Basics of Electronic Document Delivery

June 17, 2005

1:00pm -- 5:00pm

Course Outline

I. What Is Electronic Document Delivery and Why Should You Care? (30min)

> A. Definition of Electronic Document Delivery
>
> Working definition for our purposes---does not include telefacsimile,
> even though, technically, fax is electronic
>
> B. Approaches to Providing Document Delivery
>
> 1\. Sending via the Internet using FTP or email
>
> FTP (Internet File Transfer Protocol) A protocol and/or program which
> allows a user on one computer to transfer files to and from another
> computer over a TCP/IP network.
>
> GEDI (Generic Electronic Document Interchange) A format for exchange
> of electronic documents between computer systems featuring the
> definition for a header that includes information about requester,
> supplier, and format of the document and relevant bibliographic
> information.
>
> Adobe Acrobat: software to convert documents and files into PDF.
>
> Adobe Reader: free software for viewing and printing PDF files. Adobe
> Reader 6.0 is the newest version of the familiar Adobe Acrobat® Reader
> software.
>
> MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) A standard for
> multi-part, multimedia electronic mail messages and World-Wide Web
> hypertext documents on the Internet. MIME provides the ability to
> transfer non-textual data, such as graphics, audio and fax.
>
> 2\. Posting on the Web
>
> Need interface to admit authorized patrons to view/save/print
> documents plus capacity to delete documents after a specified time or
> number of accesses.
>
> C. Benefits of Document Delivery
>
> 1\. Cost savings---save money on postage, mailing supplies, and phone
> charges
>
> 2\. Time savings---faster turnaround time for delivery
>
> 3\. User attitudes---higher image quality than fax; delivery to
> desktop

II\. Definitions and Descriptions (90min)

> A. Common Software Applications and Tools

1.  Ariel

> Ariel: software that works with PC, scanner, and printer for document
> transmission and receipt. Scan articles, photos, and other documents
> directly; transmit the electronic images to other Ariel workstations
> anywhere in the world, using either FTP or e-mail; and convert them to
> PDF for easy patron delivery via Web, FTP, or email. Version 3.x
> enhancements include support for color and PDF delivery. Price for BCR
> members is \$747 for full (send and receive) or \$448.50 for receive
> only. BCR, the Bibliographic Center for Research, is a 12-state
> library cooperative. Through agreements with their state libraries,
> AK, ID, MT, OR, and WA are members and all libraries in these states
> can use BCR member services.

2.  Clio

> Clio: an ILL management system that includes billing, statistics and
> reports, automatic handling of patron-initiated requests, patron
> notices, and communications with OCLC, Docline, other libraries via
> email, and a library's OPAC system. The ClioAdvanced product includes
> a complete patron-interaction website. Clio pricing begins at \$500
> initial purchase for libraries with fewer than \$5,000 transactions
> per year, plus \$250 annual service and support fee. Clio also
> provides the ILL module for Endeavor Information Systems' Voyager OPAC
> system. Clio 3.5 was reviewed in J Med Libr Assoc. 2003 July;
> 91(3):378-379. Although reviewers characterized the DOCLINE interface
> as "tedious," they also commented, "Desktop delivery via ClioAdvanced
> is a patron pleaser," and concluded that "Clio can meet the needs of
> either a hospital or an academic medical center library."

3.  ILLiad

> ILLiad: ILL management software that manages a library\'s borrowing,
> lending and document delivery through a single, Windows-based
> interface. Seamlessly integrated interface to OCLC WorldCat and OCLC
> ILL; can also be used with DOCLINE (but not yet seamlessly). Manages
> lending and borrowing statistics and copyright and financial
> information, and includes desktop delivery. Annual license fee begins
> at \$2,000 for an OCLC member institution, and depends on ILL volume
> and whether a library operates its own server or is hosted by Atlas
> Systems. OCLC ILLiad was reviewed in J Med Libr Assoc. 2003 July;
> 91(3):379-380. Reviewers commented that "ILLiad decreases turnaround
> time," but due to "the cost and time invested for implementation and
> maintenance, ILLiad software is more advantageous for libraries with a
> large volume of interlibrary loans."

4.  NLM Software and Tools

> DocMorph: A Web site from NLM at which files in more than 50 formats
> (such as Word, Postscript, HTML, etc.) can be converted into TIFF,
> PDF, text, or speech, free of charge.
>
> DocView: Free viewer/printer software from the National Library of
> Medicine. A library with DocView can receive Ariel documents from
> another library, and then open and print them or forward them to a
> patron via email or Ariel FTP (if the patron also has DocView).
>
> MyMorph: Free software from NLM that can be used to convert files in
> more than 50 formats (such as Word, Postscript, HTML, etc.) into PDF.
> Beta test version first released in June 2002; in beta version 9 as of
> October, 2003.

