Report on Progress

Overview First cut gazetteer database built Basic working demonstrator built –simple interface for reference use –basic machine2machine protocols adopted Servicing Go-Geo! Adaptation of ADL Feature Type Thesaurus (see separate handout) Outreach and stakeholder engagement underway

geoXwalk - High Level Architecture The geoXwalk Server (Spatially enabled RDBMs) Web client Request via protocol (ADL, OGC, Z39.50) Information server Request via protocol (ADL, OGC, Z39.50) (human interaction) (machine2machine interaction)

Gazetteer Database Built on ADL Content Standard Currently seeded with: –OS 1:50,000 digital Gazetteer –digital boundary data from UKBORDERS –data sourced from other OS products - Strategi, Meridian, 1:250,000 gazetteer –starting to add 3rd party data including Getty Accuracy enhanced and metadata support Current coverage: –Geographical - GB –Thematic - see below

ADL Gazetteer Content Standard Geographic Feature ID Geographic Name Variant Geographic Name (R) Type of Geographic Feature (R) Other Classification Terms (R) Geographic Feature Code (R) Spatial Location (R) Street Address Related Feature (R) Description Geographic Feature Data (R) Link to Related Source of Information (R) Supplemental Note Metadata Information comprehensive description but with small set of core elements temporal aspects of names, footprints, relationships, … documents source, spatial accuracy/scale of footprint does permit explicit relationship types!

Feature Typing need to incorporate a dictionary of allowed terms which defines each feature type typing supports queries such as –What schools exist in Leeds and where are they? –Show lakes in Cornwall hierarchy of feature types preferred propose to adopt the ADL Feature Type Thesaurus some problems… but ADL acknowledges these adapted thesaurus for UK hydrographic features. aquifers. bays.. fjords. channels. deltas. drainage basins. estuaries. floodplains. streams.. rivers... bends (river)... rapids... waterfalls

geoXwalk gazetteer - current thematic content (based on adapted ADL Feature Type Thesaurus )

Reference use Information server Searching Geo-parsing & indexing The geoXwalk Server geoXwalk as digital gazetteer service: use cases

Supporting reference: the where is? type of question What is at grid ref. NY ? Where is Aberdour? What is the largest town in Nottinghamshire? List me all places ending with kirk What parishes fall within the Lake District National Park? On what river is Dundee situated? Which Roman roads pass through Scotland? By what alternative names has York been known? + research use to resolve variant names etc.

Demonstration

Task: Find resource about 'Liverpool docks Search using a traditional gazetteer might yield: Using spatial proximity in an active gazetteer, the search can be widened: PlaceCounty/UALiverpool BebbingtonWirral BirkenheadWirral BootleSefton New BrightonWirral SeacombeWirral SeaforthWirral WaterlooSefton … that means more & better hits …. !!! co-ordinates allow (near) co-located places to be co-identified.

Demonstration

Supporting cross searching different services geoXwalk Server Content Provider CContent Provider A Content Provider B Co-ordinate footprints Parish names Place names Portal service Post code: L34 0HS? Find resources for this postcode (NB postcode often used to geo-reference survey data files) Knowsley , , BX003

Demonstration (Go-Geo!)

Protocols Why adopt a protocol at all? –agreed set of rules and interfaces (limit proliferation) ADL Query Protocol –lightweight, generic, relatively simple to implement OGC Filter Encoding Specification –fuller, highly flexible, more complex Z39.50 –pervasive in JISC IE, not specifically for geo-spatial data, lack of support

identifier-query identifier Return gazetteer entry identified by identifier Supported by geoXwalk name-query operator text Returns gazetteer entries which match text under text-operator operator geoXwalk supports the mandatory equals operator and the optional match-pattern operator footprint-query operator (polygon | box | identifier) Returns all gazetteer entries having a footprint that matches a query region according to spatial operator operator geoXwalk supports spatial operators within, contains and overlaps. Spatial extents can be specified by bounding box or identifier. 5 types of ADL query:

ADL queries (contd) class-query thesaurus term Returns all gazetteer entries which belong to the class (feature type). geoXwalk supports class queries (but currently does not return sub-classes by default as the ADL does) relationship-query relationship identifier Returns all gazetteer entries having relationship relationship to a target gazetteer entry identified by identifier. geoXwalk does not support queries of this type because we do not hold explicit relationships between entities - they are derived implicitly from the geometries

Demonstration m2m

Outreach and evaluation JISCmail list established leaflet produced project web pages available discussions with various stakeholders discussions with data providers report and outcomes of this meeting will be written up