To learn more about the STERNA project you can download the STERNA project presentation.

Presentation on the STERNA content enrichment process.

Presentation on the STERNA architecture.

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.

Download Full Report

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.

Download Summary of Part B