Prospero: Bring Ariel Documents to the Web

[Eric Schnell]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5/14/1999


   This is being sent out to multiple lists. 
Sorry for the duplication

   Prospero for Windows 2000/NT/98/95 is a Web-based 
document delivery system designed as a compliment to 
the Ariel software system. Ariel is a product of the 
Research Libraries Group (RLG) which allows libraries 
to use the Internet to exchange documents through 
interlibrary loan. 

   Prospero contains two modules. The first is a staff 
module which captures and converts Ariel files (TIFF 
images) to Web accessible documents (PDF files). The 
PDF files are then posted on a secure web server. This 
module also manages user information and generates 
email to the patron. The second module is a server-side 
/ user interface which allows patrons to retrieve their 
documents using a Web browser. 


Features

  Current version is 1.0 and was released on 5/14/1999. 

  Written in Perl and runs under Windows 2000/NT4/98/95. 

  Automatically generates a patron PIN number which 
    provides access to the secure server. 

  Automatically sends an email alert to the requesting 
    patron. 

  Patron interface lists each document by a textual link, 
    number of pages, file size, date posted, and the number 
    of times viewed. 

   Auto-attaches Title 17 copyright statement as first page 
    of PDF output. 

   Utilizes simple text files to maintain data. 

   Queuing and batch processing of conversion and posting 
     processes. 

   Utilizes Ghostscript and ImageMagick to convert the Ariel 
     TIFF files to PDF. Both are included in the distribution. 



  For more information and to download Prospero, please visit


         http://bones.med.ohio-state.edu/prospero/


Eric Schnell
Assistant Professor
Head, Automation Services
Prior Health Sciences Library
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210
schnell.9 at osu.edu 
614-292-4870