1. Stella G Dextre Clarke Project Leader, ISO NP 25964
ISO the new standard for thesauri and interoperability with other vocabularies
Stella G Dextre Clarke
Project Leader, ISO NP 25964

2. Overview What is ISO 25964? Outline of Part 1 Outline of Part 2
More detail on some of the issues dealt with in the standard
Comment on the need for a standard

3. What is ISO 25964?
ISO 25964: Thesauri and interoperability with other vocabularies
Part 1: Thesauri for information retrieval
Part 2: Interoperability with other vocabularies
It updates ISO 2788 and ISO 5964, with some input from BS 8723
Information retrieval (indexing/searching) is the overall context
Part 1 covers monolingual and multilingual thesauri (= ISO ISO 5964)
Part 2 covers mapping between thesauri and other types of vocabulary

4. What distinguishes ISO 25964-1 from ISO 2788/5964?
Clearer differentiation between terms and concepts
Clearer guidance on applying facet analysis to thesauri
Some changes to the ‘rules’ for compound terms
More guidance on managing thesaurus development and maintenance
Requirements for software to manage thesauri
Data model and XML schema for data exchange
General overhaul in all areas, e.g. sweeping update of multilingual examples

6. Is there a need for ISO ?
“The thesaurus is dead. Long live Google!”
But look how many thesauri we see today – alive and growing
“Nobody has time to do indexing nowadays”
Did anyone ever follow ISO 2788 rigorously?
Look at the lack of standardization in today’s thesauri. The ideal thesaurus responds to the special needs of its own users.
Consider the demand for networked applications which draw upon multiple heterogeneous resources
Consider the diversity and evolution of languages/terminology in today’s full text
Don’t forget the challenge of searching for images without text
Successful automated networking depends on standards, or at least predictability in the tools and resources
ISO compliance should enhance predictability in search tools
And ISO ?

7. Content of ISO 25964-2 “Interoperability with other vocabularies”
No normative statements about building vocabularies other than thesauri
However, comparisons are made and key features described.
Emphasis is on interoperability, especially mapping between different vocabularies
Structural models for mapping
Recommended mapping types
How to handle pre-coordination
Practical aspects of mapping

8. Which “other vocabularies”?
Classification schemes
Business classification schemes for records management (aka file plans)
Taxonomies
Subject heading schemes
Ontologies
Terminologies/Term banks
Name authority lists
Synonym rings

9. Structural models for mapping across vocabulariesH E G P Q R S

10. The dangers of chain mapping
buses → coaches
coaches → trainers
trainers → training shoes
job vacancies → jobs
jobs → posts
posts → post
post → mail
Any one of the mappings could be OK in one context, but not when chained.
Most howlers can be avoided, but only if you check carefully
timber → wood
wood → woods
woods → forests
firewood → logs
logs → records
records → archives

11. The dangers of two-way mappings
Poultry
Parrots
Chickens
Canaries
Birds
Ducks
Budgies
Geese
Vocabulary 1
Vocabulary 2
Vocabulary 3

12. ISO 25964-2 mapping types Basic mapping types:
Equivalence
Hierarchical
Associative
equivalence mappings can also be marked as “Exact” or “Inexact”

13. ISO 25964-2 mapping types with examples
Basic mapping types:
Equivalence Laptop computers EQ Notebook computers
Hierarchical Roads NM Streets; Streets BM Roads
Associative e-Learning RM Distance education
“Exact” or “Inexact” equivalence
Aubergines =EQ Egg-plants
Horticulture ~EQ Gardening

14. Subdivisions of ISO 25964-2 mapping types
Basic mapping types:
Equivalence
Simple
Compound
Intersecting compound equivalence
Cumulative compound equivalence
Hierarchical
Broader
Narrower
Associative
“Exact” or “Inexact” applies to simple but not compound equivalence

15. Equivalence subdivisions with examples
Simple Laptop computers EQ Notebook computers
Compound
Intersecting compound equivalence
Women executives EQ Women + Executives
Cumulative compound equivalence
Inland waterways EQ rivers | canals

16. Intersecting versus cumulative equivalence
Women executives EQ Women + Executives
Inland waterways EQ rivers | canals
executives
women
women executives
canals
inland waterways
rivers

17. Pre-coordination adds complexity
If only we could ignore classification schemes and subject heading schemes!
For example:
The UDC class :51
(mathematics curriculum in primary schools)
The LCSH heading
Automobiles--Air conditioning--Maintenance and repair--Periodicals

18. Example: “academic library labor unions in Germany” (- from Marcia Lei Zeng/FRSAD report)
DDC: " “
– labor unions in industries and occupations other than extractive, manufacturing, construction
– academic libraries
-0943 – Germany
LCSH:
"Library employees--Labor unions--Germany"
"Universities and colleges--Employees--Labor unions--Germany"
"Collective bargaining--Academic librarians--Germany"
"Libraries and labor unions--Germany"
UNESCO Thesaurus:
“Trade unions” “Academic libraries” “Germany”
ILO Thesaurus:
“Trade union” “library” “educational institution” “Germany”

19. How to map to and from pre-coordinated classes and synthesized notations?
For vocabularies using post-coordination (esp thesauri) mappings between them look feasible
Mapping from a pre-coordinated or synthesized class to a thesaurus looks feasible.
Mapping to a pre-coordinated class looks more problematic!
The same applies to mapping from a synthesized class in one scheme to a differently synthesized class in another scheme
Comparing subject headings with classification schemes, pre-coordination works in slightly different ways. Can we find common solutions?
In any case, should the aim to be to map between schemes, or between the indexes of collections indexed/catalogued with the schemes?

20. In the real world, mapping perfection is elusive…
Mapping projects are labour intensive, and often under-resourced
Exact equivalence is all too rare
Even when exact equivalence seems likely, it is often hard to be sure
Some managers assume that mappings can be found by computers without human guidance
Often the vocabularies to be mapped are poorly constructed
Compound equivalence is needed commonly, but often unavailable
Inclusion of pre-coordinate schemes makes it much harder
Some systems allow only one mapping per concept
While preparing mappings, you can’t make assumptions about capabilities of the search software

21. Is there a need for ISO ?
Consider the demand for networked applications which draw upon multiple heterogeneous resources
Finding equivalent concepts cannot rely on comparison of text words alone
Bear in mind the challenges listed above
Practical experience of mapping is not widespread
ISO provides guidance on good practice, mostly on the intellectual processes but also on the potential for automation

22. Want a copy of ISO ?
A draft is due to appear in early 2011, “ISO DIS ”, with the hope of attracting comments from potential users
The official way to get it is through your national standards body (e.g. BSI, DIN)
Distribution policies vary from one country to another; last time round we found a way to make the draft available online free of charge and free of passwords, on the BSI site.
Send me an and I’ll alert you when the DIS is released.

23. Want to get involved?
Contact your national standards body, specifically the committee corresponding to ISO TC 46/SC 9/WG8
17 countries already participate: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Finland, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, Ukraine, USA
While Part 1 of the standard will be published in 2011, Part 2 is still in draft. There is time for you to contribute ideas on interoperability!