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PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED AT NSF NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 4, 1994
NSF 93-141 (NEW)
--More-- Digital Library Initiative, FY 1994
INTRODUCTION
The past decade has seen a remarkable expansion in digital networks within
the U.S. research and education community from a state where networking was
the purview of the privileged few to one where it is considered an
essential tool by millions of researcher and educators. Since the
mid-1980's with the advent of NSFNET the volume of traffic, the number of
interconnected networks and the functionality of the networks has grown and
continues to grow exponentially. The entire assemblage of linked networks
using the IP communications protocol throughout the world is now referred
to as the Internet. It is a network of networks, which within the U.S.,
links one third of all two year and four year colleges and universities,
many primary and secondary schools, public and private institutions,
commercial enterprises, individuals in their homes, and foreign
institutions in sixty countries. Information sources accessed via the
Internet are the ingredients of a digital library. Today, the network
connects some information sources that are a mixture of publicly available
(with or without charge) information and private information shared by
--More--collaborators. They include reference volumes, books, journals,
newspapers, national phone directories, sound and voice recordings,
images, video clips, scientific data (raw data streams from instruments and
processed information), and private information services such as stock
market reports and private newsletters. These information sources, when
connected electronically through a network, represent important components
of an emerging, universally accessable, digital library.
To explore the full benefits of such digital libraries, the problem for
research and development is not merely how to connect everyone and
everything together in the network. Rather, it is to achieve an
economically feasible capability to digitize massive corpora of extant and
new information from heterogeneous and distributed sources; then store,
search, process and retrieve information from them in a user
friendly way. Among other things, this will require both fundamental
research and the development of "intelligent" software. It is the
purpose of this announcement to support such research and development
by combining the complementary strengths of the participating agencies
in basic research, advanced development and applications, and
academic/industry linkage.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
--More--1. Awards will be made by NSF as Cooperative Agreements for proposals to
engage in research, prototype and testbed activities. Awards of up to
$1,200,000 a year for up to four years will be made to conduct programs of
research and to develop and test elements of a digital library on a
significant scale in a distributed environment. It is expected that up to
6 awards will be made under this announcement, depending on the quality of
proposals and the availability of funds.
2. Cost sharing of at least 25% is required for all projects submitted in
response to this announcement. The proposed cost sharing will be
considered in evaluating proposals and will be a condition of any resulting
awards (See the Proposal Preparation section, below).
3. Successful proposals will have demonstrated that as part of the research
they will digitize a significantly large and important information
collection, or use an existing collection, to serve as an experimental
platform to demonstrate scale-up potential and as an experimental
testbed for the research proposed. These testbeds must also be made
accessible for research purposes to individuals who are not part of
the proposal team (see Proposal Preparation, 3, below).
4. Each proposal should, as appropriate to the research focus, include the
--More--active participation of the following groups, as relevant (these may be
separate organizations or parts of a single organization): (1) client
groups (e.g., specific research communities or other users of the
information encompassed in the proposal); (2) commercial enterprises that
would be involved in the commercialization of a digital library system
(e.g., publishers, software houses, stock exchanges, equipment
manufacturers, communications companies, etc.); (3) archival
establishments, either private or governmental (e.g., libraries, data
repositories, clearing houses, government or private information or data
services); and (4) relevant computer and other science and engineering
research groups (e.g., academic departments, supercomputer centers,
industrial laboratories). These groups should be involved as
sub-contractors to a single primary proposing academic institution.
5. A requirement for all awardees is that all publications, reports, data
and other output from awards must be prepared in digital format and meet
requirements for storage, indexing, searching and retrieval in a repository
to be set up to capture results of these awards. These requirements will
be devised jointly by the group of all awardees and the sponsoring
agencies.
--More--RESEARCH TO BE SUPPORTED
It is the purpose of this initiative to provide the funding and leadership
for research fundamental to the development of digital libraries.
Applicants can propose research in any or all of the following areas:
1-capturing data (and descriptive information about such data) of all forms
(text, images, sound, speech, etc.) and categorizing and organizing
electronic information in a variety of formats.
