Project Overview

The Library of Texas (LOT) is a project of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIF). The LOT will bring the resources of Texas libraries to all Texans and usher in a new era of library services through the development and integration of new technologies. The LOT will build upon the existing network infrastructure of Texas libraries and will encompass a number of components including:

• Online databases licensed by TSLAC for statewide access
• A government information locator and digital government information preservation program
• A virtual catalog enabled through the use of the ANSI/NISO Z39.50 information retrieval protocol
• An integrating search and retrieval interface to the LOT's multiple components
• A document delivery service based on interlibrary loan and other mechanisms.

Ultimately, the LOT may encompass more than 600 Texas public and academic libraries, their resources, and their patrons.
The Texas Center for Digital Knowledge (TxCDK) at the University of North Texas will work on a 10-month project to support the planning and implementation of three LOT components:

• Virtual catalog: Texans will be able to search across multiple library catalogs from a single interface (thus creating the sense of a virtual catalog) to identify library resources without regard to geographical location of either the searcher or the resources.
• Integrating search and retrieval interface: From a single interface, Texans will be able to search diverse resources easily, thus integrating access to library catalogs, the state licensed online databases, and other resources.
• Document delivery service framework: Once Texans have discovered and identified library resources, the LOT will provide resource delivery services, e.g., interlibrary loan for materials or electronic access for digital resources.

The first two components of the Z-LOT project will utilize the ANSI/NISO Z39.50 information retrieval protocol and build upon the work of the Texas Z39.50 Implementor Group and its Z39.50 specifications. The third component will utilize existing and emerging standards for delivery of resources.

TxCDK's general approach will be to build consensus on LOT's functional requirements, develop an overall architecture for LOT, formalize the requirements in detailed specifications, and demonstrate feasibility in proof of concept implementations. The outcomes of this 10-month project will provide information and experience to enable TSLAC decision makers to choose one or more evolutionary paths for LOT. As with any leading edge effort, development paths must be chosen with available information while accommodating external factors that can lead to modification of assumptions, timelines, and technologies. TxCDK's work will lay a solid foundation, minimize risk, and propose implementation phases for LOT functionality.

TxCDK's plan of action includes the following activities:

• Planning and management the 10-month project
• Conducting a technology inventory and assessment of libraries
• Developing and building consensus on LOT requirements and specifications, including
  • Identifying functional requirements for LOT
  • Reviewing appropriate standards and technologies
  • Designing an overall LOT architecture
  • Documenting specifications for virtual catalog and integrating search and retrieval interface
• Coordinating proof of concept implementations, including
  • Developing the proof of concept approach
• Working with vendors and developers who will produce small scale viable demonstration of the virtual catalog and the integrating search and retrieval interface
• Planning and conducting evaluation
  • Developing an overall evaluation plan for assessing the effectiveness and utility of LOT
  • Developing an evaluation plan for the proof of concept implementations
  • Evaluating the proof of concept implementations.

As a result of the work, TXCDK will deliver the following:

• An overall project plan that addresses both this one-year project and the three-year time period of TIF-funded LOT development The plan will provide a phased-in approach for LOT functionality
• A report summarizing the results of the technology inventory and readiness assessment
• A report of the functional requirements for LOT (near-term and long-term)
• A published architecture for LOT based on the functional requirements
• Documented public specifications for the virtual catalog and the integrating search and retrieval interface
• A report of the document delivery service framework (implementation of which will be considered for year two of the LOT work).
• An overall evaluation plan for LOT
• A formative evaluation of the virtual catalog and the integrating search and retrieval interface components during the proof of concept implementations
• A plan that will guide the proof of concept activities.

For the proof of concept implementations, TXCDK will work with TSLAC to ensure a small-scale feasibility demonstration of the virtual catalog and the integrating search and retrieval interface components by August 31, 2002. More specifically the demonstration will include:

A virtual catalog involving 20 to 30 online library catalogs interconnected via Z39.50
An integrating search and retrieval interface that provides single search capability across two or more online library catalogs and two or more TSLAC licensed online databases.
This proof of concept approach will enable TSLAC to choose a path for full-scale development of the virtual catalog and the integrating search and retrieval interface. The proof of concept implementations will provide TSLAC, the TIF Board, the legislature, and the public a highly visible demonstration of the reality of LOT and its potential for the citizens of Texas.

TxCDK is a research and development center at the University of North Texas. Its focus is on innovation and collaboration to respond to the challenges and opportunities of digital information and the networked environment. Through its Z39.50 Interoperability Testbed, the TxCDK offers a unique interoperability testing service that will be available for this project during proof of concept of the virtual catalog. This formal testing environment will assist the libraries participating in the LOT virtual catalog to improve their Z39.50 client and server implementations.

TXCDK will work as a partner with TSLAC and assume overall responsibilities to plan and support the work associated with implementation of the virtual catalog and integrating search and retrieval interface components of the LOT.