5.  Prospero

> Prospero: free software from Ohio State University's Prior Health
> Sciences Library. Converts Ariel TIFF documents into PDF and makes
> them available on a Web server for patron pickup. Version 2.0 is no
> longer available; version 3.0 is due out some time during Fall, 2003.
> Prospero 2.0 was reviewed in J Med Libr Assoc. 2003 July;
> 91(3):381-382. Reviewers cautioned that "most libraries will need to
> rely on institutional information technology (IT) or systems staff to
> install and configure Prospero," but concluded that "It is still easy
> for staff to use, and, perhaps more importantly, it is still *free*."

6.  Relais

> Relais: ILL transmission and management software. Includes a range of
> delivery options: to Ariel, fax, Post to Web in PDF format, email
> attachment and print for traditional delivery, also receipt of
> documents from Ariel for Post to Web delivery with PDF conversion.
> Pricing begins at \$1,095 for single workstation software, which can
> be used with any TWAIN compatible scanner.

7.  VDX

> VDX (Virtual Document eXchange): an ILL management and resource
> discovery system from Fretwell-Downing that includes electronic
> delivery via Web pickup and multiple database searching via Z39.50.
>
> B. Basic Scanning Terminology and Concepts
>
> 1\. TWAIN
>
> TWAIN: An image capture interface typically used between image
> processing software and a scanner, allowing the scanned image to be
> passed to the host PC. The word TWAIN is from Kipling\'s \"The Ballad
> of East and West\" - \"\...and never the twain shall meet\...\",
> reflecting the difficulty, at the time, of connecting scanners and
> personal computers. It was up-cased to TWAIN to make it more
> distinctive, which led people to believe it was an acronym, even
> though it is not. Nearly all scanners come with a TWAIN driver, which
> makes them compatible with any TWAIN-supporting software.
> Unfortunately, not all scanner software is TWAIN-compatible.
>
> 2\. Resolution
>
> Bit Depth: The number of bits used to define each image pixel. (The
> term pixel is a computer abbreviation for *picture element*, the
> smallest element of a digital image.) The greater the number of bits,
> the more colors or levels of gray that can be represented. A scanner
> works by digitizing an image \-- dividing it into a grid of boxes and
> representing each box with either a zero or a one, depending on
> whether the box is filled in, with one bit for black and white text or
> lineart. For color and gray scaling, each box is then represented by
> up to 24 bits, with different pixels different colors or the
> transition from black though shades of gray to white. The resulting
> matrix of bits, called a bit map, can then be stored in a file,
> displayed on a screen, printed, and manipulated by programs**.** 8-bit
> greyscale works well for most non-color images, and gives a good,
> clear image. 8-bit color (\"color photo\") gives a less
> photo-realistic image than 24-bit color (\"millions of colors\"), and
> can look a little grainy at times. 24-bit color gives a much more
> photorealistic image, but results in a much larger file than 8-bit
> color. For color scanners, this is also referred to as "color depth."
> The denser the bit map, the higher the resolution.
>
> Resolution: This is expressed in dots per inch (dpi) and gives an
> indication of how detailed the scanner is able to scan an image. The
> more dpi, the higher resolution you\'ll achieve. If the image is later
> printed to paper, a high resolution will render a high-quality image.
> Text-based documents usually require a lower resolution (i.e. fewer
> dpi) than photographs. Scanner resolution may range from 72 to 1200
> dpi; the typical scanner used for library projects produces 300-600dpi
> images, although resolution will depend on the proposed use of the
> stored data as well as the type of image to be scanned. For example: a
> 300 DPI scan of an 8 x 11 image takes about 46MB in full color (24
> bits per pixel), and a 600 DPI scan of the same image takes 253MB.
>
> 3\. Common File Types
>
> a\. TIFF
>
> TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) An image file format that has become
> the standard archiving format for library use. TIFF files use
> \".tiff\" or \".tif\" extensions." Although Adobe Systems, Inc. holds
> the copyright for TIFF, it has not released new specifications for
> TIFF since 1992, and is no longer investing in its development.
> Instead, Adobe developed PDF to supercede TIFF. TIFF images are of
> high quality but cannot be viewed from a Web browser or embedded into
> a Web page.
>
> b\. PDF
>
> PDF (Portable Document Format) The file format developed by Adobe
> Systems, Inc. that preserves the fonts, images, graphics, and layout
> of any source document, regardless of the application and platform
> used to create it. High quality, relatively small file size, any
> published document looks exactly the same for every viewer. Can be
> shared, viewed, and printed by anyone with Adobe Reader, a free
> application distributed by Adobe Systems.
>
> c\. Viewing Files and Changing a File Type

Break (15min)

III\. Getting Started (60min)

A.  Software requirements

B.  Hardware requirements

C.  Testing your present capabilities

D.  Workflow considerations

E.  Troubleshooting EDD Installations

IV\. DOCLINE's DOCUSER records (15min)

A.  Delivery Methods

B.  Addresses

C.  Routing Considerations

V. License and Copyright Considerations (15min)

A.  Print Materials

B.  Electronic Content

VI\. Wrap-up and Final Questions (15min)