COinS explained

ContextObjects in Spans (COinS) is a method to embed bibliographic metadata in the HTML code of web pages. This allows bibliographic software to publish machine-readable bibliographic items and client reference management software to retrieve bibliographic metadata. The metadata can also be sent to an OpenURL resolver. This allows, for instance, searching for a copy of a book at a specific library.[1]

History

In the late 1990s, OpenURL was created at Ghent University as a framework to provide context-sensitive links. The OpenURL link server implementation called SFX was sold to Ex Libris Group which marketed it to libraries, shaping the idea of a "link resolver". The OpenURL framework was later standardized as ANSI/NISO Z39.88 in 2004 (revised 2010).[2] A core part of OpenURL was the concept of "ContextObjects" as metadata to describe referenced resources.

In late 2004, Richard Cameron, the creator of CiteULike, drew attention to the need for a standard way of embedding metadata in HTML pages.[3] In January 2005, Daniel Chudnov suggested the use of OpenURL.[4] Embedding OpenURL ContextObjects in HTML had been proposed before by Herbert Van de Sompel and Oren Beit-Arie[5] and a working paper by Chudnov and Jeremy Frumkin.[6] Discussion of the latter on the GPS-PCS mailing list[7] resulted in a draft specification for embedding OpenURLs in HTML,[8] which later became COinS. A ContextObject is embedded in an HTML span element.

The adoption of COinS was pushed by various publications and implementations. The specification was OCOinS.info, which includes specific guides to implement COinS for journal articles and books.[9]

Summary of the data model

From OpenURL 1.0 COinS borrows one of its serialization formats ("KEV") and some ContextObject metadata formats included in OpenURL implementation guidelines.[10] The ContextObject implementation guidelines of COinS include four publication types (article with several subtypes, book, patent, and generic) and a couple of simple fields. However, the guidelines are not required part of COinS, so the standard does not provide a strict metadata model like Dublin Core or the Bibliographic Ontology.

Use in websites

The following websites make use of COinS:

Server-side applications

Some server-side applications embed COinS, including refbase.[13]

Client tools

Client tools which can make use of COinS include:

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. 8–10 . Chudnov . Daniel . COinS for the Link Trail . Library Journal . 14 July 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061022065455/http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6344742.html . 22 October 2006.
  2. Book: ANSI/NISO Z39.88-2004(R2010) – The OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive Services. 2004. National Information Standards Organization. 978-1-880124-61-1. 15 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131002222836/http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/project/details.php?project_id=82. 2 October 2013. dead.
  3. Web site: Autodiscovery and embedding metadata. 20 December 2004. gcs-pcs-list . Richard . Cameron . 20 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723232756/http://old.onebiglibrary.net/yale/cipolo/gcs-pcs-list/2004-December/000004.html. 23 July 2011. dead.
  4. Web site: sample inline openurl. 6 January 2005. gcs-pcs-list . Daniel . Chudnov . 20 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723232802/http://old.onebiglibrary.net/yale/cipolo/gcs-pcs-list/2005-January/000010.html. 23 July 2011. dead.
  5. Van de Sompel . Herbert . Beit-Arie, Oren. July–August 2001. Generalizing the OpenURL Framework beyond References to Scholarly Works – The Bison-Futé Model. D-Lib Magazine. 7. 7/8. 1082-9873. 10.1045/july2001-vandesompel. free.
  6. Web site: Chudnov . Daniel . Frumkin . Jeremy . 10 December 2004 . Service Autodiscovery for Rapid Information Movement . https://web.archive.org/web/20041215034305/http://curtis.med.yale.edu/dchud/writings/sa4rim.html . 15 December 2004 . curtis.med.yale.edu.
  7. Web site: gcs-pcs-list . 7 June 2010 . Google Groups.
  8. Web site: Latent OpenURLs in HTML for Resource Autodiscovery, Localization and Personalization . Hellman, Eric . draft . OCOinS.info . 20 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170118134722/http://ocoins.info/latent-class.html . 18 January 2017 . dead .
  9. Web site: OpenURL COinS: A Convention to Embed Bibliographic Metadata in HTML. ocoins.info. 24 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140913071820/http://ocoins.info/. 13 September 2014. dead.
  10. Web site: Z39.88-2004 KEV Implementation Guidelines. Apps. Ann. 16 April 2003. MIMAS, The University of Manchester, UK. 20 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20181120130531/http://epub.mimas.ac.uk/openurl/KEV_Guidelines-200706.html#sect5_4. 20 November 2018. dead.
  11. Web site: Reichelt . Jan . 5 August 2009 . Mendeley Web now supports COinS . 14 December 2013 . Mendeley Blog.
  12. Web site: Wikipedia:COinS . Wikipedia . en . 17 December 2019.
  13. Web site: Standard link resolver support: OpenURL & COinS . 2023-03-11 . refbase.
  14. Web site: BibDesk Help: 5.10.5 Web Group . 2023-03-11 . bibdesk.sourceforge.io.
  15. Web site: Importing with the Hunter . 2023-03-11 . Citavi Manual.
  16. Web site: dev:exposing metadata:coins . 2023-03-11 . Zotero Documentation.

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