COinS
ContextObjects in Spans, commonly abbreviated COinS, is a method to embed bibliographic metadata in the HTML code of web pages. This allows bibliographic software to publish machine-readable bibliographic items and client reference management software to retrieve bibliographic metadata. The metadata can also be sent to an OpenURL resolver. This allows, for instance, searching for a copy of a book in one's own library.[1]
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History [edit]
In the late 1990s OpenURL was created at Ghent University as framework to provide context-sensitive links. The OpenURL link server implementation called SFX was sold to Ex Libris Group which marketed it to libraries, shaping the idea of a "link resolver". The OpenURL framework was later standardized as ANSI/NISO Z39.88 in 2004.[2] A core part of OpenURL was the concept of "ContextObjects" as metadata to describe referenced resources.
In late 2004 Richard Cameron, the creator of CiteULike, drew attention to the need for a standard way of embedding metadata in HTML pages.[3] Daniel Chudnov suggested the use of OpenURL.[4] Embedding OpenURL ContextObjects in HTML had been proposed before by Herbert Van de Sompel and Oren Beit-Arie[5] and a working paper by Chudnov and Jeremy Frumkin.[citation needed] Discussion of the latter on the GPS-PCS mailing list[6] resulted in a draft specification for embedding OpenURLs in HTML,[7] which later became COinS. A ContextObject is embedded in an HTML span element.
The adoption of COinS was pushed by various publications and implementations. The specification can now be found at http://ocoins.info/, which includes specific guides to implement COinS for journal articles and books and a COinS generator.
Summary of the data model [edit]
From OpenURL 1.0 COinS borrows one of its serialization formats ("KEV") and some ContextObject metadata formats included in OpenURL implementation guidelines.[8] The ContextObject implementation guidelines of COinS include four publication types (article with several subtypes, book, patent, and generic) and a couple of simple fields. However the guidelines are not required part of COinS, so the standard does not provide a strict metadata model like Dublin Core or the Bibliographic Ontology.
Use in web sites [edit]
The following web sites make use of COinS:
Server-side applications [edit]
Several server-side applications embed COinS:
Client tools [edit]
Client tools which can use COinS include:
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Chudnov, Daniel (2006-07). "COinS for the Link Trail". Library Journal: 8–10.
- ^ ANSI/NISO Z39.88 - The OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive Services. 2004. ISBN 978-1-880124-61-1.
- ^ "Autodiscovery and embedding metadata". gcs-pcs-list. 2004-12-20. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "sample inline openurl". gcs-pcs-list. 2005-01-06. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Van de Sompel, Herbert; Beit-Arie, Oren (July/August 2001). "Generalizing the OpenURL Framework beyond References to Scholarly Works - The Bison-Futé Model". D-Lib 7 (7/8). doi:10.1045/july2001-vandesompel. ISSN 1082-9873.
- ^ "GCS-PCS mailing list". Groups.google.com. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ^ "Latent OpenURLs in HTML for Resource Autodiscovery, Localization and Personalization". Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Apps, Ann (2003-04-16). "Z39.88-2004 KEV Implementation Guidelines". Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Mendeley Web now supports COinS". 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
- ^ Peter Binkley's plugin, described further in this post, can be used to refer to external sources within a WordPress post
- ^ ScholarPress Coins plugin generates self-referential COinS for each WordPress post
- ^ John Miedema's plugin creates COinS for books referenced in WordPress posts
