British Library launches developer tool consultation

15 software tools to be trialled by the library

British library to launch consultation on research tools

The British Library is to launch a nine-month consultation with users - including sectors of industry - that will look at how useful different types of software research tools are.

The consultation will launch on the 14 October and will see 15 software tools trialled in a research environment. The tools will enable researchers to interrogate and source information more effectively.

The process has been made possible by the digitisation of the 150 million items held by the British Library.

Closed sessions will take place every Monday with different sectors of industry including scientific researchers, journalists and small businesses. The consultation will double up as an exhibition, which visitors to the British Library can participate in.

Some of the tools are already in use, others will be launched in beta for the programme.

The Research Information Centre, which was developed by the British Library and Microsoft, and is to be launched in beta at the consultation, offers a research environment with the equivalent of a virtual lab for bioscientists that enables them to cite works, track research and target funding streams.

A spokesperson for the library said: “We are keen to see whether this software can be applied to other areas of research.”

Another tool, called the Management Business Portal, offers enhanced remote access with a single portal for managers to access remotely. This was developed by the British Library in collaboration with IBM.

The spokesperson said: “This single portal allows people who want to access management and business data to do so from their desks at work. We need to work out whether the single portal has potential for application in other areas of industry.”

The programme is being run in co-operation with HP.