The visual Annotation Tool in Itinera Nova

The visual Annotation Tool in The visual Annotation Tool in Itinera NovaItinera Nova

André StreicherHistorisch Kulturwissenschaftliche

InformationsverarbeitungUniversity at Cologne

Leuven, 25th April 2013

Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations

“Annotations are short, often rudimentary symbolic or written statements or small drawings, that are related to a specific location within a document and are also integrated firmly into the meta context of the document.”

(Schilit, Golovchinsky, & Price, 1998)

“The operation to annotate is integrated into the process of reading, it is a component of active reading.”

(Schilit, Golovchinsky, & Price, 1998)

Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations

Basic functions of annotations

(1) Review and memory function(2) Process and encoding function(3) Communication function

Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations

Category Dimension

Formformal <-> informalexplicit <-> implicit

Functionwrite <-> readextensive <-> intensivepermanent <-> transient

Communicationpublic <-> privateglobal / institutional / personal / working group

Dimensions of annotations according to Marshall (1998)

Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations

Benefits of digital annotation tools

o Separation between document and annotationo Permanenceo Layer conceptso Editabilityo Search functiono Work synchronously in real-timeo Communicative exchange

Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations

Dimensions of the medium

Interactive projection (on a board/ desk) maximumand electronic pen

Tablet computers and electronic pen paper similarity

Standard PC with a interactive screen

Standard PC, text entered via the keyboard,icons on menu selection by mouse

minimum

Annotation Tool in Itinera NovaAnnotation Tool in Itinera Novao Based on an palaeographical application from the

VdU- (Virtual German Charter Network) and MOM CA- (Monsterium Collaborative Archive) projects

o Client- side application based on HTML, CSS and Javascript (Usage of Jcrop library)

o Separation between public and private annotation (moderation system)

o Integrated into an eXist database environment

o Metadata are encoded in TEI

1 . Markup surfaces in an image and annotate it with a 1 . Markup surfaces in an image and annotate it with a specific transcriptionspecific transcription

o A precondition for the tool is an existing image of the originaldocument and a user account

User has to sign in, browse through a collection (‘Browse byFolio’) and choose a single folio

Click on the link ‘Open register in Annotation Tool’ to open folio in the Annotation Editor

Click on the arrow trigger on the bottom of the viewport to show the main button toolbar

Toolbar includes two buttons to zoom in or out on the image and a help system

To start the annotation process click on the ‘Selectmode’- buttonand mark up a region of the image

o A click on ‘Create Annotation’ displays an editor window to insert the metadata of the annotation (category, keyword and transcription)

o After saving the annotation the user has to click on the surface to show an information window with the metadata

It also shows a toolbar that has buttons to edit the transcription ofthe annotation, add more surfaces, edit existing surfaces,delete or publish the private annotation

2 . Publish these annotations in a moderated process2 . Publish these annotations in a moderated processo To publish an annotation the user has to click on the

button:o This will send a request to a moderator who has to decide

about the publication processo The user is able to follow the publication process of an

annotation in the ‘My Annotations’ section of his profile

o If a moderator has declined an annotation request, the user has the chance to edit the annotation, create a statement and

resend his request to the moderator

o If a moderator confirms a request, all visitors of the Itinera Nova platform are able to see the public annotation

o Registered users can use a warning triangle to alert the moderator, that a public annotation is wrong

o The moderator is able to edit or delete this annotationo Reports about incorrect annotations will also be shown in ‘My

Annotations’

3 . Search for image annotations in the Itinera Nova 3 . Search for image annotations in the Itinera Nova databasedatabase

o There is a ‘Annotation Search’ Link in the navigation menu of the page that opens a search mask to find public annotations

o Results will be displayed in chronological ordero Every result shows the information about the annotation

on left side and on the right a little thumbnail of the folio

HTML 5 and an Annotation toolHTML 5 and an Annotation tool

o Creation of polygon surfaces with the new canvas tag

HTML 5 and an Annotation toolHTML 5 and an Annotation toolo Mark up precisely parts of an imageo Fast client- side application o Support problems for older browser versions

Thank you very much!

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