Digital Commons Project Overview

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

A core value and long-term goal of the I3P is information sharing. In 2003 this led the Institute to begin development of a cyber security digital commons.  With funding from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), we began work on creating a digital commons of cyber security information, tools, and resources for researchers, librarians, students, and the public.
The project, when completed, will be a premiere site for identifying resources in the broad area of information infrastructure protection. The suite of tools, services, and resources associated with the Digital Commons are free and open to the public.


At its completion the Digital Library will include:

• Update Alert: A page will be devoted to listing newly described and/or received information resources. This page will be updated weekly.
• Searchable Glossary: A user may search a cyber security term and be provided with one or more definitions from reputable sources.
• Suggest a New Resource
• Request Research Assistance: As a service to our members, we will provide literature searches on research topics of Consortium interest.  

A unique aspect of our project is that we provide access to ‘grey literature’ in cyber security not easily found in other libraries. Examples of grey literature include I3P research publications, workshop results, and formal reports that have not gone through the traditional commercial publishing channels.

PROJECT MISSION & GOALS

Mission
To facilitate information sharing among the constituencies served by the I3P Consortium and others in the broad areas of cyber security and information infrastructure.

Goals

1. Create a variety of web-based tools and services to enhance knowledge creation under the broad topics of cyber security and information infrastructure.
2. Develop the digital library (formerly referred to as archive)
3. Develop the Digital Commons in an effective and cost-efficient manner
4. Provide for the long-term sustainability of the Digital Commons
5. Provide for the professional development of those working on the Informatics Services team.

OUR TIMELINE

The project began active development in 2004. Following, is an overview of our service development timeline:
2004: Make publicly available a Cyber Security Calendar, Funding Opportunities service. – Completed
2005: Add a Directory of Cyber Security Organizations- Completed
2006 : Add the Digital Library and complete programming for the Digital Library – Completed
2006-2007: Continue to ‘grow’ the Digital Library, integrate a cyber security glossary into the service, and enhance both the display and functionality of all services.

APPROACH

From the beginning the I3P Cyber Security Digital Commons’ informal goal was to be the ‘go to’ place for all types of information relating to cyber security and information infrastructure protection. Project staff looked at a number of existing services and none had this broad multi-service approach. We also looked at existing digital library software and determined that since the digital library would not be a large repository of items, a better approach would be for us to develop our own software. Over the next several years we will be looking at how better to integrate new feature from existing software into our in-house framework. The purpose of this integration is to strengthen our services to our targeted audience through the selected use of the ready-made tools.

OUR TARGETED AUDIENCE

The staff working on the Cyber Security Digital Commons project have identified our targeted audience groups of intended users. Those users include:

• Cyber Security Researchers
• Librarians & Information Professionals- as the link between researchers and the information.
• Industry Users –
• Students -
• Public (interested in answers they can understand)  

PROJECT STAFF

Patricia Erwin – Project Director
Zak Burke – Developer and Webmaster
Nancy Fontaine – Cataloger and Special Projects
Sean Padgett – Cataloger and Glossary Project
Kevan Grimaldi - Content provider

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