STERNA presentations

Presentation on the STERNA content enrichment process.

Presentation on the STERNA architecture.

STERNA - an architecture for networked collections

RNA, short for Reference Network Architecture, is a web-based information architecture that facilitates an easy way of connecting various knowledge resources on the internet and that provides an accessible and unambiguous way of retrieving the heterogeneous content within those resources. The RNA architecture is based on semantic web standards, in particular RDF and SKOS.

In this document the various aspects with respect to building an intricate web of heterogeneous, dispersed but semantically connected content with the RNA architecture, such as the purposes of reference structures, multi modelling and the RNA environment, are explained in detail.

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Reference Networks: Modelling with RNA Toolset 4

In STERNA, a dynamic knowledge system is defined as an information environment that enables users to comfortable add new content, which is integrated instantly and as automatically as possible into a findability system based on semantic web technologies. This flexibility is achieved by linking content in a reference network through the use of metadata. This document explains the modelling possibilities of the new version of the RNA Toolset, version 4.

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STERNA Technology Watch Report. Full Report. STERNA Del.6.5, 10 December 2008. Author: Guntram Geser, Salzburg Research. (161 pages)

This report aims to provide STERNA and other projects related to the European Digital Library (EDL) initiative with a “radar” that identifies state-of-the-art approaches to the integration of heterogeneous digital collections based on Semantic Web standards (RDF, SKOS, OWL). As STERNA is an initiative of organisations from the fields of natural history and biodiversity, a particular focus is on digital environments and tools that are used in theses fields to create, manage and share information resources. The report also includes recommendations on semantic approaches to leverage cultural heritage content integration in the context of the EDL initiative as well as how to integrate natural history and biodiversity resources in the initiative.

Part A, Knowledge organisation systems for leveraging access to cultural and scientific heritage:
Focuses on Semantic Web languages and techniques, provides several introductory chapters (e.g. European Digital Library technological interoperability roadmap, Semantic Web languages “layer cake”; Knowledge Organisation Systems, SKOS standard), and describes projects (mainly) in the domain of cultural heritage domain that use RDF, SKOS and OWL (and CIDOC-CRM).

Part B, Natural history and biodiversity resources for the European Digital Library initiative:
Presents a wider spectrum of technologies, incl. digitisation of specimen labels and taxonomic literature, taxonomic databases and services, online collaboration tools, strategies in content aggregation and access, Life Science Identifiers (LSIDs), TDWG LSID metadata vocabularies and core ontology, and a number of ontologies developed in research projects.

Part C, Annexes and Literature:
Provides additional information to the Parts A and B: Selected natural history and biodiversity metadata standards and thesauri that are available in SKOS format; descriptions of selected major organisations and projects, and lists of all organisations, projects and resources that are mentioned in the report in both the natural history and cultural heritage domains.

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STERNA Technology Watch Report. Summary of Part B: Natural history and biodiversity resources for the European Digital Library initiative, 10 December 2008. Author: Guntram Geser, Salzburg Research. (20 pages)

Includes sections on the STERNA project context, natural history and biodiversity resources as potential for the European Digital Library, overviews of novel approaches to the digitisation, enhancement and integration of such resources, and a set of recommendations on how to integrate such resources in the EDL initiative.

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