2-advanced software and algorithms for browsing, searching, filtering,
abstracting, summarizing and combining large volumes of data, imagery, and
all kinds of information; and
3-the utilization of networked databases distributed around the nation and
around the world. The types of research related to the above three areas
are shown below. The examples are not meant to be exclusive but are meant
to be illustrative:
Area 1
- - New research on systems for capturing data of all forms
For example:
--More--* OCR page layout, segmentation and analysis software
* Speech recognition, audio segmentation and analysis software
* File conversion into editable, processable representations
* Broadcast capture & digitization (to generate multimedia data bases)
* Graphics understanding (image, drawing, graph recognition)
* Quality, fidelity maintenance
- - New research on how to categorize and organize electronic information in
a variety of formats
For example
* Indexing, interpretation, classification and cataloging
* Multi-lingual indexing on content and citations
* Hypermedia structuring and linking of documents
* Graphical interfaces for knowledge representation
* Browsing technology for large knowledge spaces, news grazing
Area 2
- - New Research fundamental to the development of advanced software for
searching, filtering, and summarizing large volumes of data, imagery, and
all kinds of information
--More--For example:
* Retrieval theories and models for data, metadata, information, knowledge
bases, evaluation methods
* Formal structures of documents and texts, query languages
* Intelligent text processing and document management
* Feature-based image analysis and classification, pattern recognition
* Multi-pass retrieval algorithms (progressive refinement, feedback)
* Updatable indexing systems
* Spatial-temporal feature indexing of video
* Filtering, routing, alerting, selective dissemination of information
* Clustering, summarization, abstracting
* Natural language analysis for data extraction or representation
* Natural language generation systems
* Lexicon, thesaurus, concept space generation
* Adaptive/learning systems: connectionist, neural networks
* Context based pattern matching and retrieval of multimedia data
* Robust matching with noisy data, uncertainty, imprecision
* Fast search, query optimization
- - Research on visualization and other interactive technology for quickly
browsing large volumes of imagery
--More-- For example:
* Pictorial feature recognition, image classification
* Human perception (visual, auditory)
* Multi-scale displays, zooming
* Data visualization (e.g., airflow, human genome)
* Interactive visualization control
* Use of simulation to improve visualization/description
* Navigation, hypermedia, retaining serendipity, guides/paths/tours
* Developing metaphors, usable virtual reality environment: suites of
objects (peripherals, information types, relations, properties, views) that
work together for each domain
* Sustaining rapid performance with regard to moving and manipulating large
digital imagery data sets.
Area 3
- - Research on networking protocols and standards needed to insure the
ability of the digital network to accommodate the high volume, bandwidth
and switching requirements of a digital library.
For example:
* Network security
* Protocol design
--More--* Data compression
* Ensuring scalability for large orders of magnitude increases in the
number of simultaneous users
- - New research leading to simplifying the utilization of networked
databases distributed around the nation and around the world
For example:
* Knowbots/agents/mediators, intelligent gatekeepers
* Federated heterogeneous distributed object-oriented data and information
base systems
* Personalized interactive news, magazine, and journal services
* Adaptable systems and services for disabled users, human augmentation
* Authentication, authorization
* Modeling, simulating usage, economics of access
* Collaboration technology with multimedia information interchange,
multi-user editing, drawing, storage, retrieval, display, annotation,
shared objects
- - Research on individual and group behavioral, social and economic issues
in digital libraries
--More--For example:
* Intellectual property rights
* Privacy and security
* Impact of digital libraries on the conduct of science
* Publishing in a digital environment
* Charging mechanisms for copyrighted documents
PROPOSAL PREPARATION
The proposals must be marked DIGITAL LIBRARIES in the top left hand box,
"Program Announcement", on the cover sheet (NSF Form 1207).
Proposals must be prepared according to the instructions given in Grants
for Research and Education in Science and Engineering (GRESE: NSF 92-89)
except that the following sections are also required.
1. A section following the Project Summary to be entitled, "Executive
Summary". This section is limited to five pages. It will form an important
first step in the review process and it should therefore be a careful
abstraction of the key aspects of the proposal.
2. The Project Description section may not exceed 40 pages. It should be
--More--prepared as indicated on Page 4 of GRESE, making sure to explain the
specific research and experiments to be conducted. These must be described
in sufficient detail to allow merit review of the scientific content of the
proposed research and its chance of success.
3. A section of the Project Description, entitled "Testbed Facility",
describing the purpose and operation of the experimental testbed platform:
its design; development; and management. This should include an
explanation of how experiments and tests proposed by individuals or groups
who are not part of the proposal will be solicited, evaluated and
accommodated. (It is the intention of the National Science Foundation to
encourage applications for supplemental funding in years 2 through 4 to
help fund the research of successful individual applicants.)
4. A section of the Project Description entitled, "Expected
Accomplishments". This should be a statement and enumeration of the
expected accomplishments and the measures you propose for evaluating
progress annually for each year of the award duration.
5. A section separate from the Project Description entitled "Organizational
Roles". This section should describe the nature of each organization's
participation in the proposal with a description of its cost sharing, and
--More--the overall management plan for the project.
6. A section entitled, "Cost Sharing". The amount of cost sharing must be
shown in the proposal in enough detail to allow NSF to determine its impact
on the proposed project. Documentation of availability of cost sharing
must be included in the proposal. Only items which would be allowable
under the applicable cost principles, if charged to the project, may be
made from any non-Federal source, including non-Federal grants or
contracts. Contributions from non-Federal sources may be counted as cost
sharing toward Federal projects only once.
