[Mirrored from: http://www.elsa.dmu.ac.uk/ELSA/elsa.html
ELECTRONIC LIBRARY SGML APPLICATIONS (ELSA)
Project ELSA is carrying out research into the use of documents in libraries
which have been
marked up in SGML format (Standard Generalised Markup Language).
The project will construct an electronic store of documents which will take
the form of a server
on a network. Client computers will be able to access the material on the
server, download it and
make it available to librarians and end users for use and manipulation.
The project will establish a detailed specification end user environment
based on a client server
model through consultation with librarians and end users. The specification
and an examination
of relevant standards will drive the construction of a user interface which
will be produced to
provide the ability to search, retrieve and view material. There will be
provision for the local end
user storage of documents at the user's machine and for the local retrieval
of those documents.
The resulting system will be tested in a suitable environment with feedback
obtained from both
librarians and end users. The focus for these investigations will be the
ability of the system to
enhance existing information provision systems and to enable new ones to be
developed.
An essential component of the project will be the dissemination of
information both as the project
progresses and when it is complete. Those who wish to be kept informed of
the progress are
invited to register their interest on the form attached or to view relevant
files which will be
available on the Internet Gopher server based at De Montfort University.
The project is funded through European Commission DG XIII and has three
partners. Jouve
System D'Information (France) the lead partner, will provide the search
engine, user interface
software and client server software, Elsevier Science (Netherlands) will
provide the documents and
De Montfort University will develop the user interface and provide a test
bed.
SGML
The Standard Generalised Markup Language, ISO 8879, is being used by an
ever-increasing
number of organisations to assist in the creation, management, storage and
delivery of their
documents.
In SGML the logical structure of a document is separated from its style of
presentation. Each
element in a document is marked up according to its role, for example
chapter heading, paragraph
heading or figure reference. This forms a logical hierarchy of elements.
The logical relationship
of the elements in the document is defined in a Document Type Definition
(DTD) for that
document.
There are many advantages in using SGML markup, in particular:
- The transmission of information from author to publisher and on to
printer.
- The ability to search material held in an electronic database by elements
defined in the DTD.
- The ability to use these to produce subsets of the database
- The ability to incorporate hypertext links.
PROJECT INFORMATION
For more information on the project please contact any of the
following people :
Catherine Lupovici,
Jouve Systemes d'Information,
Tel: +44 76 86 00
Fax +44 76 86 10
EMail: cl@blutch.jouve.fr
Albert Fischer,
Elsevier Science.
Tel: +31--5862418
Fax +31--5862843
EMail: a.fischer@elsevier.ch
Suzanne Ward,
De Montfort University.
Tel: +44 116-2-551551 ext.8031
Fax +44 116-2-550307
EMail: shw@dmu.ac.uk
David Houghton,
De Montfort University.
Tel: +44 116-2-551551
EMail: djh@dmu.ac.uk
The ELSA Project,
Division of Learning Development
De Montfort University,
Gateway Building 1.8D
The Gateway
Leicester LE1 9BH
shw@dmu.ac.uk or
djh@dmu.ac.uk
Dave Houghton's Diary
Pilot project
Interesting links and material
SGML in Norway .
SGML Tutorial.
SGML Open
HTML
Specs
DSSSL Lite
DSSSL Standard (Large)
DSSSL STTP Examples
DSSSL STFP Examples