ELISAD European Gateway on Alcohol and other Drugs / Final Research and Activity Report December 2003 
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0. Executive Summary

This project aims to create a gateway, defined as a systematic, subject oriented access to web-based quality information in the field of alcohol and drugs (AOD). The overall objective is to establish and maintain an online information system which is suitable for professional requirements. It is a pilot research study in the field.

The project is conducted within collaboration of 12 participant organisations that are members of the network ELISAD, the European Association of Libraries and Information Services on AOD, including 8 drug libraries and the EMCDDA, and through networking with other institutions and experts in the field.

In the first half of the project, work focused to develop a suitable research methodology. A data collection instrument which combines qualitative and quantitative methodology has been designed and is used to generate website descriptions. A MySQL server database has been created and implemented, and functionality for data input and data administration have been programmed.

The investigation and analysis of professional information needs in the field in a user-consultation process are part of this research and give impact to its conception.

During the research process, a total number of more than 1.200 AOD websites from 32 countries have been identified and revisited. In the second half of the project, 552 descriptive records have been created and added to the online catalogue. Moreover, 272 websites have been listed for inclusion. In total, the gateway catalogue includes 824 entries at the end of the work programme. Based on findings of the users survey, the user interface has been developed and lay-outed, and a thematic browsing structure and search functions have been implemented. The gateway website is accessible at www.elisad.uni-bremen.de. A networked strategy has been invented to ensure future maintenance and up-dating of the gateway catalogue.

ELISAD European Gateway on Alcohol and other Drugs / Final Research and Activity Report December 2003 
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