DLXS Public Service & Encoders Workshop

Location: Faculty Exploratory, second floor Hatcher Graduate Library
Dates: August 1-5, 2000
Instructors: Chris Powell and John Weise, University of Michigan
The instructors will be supported by University of Michigan programming staff and interface specialist.

Course objectives

  1. Become familiar with the DLXS Text & Image Class middleware
  2. Become familiar with the basics of text encoding using SGML
  3. Introduce principles of document analysis, including DTD reading and using PAT
  4. Discuss issues of interface design and build a rudimentary interface to a sample collection
  5. Gain a basic understanding of the process of deploying an electronic collection for Web access
  6. Discuss issues of user support for electronic collections and of the relationship of the digital library to the traditional library
Required readings: Text collections and other projects to think about (a biased sample): Other useful things: Please bring texts you are questions you have, texts you are working on, and anything else you would like to share with others or ask others about.
Tentative Schedule:

Day 1

Morning (9 a.m. to noon, with a break):
  • Introductions and course objectives
  • General SGML -- Intro to SGML and XML, Embarking on encoding overview, TEILite overview, text selection and beginning encoding (large structures)
  • Afternoon (1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a break):
  • Image Class -- Overview of Purpose and Functionality
  • Image Class -- Overview of DTD
  • Image Class -- Data Requirements
  • Image Class -- Discussion of Image Quality Issues
  • Image Class -- Preparing images and linking to descriptive data
  • Day 2

    Morning (9 a.m. to noon, with a break):
  • Image Class -- Transformation, including Preparing descriptive data for transformation to SGML.
  • Image Class -- Indexing Image Class SGML using XPat
  • Afternoon (1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a break):
  • Image Class -- Creating an Image Class interface with HTML templates
  • Day 3

    Morning (9 a.m. to noon, with a break):
  • General SGML -- Text encoding (small structures, notes and quotes, front matter)
  • Sample texts
  • Afternoon (1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a break):
  • General SGML -- Reading a DTD. You may wish to review this sample from the SGML Primer and this sample from the Gentle Introduction
  • XPat -- Introduction, searching, and query building

    Day 4

    Morning (9 a.m. to noon, with a break):
  • Text class -- intro and basic goals, moving SGML to text class delivery DTD
  • Text Class development interface
  • General SGML -- Text encoding wrap-up
  • Afternoon (1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a break):
  • XPat -- Indexing SGML using XPat
  • Day 5

    Morning (9:00 am.m. to noon, with a break):
  • Text class -- Mapping terms, collection database, interface design


  • Questions or comments on the schedule are welcome. Send them to DLXS Info.
    Last Updated: 07/27/2000