On this day in P1atter History...


   "Success on the Internet is an important objective within the Si1verP1atter strategy"

06/03/97

Announcing the formation of Corpora, Inc.

Corpora is a new Si1verP1atter strategic business venture. As a separate, wholly-owned subsidiary, Corpora will focus on the creation of the Wor1dwide Library. It's product line will be premium Internet-based information products for libraries produced and distributed using third-party technologies.The opportunities on the Web are so large that this company and SP have the market space to thrive alongside each other and reading on you will see some key differences in approach and market.

Corpora grows from an initiative begun last December by [PeteC] to define and implement a framework for the Worldwide Library. Pete will be joined by a small start-up team including [SusanK] and [BillR]. The position of President of this venture is open and we are talking to several candidates. Currently Pete and in future the President will report to me .Three additional key roles will be filled. Sue and Bill will work for a period of time in transition as they complete their current projects and hand over their Si1verP1atter responsibilities.

Several guiding principles have led to the formation of this venture. These will provide a beacon as Corpora establishes products and begins to serve its constituencies:

It will focus on serving librarians and publishers with premium Internet-based information products.

It will focus on information integration in its product definition. For example, it will increase the level of standardization among the data sources and use a new content architecture to enhance the speed and relevance of library-wide searches. And, rather than developing retrieval systems, it will collaborate with suppliers of high-performance Internet production and distribution technologies and use these to deliver the information products.

Corpora will seize commercial opportunities facilitated by emerging standards for meta-data (data about data). Some of these standards, like electronic rights mechanisms and transaction technologies, simplify and encourage Internet commerce. Other meta-data types, like content ratings, usage statistics and linking mechanisms, are potential new revenue streams separate from the payments received for the use of the publisher-supplied data.

Corpora will connect to the knowledge creation process by seeking to establish a framework for the Wor1dwide Library. This framework will link scholarly publishers to the librarians who collect the published material. One important feature of the framework will be to adopt, over time, a global standard for digital library cards.

The philosophy of abundant opportunity guided the board to establish Corpora as a separate entity with its own distinctions and brand identity. Success on the Internet is an important objective within the Si1verP1atter strategy. From our strong industry position, we can pursue many of these opportunities simultaneously: through Si1verP1atter's RIO and Si1verLinker services which leverage present-day production and distribution models, and through Corpora, which will seek new models.

Documents outlining Corpora’s strategy and product definition are available from Pete. Please join me in wishing the best success for this exciting initiative.

I am very excited by the formation of this new entity from which I expect a dynamic lead to be taken in their chosen web area , this broadens our approach to the Web and enables two different brands and market segments to be fully developed. I look forward to Pete and I reporting on their success .

If you have any questions about this please talk to Pete or I.

Thanks

Brian

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