ACIS Overview
=============


From the [acis.openlib.org
website](http://acis.openlib.org/idea/):

> ACIS stands for `Academic Contributor Information System'.

> We believe that scholarly authors are an important source of
academic metadata.  Individual academics are willing to
share data about themselves, because it promotes their
work. The data they can share is very useful when combined
with the usual library-type documents data.

> In 2000, the idea was poineered by Markus Klink and <a
> href="http://openlib.org/home/krichel">Thomas Krichel</a>
> through the <a href=
> 'http://acis.openlib.org/idea/hopec.html' ><abbr
> title='Home Page Papers in Economics' >HoPEc</abbr>
> project</a> in Economics.
>
> ACIS project aims to create a general and powerful tool,
> which will help people implement the same idea in other
> areas than Economics.


Let's say you have a significant database of documents data
in an academic area.  Let's say you want to build a
directory of scientists working in your field.  First, you
make sure ACIS can read your data.  That may involve
converting or developing a "driver" module.  Then, you
install ACIS on a website.  You advertise it.  People come
and register on it.  They create personal profiles.  They
"claim" authorship of documents in your database.  (ACIS
makes it easy.)  They build and maintain their "on-line
CVs".  You export the data to the interested third parties.
(Sensitive information like email addresses will be excluded
unless user permitted to publicize it.)  Third parties then
build public websites based on those profiles.  It gets
easier to track authors and their works.  When people move
between institutions, colleagues and learners still can find
their works and contact information.

That's what ACIS is for.


From the [test.acis.openlib.org
website](http://test.acis.openlib.org/about):

> __What to expect while trying the system__

> ... Given an ACIS system, anybody can come and register in
  it.  Registration will create a profile and an account in
  the system.  Registration process requires a valid email
  address and takes several screens to go through.  After
  the last screen, system sends confirmation email with a
  confirmation URL inside.  When user confirms, the profile
  is created and the account is activated.

> When a profile is created and each time it is updated, it
  is written to a static HTML page with a short permanent
  address (<a
  href='http://test.acis.openlib.org/persona/pwo1/'>Example</a>).

> When you login into the system, you may change various
  parts of the profile, including some items which were not
  available during the initial registration.

> Both at the initial registration and during a usual login,
  you may submit new institutions to the institutions
  database (through your affiliations profile).  If you
  want, it will be added to your affiliations profile.
  Anyway, it will be sent by email to the 'institutions data
  maintainer'.

> The changes you do to your profile won't take effect until
  you log off.  If you do not log off yourself, the system
  will close your session and log you off after a short
  while of inactivity.  In either case it will send you an
  email notifying you of the profile update and give you a
  link.



