National Science Portals: New Potential Partnerships for Global Discovery

Eleanor G. FriersonDeputy Director, National Agricultural Library (U.S.), Co-chair Science.gov Alliance (U.S.)ICSTI Public ConferenceJune 7, 2006

“Search opens up creations.  It promotes the civic nature of publishing.  Having searchable works is good for culture… Science is on a long-term campaign to bring all knowledge in the world into one vast, interconnected, footnoted, peer-reviewed web of facts….In science, there is a natural duty to make what is known searchable.” Kevin Kelly, May 14, 2006, The New York Times Magazine

“If we can accelerate the rate of scientific knowledge diffusion, we can accelerate innovation and advances in science. But, how can we accelerate knowledge diffusion?” Dr. Walt Warnick, Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Department of Energy

Today’s topics

• Issues concerning national science portals

• Examples of national science portals

• How might these national portals work together and with other partners to help create “one vast, interconnected footnoted, peer-reviewed web of facts” (Kelly)?

Issues concerning national science portals

• Authority: what policies, who sets?• Audiences: who are they, what are their

information needs?• Content: open access only; government-

only; proprietary information that must be licensed?

• Content: Surface Web (pages); Deep Web (databases, restricted access information)?

• Content: what about non-Web content and services?

• Content: what and how to integrate?• Languages: which languages, how to use?• Technologies: primarily Web-based, other?

Issues Concerning National Science Portals• “On Web” services: search, browse, personalized

tools, support for communities of practice, data and publication creation/ dissemination?

• “Off Web” services: help, publications, training, other?

• Funding: who pays?• Participation: who needs to be involved, in what

roles?• Momentum: how to gain and keep commitment?• Evaluation: how to know if it meets goals?

Examples of National Science Portals

• Australia• Canada• France• Japan• Germany• United States

Australia

• System(s): www.science.gov.au • National Authority: Federal• Audiences: Industry, investors, research • Technologies: Web site search• Content: Explanatory texts, links to government Web

sites and databases, newsletters, press releases• Languages: English• “On Web” services: Browse, search• “Off Web” services: Not obvious• Funding: Federal • Participation: Government agencies • Momentum: Responsible Federal agency• Evaluation: Feedback via “Contact Us”

Canada• System(s): www.science.gc.ca,

cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/cisti_e.html• National Authority: Federal• Audiences: “Canadians”, scientific community• Technologies: Web site search, database

searching• Content: Explanatory text, links to Web sites,

databases, CISTI catalogue• Languages: English, French• “On Web” services: Links, news, search, order

documents (CISTI)• “Off Web” services: Information upon request

service; CISTI Help Desk• Funding: Federal, CISTI charges for some services • Participation: Federal agencies• Momentum: Responsible Federal agencies• Evaluation: Feedback form (CISTI)

France

• System(s): www.science.gouv.fr • National Authority: Federal• Audiences: General• Technologies: search• Content: French language free of charge, validated

online resources suitable for the general public. Most resources come from French research agencies and establishments

• Languages: French• “On Web” services: Search, browse by categories• “Off Web” services: Not obvious• Funding: Federal • Participation: Encouragement from Ministry of

Research; French research agencies and establishments • Momentum: Participatory organizations; editorial

committee• Evaluation: Not obvious

Germany• System(s): www.vascoda.de • National Authority: Federal (Ministry of Education

and Research and German Research Foundation)• Audiences: research and education• Technologies: Surface and Deep Web searching• Content: more than 20 virtual libraries and 4

scientific information networks, plus “for fee” access to electronic journals.

• Languages: German, English• “On Web” services: Integrated searching, browsing• “Off Web” services: Not obvious• Funding: Federal plus “for fee” services • Participation: Funding from Ministry of Education

and Research; more than 40 institutions with almost 30 different individual services are integrated within Vascoda.

• Momentum: Sponsors & strategic alliance of partners

• Evaluation: Feedback form

Japan• System(s): www.jst.go.jp/EN/• National Authority: Federal• Audiences: Researchers and other users• Technologies: search, database links• Content: text, links to databases• Languages: Japanese, English• “On Web” services: Site search• “Off Web” services: Document delivery,

translation• Funding: Federal, charging for services • Participation: Federal• Momentum: Federal mission• Evaluation: Not obvious from site

United States• System(s): www.science.gov• National Authority: “FirstGov for Science”• Audiences: “science-attentive citizens”• Technologies: Surface and “Deep Web” search• Content: Information provided via U.S. Federal

government Web sites and databases• Languages: English• “On Web” services: Integrated search, browse,

“alerts”• “Off Web” services: response to “contact us”

emails• Funding: voluntary contributions by

participating agencies • Participation: 16 organizations in 12 agencies• Momentum: Science.gov Alliance structure,

CENDI association• Evaluation: American Customer Satisfaction

Index survey (pilot)

Examples of National Science Portals: Conclusions • Very different “look and feel” within the

group• Most are mono-lingual• Some sites offer “for fee” services while

others are completely “for free”• Vascoda appears to be the only service

aiming to integrate all relevant content, including proprietary content

• Science.gov offers unique integrated Web site and “Deep Web” search functionality

• Other sites are currently primarily lists of links with some text; some contain only government-produced information

How could National Portals Partner to Facilitate Global Discovery?

• Acknowledge each others’ existence from front pages

• Facilitate searching across multiple portals

• Exchange experiences and expertise

• Collaborate on facilitating multi-lingual discovery

• Establish joint projects• Work towards Science.world

Progress So Far

• Vascoda – Science.gov visits, discussions

• Meeting at 2005 IFLA• ICSTI

presentations/discussions

How can ICSTI facilitate increased collaboration among national science portals?

Contact Us to Develop More Partnerships!

• Vascoda – Christine Burblies, Uwe Rosemann

• Science.gov – Eleanor Frierson, Tom Lahr

• For other portals - ????