Reducing duplication of KCE’s reports description: using the Integrated Library Management system (ILS) as a central tool.

Introduction

The Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE) is a federal institution operating since 2003. Its mission is to produce studies and reports to advise policy-makers when deciding on health care or health insurance. KCE disseminates those reports through its website, the catalogue of the library (also acting as institutional repository) ; and also on other external information systems such as the CRD HTA Database.

The multiplicity of these information systems requires a multiple encoding of the same metadata. A procedure using a Reference Management Software (EndNote) as the initial encoding place for meta data was introduced in 2004; specific styles allowed to present the information in the correct order and format for each targeted information system (web site , legal deposit, HTA database ...). This process makes it easier the "copy and paste" in the target information systems and can thus reduce both the workload and the risk of error. However, the EndNote library has no other utility for the publications dissemination. In 2011, a new version of the Integrated Library management System (ILS) in use at KCE, was installed ; and the Content Management System (CMS) powering the Website has also been renewed: this offers new opportunities to simplify the KCE’s reports description flow.

Objectives

To simplify the encoding KCE reports process 1) by taking into account the possibilities offered by the new Content Management System that runs our public web site; and 2) by replacing EndNote by the ILS taking advantage of the new functionality “personalised reports", and the enhanced selective dissemination of information.

Methods

New tools where developed based on the functionalities of the ILS PMB introduced with version 3.4.8, and the CMS Drupal 6 that now runs KCE’s website.

1. Different “personalised reports” were created in PMB; they can be compared to EndNote’s output styles and allow to produce custom export of bibliographic information. The exported meta data are: Title, Author, Publisher, Series, Volume, Number, Type, Year, Address, ISBN, URL.
2. Selective dissemination of information functionality of PMB is used to transmit the information in the right format to the appropriate person. At this point, a first personalised SDI has been developed using BIBTEX format, it is sent to a web editor for publication on the KCE public web site ; a second personalised SDI has been developed for the CRD HTA database: the email is sent to the knowledge manager, information is formatted using the recommendations provided by CRD.
3. The bibliography module for Drupal was implemented on our Public Web site, it is used to describe the publications of KCE . This module allows to automatically create a bibliographical reference (KCE report description) by copy / pasting a reference in BIBTEX format.

A new procedure was designed for the publication of KCE reports:

1. Initial encoding of meta data describing KCE reports will occur at the ILS
2. Sending of an email in a BIBTEX style to the web editor using SDI
3. The web editor creates the bibliographical description by copy pasting the BIBTEX information on the CMS

Results

After 6 months, EndNote is not used anymore as initial encoding place for meta data.

However, the new procedure  could not be implemented as initially thought:  The publishing of KCE reports being a “just in time” process, final documents are often delivered very close to the publication time.

When documents are delivered out of the initial planning, time is too short to make use of the new procedure as planned: description of reports is then created directly in the bibliographical module of the CMS, record of the ILS is created manually by copy-pasting the information published on the website.

When documents are delivered following the initial planning, encoding of the documents description occurs at the ILS. Description of reports is created automatically on the Website thanks to the BIBTEX import function of the bibliography module.

Once encoded in the ILS, the description of KCE reports is forwarded to the Belgian electronic legal deposit and the CRD HTA Database using the dedicated “personalised reports”.

Discussion

The use of a central tool to export or to present meta data of reports, produced by an institution in a way that facilitates copy-pasting, allows to save time and reduces the risk of error: this is very valuable in a small structure (one person library).

Using ILS for this purpose is technically possible and proved to be efficient: the initially planned new procedure allowed to effectively replace Endnote by the ILS and to optimize the process of describing KCE reports. The creation of a record on the public site by copy/ paste from BIBTEX generated by the ILS will thus be extended to other documents types (conference posters, ...).

However, due to time pressure, this initially planned process had to be adapted in some case by inversing the data flow for KCE reports. This approach could also be optimised by using the OAI-PMH module related to the bibliography module of Drupal CMS and the ability of PMB ILS to import records from a distant institutional repository: most meta data could be created automatically during this import process, without needing copy paste of information, saving time and reducing risk of error.

Optimising the reports description flow using the ILS helps to reduce effort and risks of encoding errors, but also strengthens the role of the information specialist as an expert in the management of meta data and an important player in the diffusion process of the institution’s production.