The AnnoSTATION (Student Teacher Access to Information Science & Technology Annotations) is a database designed specifically for use by students of the GSLIS program at URI and the faculty members of the Library & Information Science department.

Background

The AnnoSTATION is a compilation of annotations on various LIS topics as authored by students in the LSC 508 (Introduction to Information Science & Technology) course at URI. It was determined that such a database would be a valuable tool for the program since every semester quality information on pertinent articles in the form of annotations was being lost. Without one location in which to organize the annotations in, future LIS students would fail to benefit from these valuable resources. Also, it would be advantageous to the program to generate a database that would grow with the population of the LIS program. Upcoming students in the LSC 508 course would be able to contribute their own annotations, not only as a course requirement, but as a means to further share information with others, which is at the very core of librarianship. Therefore, a preliminary AnnoSTATION was created.

The First AnnoSTATION

A preliminary AnnoSTATION database was designed and put into trial implementation once a need was determined. The basic layout of the information entered into each record followed the standard APA annotation style as seen below, with the added elements of entry number (indicating the order in which annotations were entered, in an ascending list) and who authored the annotation:

Entry #

Article Author

Publication Year

Article Title

Source

Volume/Issue

Page #s

Annotation

Annotation Author

This original database allowed users to conduct limited searches from designated computer terminals. The searches were restricted to finding specific journals, authors, or students who wrote the annotation. Also, there was no remote access to the database; users had to sign-on to specified terminals in the URI Kingston Campus University Library using a generic password obtained through the Reference Librarian.

The limitations encountered during the trial run of the database allowed for alterations to be made, and the new AnnoSTATION in place today came into existence.

The New AnnoSTATION

The new AnnoSTATION allows for greater search possibilities from any number of locations. Users, utilizing their URI identification number and private password, can access the database via any computer terminal that allows passage to the URI Website. The database is loaded on the GSLIS Homepage, with hyperlinks found on the URI Library Homepage, and when first introduced, the URI Homepage. This convenient, secure means of accessing the database allows more opportunities for usage, making it that much more valuable to users.

Aside from access, there have been advances made in the search options. Users can now search for: specific topics (as defined by the LSC 508 syllabus), duplicate journals, an alphabetized list of authors for bibliographic purposes, duplicate authors (both of the article or annotation), length of article, year of publication, and the date when it was entered into the database, as well as the searches available through the original version. As the database grows and its users express other needs, further searches will be incorporated into its format.

Entry and Screen Design

Currently, the database follows this design:

Entry#

Topic

Article Author

Publ.Year

Article Title

Source

Vol/Iss

Page#s

Length

Annotation

Annot.Author

Date Written

The screen design of the database is of a simple nature and correlates directly to the above table. When the annotation data is processed, the data is input in the order indicated.

Users have two options for both inputting their data and viewing search results. By using the design form screens, data can be added to the fields in a vertical set-up. When viewing results in this format, each record is located on a separate page. For entering or viewing individual records, this may be the best option. The other option is to use the list form, which is a horizontal set-up akin to spreadsheets. This is appropriate for entering several records at one time, or when needing to compare the results of a search on one page. It is up to the user to determine which format best suits their needs.

Input Requirements and Data Definitions

The following table provides specifics on the various data fields found within each record, their size, and description.

Field Data	Length	Definition
Entry#	5	Ascending order in which annotations were entered
Topic	50	Topic as defined by LSC 508 syllabus
Article Author	50	Last name, First initial(s)
Publication Year	4	Year in which article was published
Article Title	250	Title of the article as published
Source	50	Title of publication in which article is found
Volume/Issue	6	Volume and issue article in which article is found
Page #s	10	Location of article
Length	3	Number of pages article covers
Annotation	325	Briefly describes contents of article
Annotation Author	50	Last name, First initial(s) of student author
Date Written	10	Date the annotation was written

Estimated Size of the AnnoSTATION Database

Given that each student enrolled in LSC 508 must submit 15 annotations, and there are approximately 50 students per semester in the course, and 3 semesters in a year, over the next five years the size of the database will grow to reflect the following figures:

Maximum size of each record: 813 bytes
Maximum number of records in five years: 11250
Maximum size of file in five years: 9,146,250 bytes or 9.15 MB

Computer Components and Implications for the Future

The AnnoSTATION was created using the Works Database program found within Microsoft Works in the Microsoft Windows XP system. The computer itself was an AMD Athlon XP 1700+ version 5.1.2600 X86-based PC, operating on 1.47 GHz and 256 MB of RAM. There are several contributing factors that indicate the computer system will need to be updated over the next five years. First, the AnnoSTATION database requires 9.15 MB of space to operate. Since it will not be the only file saved on the hard drive, a memory upgrade would be in order. Also, the likelihood of technological advances in computer systems will require older components to be upgraded. With periodic system revisions, the computer will be able to maintain the database at a high functioning level.

There may also come a time in which the creators of the AnnoSTATION, in conjunction with the students and faculty of URI, may choose to expand the database and open it up to the general URI population. As of right now, the AnnoSTATION is designed for locating LIS annotations. In the future, there may be the possibility for the database to house annotations of other subject matter, like science or business, with very minor modifications needing to be made. This is just another reason that the database will most likely need to be revised and the computer system upgraded over the course of the next five years.

A Brief Statement about the Works Database Program

The Works Database program was considerably user-friendly in the creation process of the database. For first time database designers, there are task wizards and ample help menus should one need them, as well as a logical order to follow in creating the file. For the experienced designer, Works allows for the manipulation of fields and screen design, provides a variety of searching, sorting, and filtering capabilities, and enables the designer to create a wide array of reports based on their records. Overall, the Works Database program, although regarded as a framework for beginner database design, has many qualities that make it a good selection with which to construct a database.