Dynamic Publishing

Semantic networks - dynamic publishing of text and images

The current activities of Heidelberg University Library in the field of electronic publishing focus on the further development of dynamic and collaborative publishing options. It should be possible to link structured scientific texts with images, maps or 3D visualisations ("living books"). With ontology-based data storage in a triple store, research results are available worldwide for linking with other data repositories using linked data.

The software WissKI, developed with funding from the DFG and based on the content management system DRUPAL, is used. Its semantic ontology model provides for the use of CIDOC-CRM (ISO standard 21127), but also project-specific application ontologies. Controlled vocabularies and normative data (GND, Getty-Thesauri, etc.) are incorporated.

This web-based and collaborative way of working and publishing and the multiple connections between image and text create new possibilities for visualizing and disseminating current research results compared to previous print publications, but can also serve as a basis for printed publications.

This format is being tested as a prototype with the provision of the first offers:

  • Roman Inscriptions from Augsburg (RIA) - a digital collection book
    RIA makes all published inscription texts from Roman Augsburg accessible. Through translations and commentaries on the content, the collection book aims to make the inscriptions more accessible to students and a wider public and to contribute to a broader reception of the Roman cultural heritage.