[OAI-general] Beginners Question

[Michael L. Nelson]

On Wed, 5 Jun 2002, [iso-8859-1] Jürgen Beling wrote:

> Hello,
> we are at the onset of a project planning to document and archive
> psychological raw data sets as addidition to the publications. We are
> going to describe the data sets with metadata (XML) and store them in a
> database. Researchers should have access to a variety of aspects, e.g.
> research instruments, variables, methods. We plan to use our existing
> LinuxApacheMysqlPerl-Components.
> 
> The local University Library here presently has no plans to implement a
> metadata harvesting service within the near future.
> 
> The question: Should our descriptions of data sets follow rules
> compliant to OAI repositories/protocols?

yes.  (did you expect a different answer from this list? ;-)

> Could our developing collection
> this way become perhaps compatible without extensive reformatting at
> some later dates?

actually, I would recommend that you design your collection to fit your
needs, and then add on the OAI interface.  the OAI-PMH is very simple to
implement, so I would not let the OAI dictate the requirements of your own
collection.

however, you can do things to ease the transition, such as using
*qualified* Dublin Core for your metadata format.  It will be easy to
export the qualified DC, and will be extremely simple to down shift to
unqualified DC for export as well.  

also, since you're using LAMP systems, you might investigate using the s/w
from www.eprints.org -- it might suit your needs.

> Should we attend the "2.nd workshop on the OAI" (CERN, close by)?

absolutely.  there is no substitute for meeting & talking with people who
are already doing OAI or are in a similar situation as yourself (thinking
about OAI).

regards,

Michael

> Any comments would be appreciated,
> Regards, Juergen
> 
> --
> Dipl. Psych. Juergen Beling
> Z P I D - Universitaet Trier - Universitaetsring 15 - D-54296 Trier -
> Germany
> Tel: +49 (0)651/201-2867  -  Fax: +49 (0)651/201-2071  -
> http://www.zpid.de
>       Zentrum fuer Psychologische Information und Dokumentation
> 
> 
> 
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---
Michael L. Nelson
NASA Langley Research Center		m.l.nelson@larc.nasa.gov
MS 158, Hampton, VA 23681		http://www.ils.unc.edu/~mln/
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