Working Group 2: Database

At the General Assembly in Reading the OIPEEC Management Committee proposed the establishment of a working group to make detailed proposals for an international rope publications database (IRDB) to be provided for the use of members. After discussion the proposal was approved by the members present. The working group will make proposals that will not exceed a budget of 15,000 CHFr in the first year and 3,000 CHFr per year as running costs. The Management Committee will make the final decision on whether to proceed with the proposal. The operation and value of the scheme will be reviewed at the next General Assembly. The working group will negotiate with other interested bodies (e.g. OITAF) who are interested in sharing the costs. Two possible forms of database will be considered:

1 accessible via the internet

2 distribute to members via CD ROM (including necessary software ). However the general preference of the members present seemed to be for a system of the latter type. The database will include search facilities involving keywords, and the keyword system will include synonyms in different languages. The proposed fields of data for each record will include:

1 IRDB reference number

2 Author(s)

3 Title (in original language)

4 Title in English

5 Original language of publication

6 Year of publication

7 Journal/publisher

8 Number of references

9 Keywords

10 Summary

There has already been preliminary discussion on some of the terms that will be included in the list of keywords. lt was recognized that it will be important for the working group to take advantage of the flexibility of the search procedures offered by computer data base systems which combine searches of different fields. The need to use a system that will facilitate extension and revision was also identified as important.

 Author(s): Chaplin, C.R.