PROPOSAL EVALUATION
Proposals will be evaluated by panels of experts. Supplementary mail
reviews will be solicited as feasible and necessary to achieve a fair and
accurate review of all proposals. Some potentially successful submissions
may receive site visits if the panel deems this desirable in order to
properly evaluate the proposals. Selection of awards will be made jointly
by the sponsoring agencies from the group of proposals
receiving the highest ratings from the panel of experts.
Evaluation criteria which are applied to all NSF proposals are those listed
--More--in Grants for Research and Education in Science and Engineering, NSF
92-89,
October, 1992. Additional criteria for this announcement are:
- inter-institutional aspects which would provide a positive stimulus to
the design, development and commercialization of digital libraries;
- a commitment to and plan for operating an experimental testbed platform
(see Proposal Preparation, 3, above);
- the extent to which the proposed research is likely to produce results
generalizable to other digital libraries.
- cost sharing of at least 25% will be a specific evaluation criterion.
SCHEDULE
Organizations interested in submitting proposals should send an electronic
mail message with the following statement: "I am interested in
submitting a proposal to the Digital Libraries Initiative in Areas
___(1,2,3)."
Name
Title
--More--Organization
Mailing address
email address
Address the email to:
[log in to unmask]
cc: [log in to unmask]
If email on the internet is not available to you then send a postcard with
the same information to:
Up to October 25, 1993
Gwendolyn Barber
Room 310
National Science Foundation
1800 G Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20550
As of October 25, 1993
Gwendolyn Barber
National Science Foundation
--More--4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
This information will be used to notify you of special regional briefings
that will be held for this announcement. These briefings will be designed
to answer your questions and to help you find potential partners for
research consortia under this announcement. It is anticipated that these
briefings will occur during November/December, 1993.
IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED UNDER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, PROPOSALS MUST BE
RECEIVED BY NSF NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 4, 1994
SUCCESSFUL PROPOSERS WILL RECEIVE NOTIFICATION IN JUNE/JULY, 1994.
OTHER
The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides awards for research in the
sciences and engineering. The awardee is wholly responsible for the
conduct of such research and preparation of the results for publication.
The Foundation, therefore, does not assume responsibility for such findings
or their interpretation.
The Foundation welcomes proposals on behalf of all qualified scientists and
--More--engineers, and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with
disabilities to compete fully in any of the research and research related
programs described in this document.
In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF policies, no
person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability
shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving
financial assistance from the National Science Foundation.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provides
funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with
disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research
assistants) to work on an NSF project. Contact the program coordinator in
the Directorate for Education and Human Resources. The telephone number is
(202) 357-7562.
The Foundation has TDD (Telephonic Device for the Deaf) capability, which
enables individuals with hearing impairment to communicate with the NSF
Information Center about NSF programs, employment, or general information.
The telephone number is (202) 357-7492.
--More--This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
category 47.070
Copies of NSF publication, Grants for Research and Education in Science and
Engineering (GRESE: NSF 92-89) are available at no cost from:
National Science Foundation
Forms and Publications, Room 232
Washington, DC 20550
Telephone number: (202) 357-7963 or Fax number: (703) 644-4278.
Publications may also be ordered electronically using the Science and
Technology Information System (STIS). The full text can be searched
on-line, and copied from the system. Instructions for the use of the
system are in NSF 91-10 "STIS Flyer". The printed copy is available from
the Forms and Publications Unit. An electronic copy may be requested by
sending a message to "stis@nsf" (bitnet) or "[log in to unmask]" (Internet).
Technical questions about this announcement may be addressed to:
Laurence C. Rosenberg
--More--Deputy Division Director
Information, Robotics & Intelligent Systems Division
National Science Foundation
1800 G Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20550
Starting October 25, 1993
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Electronic Mail address: [log in to unmask]
Telephone: (202) 357-9592
Fax: (202) 357-0320
Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements
The information requested on the application materials is solicited under
the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended.
It will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals and
may be used and disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as
part of the review process and to other government agencies. See System of
Records, NSF-50, Principal Investigator/Principal File and Associated
Records and NSF-51, Reviewer/Proposals File and Associated Records, 56
--More--Federal Register 54907 (October 23, 1991). Submission of the
information
is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however,
may reduce the possibility of your receiving an award.
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to
average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for
reducing this burden to:
Herman G. Fleming
Reports Clearance Officer
Division of Contracts Policy and Oversight
National Science Foundation
Washington, DC 20550
and to:
Office of Management and Budget
Paperwork Reduction Project (3145-0058)
&
Judy Buys
National Wetlands Reseach Center Library
Lafayette, LA
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