By André Streicher (HKI University Cologne) Colloquium Itinera Nova. Tools, people & history (City Archives Leuven) April 25th, 2013

1. The visual Annotation Tool inThe visual Annotation Tool in
Itinera NovaItinera Nova
André Streicher
Historisch Kulturwissenschaftliche
Informationsverarbeitung
University at Cologne
Leuven, 25th April 2013

2. 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)

3. Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations
Basic functions of annotations
(1) Review and memory function
(2) Process and encoding function
(3) Communication function

4. Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations
Category Dimension
Form
formal <-> informal
explicit <-> implicit
Function
write <-> read
extensive <-> intensive
permanent <-> transient
Communication
public <-> private
global / institutional / personal / working group
Dimensions of annotations according to Marshall (1998)

5. Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations
Benefits of digital annotation tools
o Separation between document and annotation
o Permanence
o Layer concepts
o Editability
o Search function
o Work synchronously in real-time
o Communicative exchange

6. Perspectives on annotationsPerspectives on annotations
Dimensions of the medium
Interactive projection (on a board/ desk) maximum
and 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

7. Annotation Tool in Itinera NovaAnnotation Tool in Itinera Nova
o 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

8. 1 . Markup surfaces in an image and annotate it with a1 . 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 original
document and a user account
User has to sign in, browse through a collection (‘Browse by
Folio’) and choose a single folio
Click on the link ‘Open register in Annotation Tool’ to open
folio in the Annotation Editor

9. 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’- button
and mark up a region of the image

10. 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

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

12. 2 . Publish these annotations in a moderated process2 . Publish these annotations in a moderated process
o 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 process
o The user is able to follow the publication process of an
annotation in the ‘My Annotations’ section of his profile

13. 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

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

15. 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 annotation
o Reports about incorrect annotations will also be shown in ‘My
Annotations’

16. 3 . Search for image annotations in the Itinera Nova3 . 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

17. o Results will be displayed in chronological order
o Every result shows the information about the annotation
on left side and on the right a little thumbnail of the folio

18. HTML 5 and an Annotation toolHTML 5 and an Annotation tool
o Creation of polygon surfaces with the new canvas tag

19. HTML 5 and an Annotation toolHTML 5 and an Annotation tool
o Mark up precisely parts of an image
o Fast client- side application
o Support problems for older browser versions

20. Thank you very much!
andre.streicher@uni-koeln.de