[MCN-L] Contract web developer needed for INOTAXA project

[Weitzman, Anna]

A contract position is open at the National Museum of Natural History, 
Smithsonian Institution (USA) for someone to work on the INOTAXA project.  The 
contractor must have web development and informatics skills and at least some 
knowledge of biological taxonomy.  The INOTAXA (INtegrated Open TAXonomic 
Access) project is developing a web-based workspace where taxonomy-related 
information and data from different sources can be accessed together in a 
context required by the user.

 

The core of the system is taxonomic literature transformed into XML using a 
schema designed for the purpose (taXMLit - see 
http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/bca/status.cfm 
https://webaccess.si.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/bca/status.cfm
 ).  The schema has been written to allow interoperability with information 
held in other relevant schemas, particularly ABCD, Darwin Core and TCS, so that 
taxon names and specimen data can be accessed with the literature.  The project 
is discussed in greater detail at 
http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/bca/status.cfm 
https://webaccess.si.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/bca/status.cfm
 .  The testbed taxonomic literature includes the Biologia Centrali-Americana 
(BCA), which the project has already made this available on the web in JPEG 
format, at http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/bca/ 
https://webaccess.si.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/bca/
 .  Scripts are being produced to automate transformation of text to taXMLit 
format in a separate part of the project.

 

 

As with any project, a pilot implementation before production implementation 
has the benefit of increased likelihood of success, leveraging input from the 
domain experts and other prospective users, and optimizing the choice of 
technology solutions. Because this is a starting point of a multi-phase 
initiative, its successful implementation is critical.  The pilot 
implementation will not only provide a reference for production implementation, 
but also facilitate the formulation of data exchange protocol for taxonomic 
information to allow interoperability with other systems (e.g., GBIF).

 

The prototype will include search, browse and display functionality, extending 
across all data types served.  It will enable users to compare the position of 
taxa in different classifications derived from different resources within the 
system and displaying the result so users can move between these resources.

 

The products required from the successful applicant will be:

1. Detailed system and functional requirements documentation;

2. Complete system design documentation and system design review;

3. Mock up system(s) for technology and functionality verification; 
with specific elements:

a. Functioning SQL database;

b. Simple search of indexed fields;

c. Display of search result screens;

d. Navigation between screens on search results;

e. Image search;

f.  Boolean search;

g. Tree browse;

h. Display and comparison of taxonomic classifications;

i.  Access and display of multiple classifications of the same taxon;

j.  Search and display of specimen data.

4. Complete pilot system hosting data from BCA and selected other 
sources.

 

Complete application package due 30 March 2007.

Anticipated start date: 1 May 2007, running for one year.

 

Payment and schedule subject to tender and negotiation.

 

The selected contractor must be enrolled in the CCR system located at 
http://www.ccr.gov http://www.ccr.gov/ .

 

For further information on the project, a full statement of work, application 
procedures, and applicable Smithsonian Institution Independent Contractor and 
Rights-in-Data Clauses please contact the INOTAXA Project Managers:

 

Anna Weitzman, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; 
e-mail: weitzman at si.edu; phone 1-202.633.0846 or Chris Lyal, The Natural 
History Museum, London; e-mail: c.lyal at nhm.ac.uk; phone 44-(0)207.942.5113

 

 
Anna L. Weitzman, PhD
Informatics Branch Chief, ITO
Informatics, Botany and Biodiversity Research
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
 
202.633.0846
weitzman at si.edu

[MCN-L] Netherlands and Belgium Adopt SPECTRUM Standard

[Gordon McKenna]

Dear All,

MDA, the focus for standards and best practice in Collections 
Management, has successfully concluded negotiations with Government 
culture bodies in the Netherlands and Belgium to export SPECTRUM, the 
UK industry standard for information management.  

Already in use in over 3,000 culture-sector organisations worldwide, 
SPECTRUM is an open standard, maintained and developed as part of 
MDA's ongoing mission to promote best practice in the heritage 
sector. The adoption of SPECTRUM will help Dutch and Belgian museums 
manage their knowledge and information more effectively, as well as 
supporting greater mobility of collections between the Netherlands, 
Belgium and the UK.  

MDA Director Nick Poole commented, 'This is a significant step 
forward for standards within Europe, and this development represents 
the culmination of almost 2 years work by the staff at MDA. Common 
standards not only promote best practice, they also provide us with a 
shared language which supports greater partnership. Museums in the 
Netherlands and Belgium already have significant expertise in the 
areas of knowledge and information management, and we all stand to 
benefit as a whole by working together to common standards.'  

Wilbert Helmus of the State Department for Cultural Heritage 
commented, 'Dutch and Belgian museums have long been committed to the 
principles of SPECTRUM. Our museums contain some of the world's most 
diverse and exciting collections, and this agreement provides us with 
a solid foundation on which to build. We are very pleased to be 
working with MDA and we look forward to an exciting partnership in 
future!'  

Licenses were signed between MDA, the Netherlands Museum Advisors 
Foundation and Culturele Biografie Vlaanderen vzw. Under the terms of 
this new agreement, representative organisations in the UK, 
Netherlands and Belgium will form part of a European Documentation 
Standards Development Community. Each national version of SPECTRUM 
will be linked to the UK standard on an ongoing basis and future 
updates will be cascaded to each participating country. MDA will be 
working with CIDOC, the documentation Special Interest Group of the 
International Council for Museums, to identify further partner states 
within Europe.  

Gordon.

***
 Gordon McKenna  e-mail: gordon at mda.org.uk   
 MDA   
 The Spectrum Building, 
 The Michael Young Centre, 
 Purbeck Road  
 Cambridge CB2 2PD, UK
 
 Tel:+44 1223 415760
 Fax:+44 1223 415960  

Setting the standard for managing collections information
*** http://www.mda.org.uk/