-- RobAllan - 08 Aug 2006

Ann Apps

IESR: A Registry of Collections and Services

The UK JISC Information Environment Service Registry (IESR) publicises collections of resources along with details of how to access them in a machine-readable format. Itaims to assist applications such as metasearch portals to serve their users' interests by discovering and providing access to relevant material. The presentation will describe the content of IESR, which is captured according to a standards-based metadataapplication profile. IESR encompasses multiple service protocols, in both its resource descriptions and its own access interfaces, reflecting the diversity within the information environment. Some possible uses of IESR will be indicated including its relevance to the digital repository and e-research arenas. Future directions of IESR andinternational digital library service registry initiatives will be discussed, including IESR's possible position within the wider information environment where registry records may be shared.