We plan to base the initial design of our system on the user requirements extracted during the GRIN project, which we view as "zeroth" prototype of our planned system. In the first year of the project a prototype system using ESRI's ArcInfo software and DEC hardware will be built. This prototype system incorporates the design criteria from GRIN and extends them with newer technologies, modified requirements, and broader functionality. It will also incorporate lessons that have been learned from other operational systems such as GLIS, WAIS, and Mosaic. While on the library side there is extensive experience in traditional methods of fielding user questions, we intend to use the first-year prototype to extensively test these hypotheses on real users of a digital map library.
The effective initiation, operation and maintenance of the Alexandria prototype will require that the data flow process be defined within all four components of the project. The data capture and post production will need to cover a range of concerns. Existing maps, photos and images and other documents in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, physical conditions, etc. will impact the choice of data-capture document-handling techniques and scanning technologies. Input resolution is a special issue hinging on type of input document and storage requirements. Of equal importance is the spatial, thematic and other indexing requirements which will need to be addressed during the data-capture process. Data storage concerns digital storage space requirements, data formats, data compression, storage management software and hardware, and interface to data search and retrieval software. Data presentation and reporting addresses the issues of user interface, indexing dimensions (e.g.. thematic, age of materials, spatial footprint), and report formats (e.g., map and/or tabular). Issues related to transport of metadata, visual reference graphics and browse images will be included in this prototype.