Innovation in thesaurus management

This paper gives an overview of recent, high profile, future-focused initiatives undertaken at the UK Data Archive to further the usefulness and usability of its digitally-delivered thesauri. The Archive has recently received funding from two separate sources (Jisc and ESRC) to enhance its thesaurus products. The paper starts by describing the work of the Jisc-funded SKOS-HASSET project (June 2012 - March 2013). This RD project had three aims: to apply SKOS to HASSET; to improve its online presence; and to test SKOS-HASSET's automated indexing capabilities. The paper outlines in more detail the project's aims, objectives, activities and the uses to which its deliverables have been put, post-project. Building on this, a second, five-year project is also underway at the Archive, with wider and more ambitious deliverables. In 2012, the ESRC awarded the Archive funds to improve the content and delivery of ELSST, under the CESSDA ELSST project. The deliverables expected from this work are a new and improved thesaurus management interface, an established annual release process, a review of the thesaurus structures and hierarchies and the creation of a system for remote access. The project will also build on the SKOS-HASSET work in extending our community of thesaurus users.