CHARGE

• an identifier for the work;
• a reverse lookup mechanism for discovering the identifier of a work from its citation;
• a mechanism for taking the reader from a citation to a particular item

There are important variable factors associated with each component. For example, different identifiers are likely needed not just for works, but also for manifestations and particular items. Do digital identifier schemes currently make these distinctions? Also, in order to look up an identifier from a citation, a minimal amount of descriptive metadata must be associated with the identifier. But how much? And the mechanisms to take the reader from citation to item may require corollary mechanisms to identify those locations of an item to which the reader has access.

The design of reference linking systems may be straightforward in the simple cases when there is a one-to-one match between an item and the manifestation of a work and when these items are under the control of a single provider. However, as digital publishing is maturing, the variables in play require a more complex architecture. These variables include the existence of multiple, distributed copies of items of a work, the need to understand in what role a user is operating, with what organizations a user is affiliated, to what manifestations or copies of the content (and under what arrangements) those institutions may have access, where the user is located, how performance expectations affect the specific content selected for use, what formats and versions of content the user is capable of viewing, how much the user is willing to pay, and similar issues.

To advance the results of the reference linking workshop, and to help stimulate the design and development of effective systems of reference linking, the sponsors of the workshop and the Coalition for Networked Information have assigned a small working group to draft a report that will address the following points:

1. Review the three components of reference linking systems identified in the workshop and ensure that no component is missing and that the significant technical variables affecting the development of each component are identified.

2. Focus on the complex set of variables at play and conceptually walk through the design of possible resolver solutions that take account of the relevant variables.

3. Document the component review and the conceptual walk through of possible reference linking systems, and define the nature and scope of research, user consultation and other kinds of work necessary to foster the development of general systems of reference linking for marketplace testing.

The sponsors will facilitate a meeting of the working group as soon as possible with the aim of producing a draft report by June 1.

The Working Group's report will be discussed at the second invitational workshop to be held June 9, 1999 in Boston.

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