a java capable browser, a second search screen has been added that is java-free. Check them out by going to the Chapter's home page, and clicking on the "Directory" link

One thing that became apparent in re-entering and reviewing the contents of the directory was just how out of date it had become since the publication of the 14th edtion. We're currently working on update forms that will allow people to submit new entries for the database, or update existing ones. Watch the listserv for an announcement of when this feature is available.

Once the update feature is added, the possibilities are endless. There is potential to grow the scope of the directory beyond the Toronto Area. Micromeda Ltd. has already supplied a subset of their "Directory of Libraries in Canada" which includes all libraries in the Greater Toronto Area. So it's feasible to expand the the directory's scope beyond special libraries as well. Then there's also the possibily of generating revenue through advertising...

Thanks are in order!

A lot of people gave of their time in order to make this project happen. First and foremost we'd like to thank the legion of volunteers who cleaned up, re-entered and tagged the data files:

Directory Project Volunteers

Greg Barber Stephanie Blundell Doris Dieners Audrey Farrell Shonna Froebel Jackie Fry Margaret Gross Jacquie Halupka Mandy Dean Kassies Linda Lazda Janet Macdonald

Jodi Martyk Peter Miodonski Jan Moffatt Iuliana Pop Gitta Rice Phyllis Smith Jeanette van Esbroeck Valerie Vance Caroline Ziegler Laila Zvejnieks

Thanks are also in order for those who offered their support and advice during the project: Judy Smith of JAS Information Services, Kathy Bryce and Denise Bonin at Andornot Consulting, and Stephen Abram at Micromedia Ltd.

Copyright © 1998 SLA. All rights reserved.

[ next ]