# /research/announcements/2006-09-28.xml

originally: http://www.oclc.org/research/announcements/2006-09-28.htm

        Ross Singer of Georgia Tech Wins Second OCLC Research Software Contest
        Ross Singer has won the Second OCLC Research Software Contest with Umlaut, an OpenURL Link Resolver intended to improve access to library collections by contextualizing citations and available holdings more accurately for a given user.
        hickey@oclc.org

        http://www.oclc.org/research/announcements/
        http://www.oclc.org/research/announcements/oclc_research_news.rdf
        September 28, 2006
        Currently running with Georgia Tech's catalog, Umlaut utilizes a host of web services and can take several paths depending on what it finds at various stages.
        <P>The contest judges were impressed at how much the Umlaut does for the user, especially the effort to get them to&nbsp;full text files, and thought the use of OCLC services was well done. As the contest winner, Mr. Singer will receive a check for $2,500 and a visit with OCLC researchers and others in Dublin, Ohio (USA).</P>
    <P>More information about Umlaut, including access to the service itself,&nbsp;is linked below.</P>
    <P>Jesse Andrews is the contest runner-up, with Book Burro, a Firefox/Flock extension that uses Open WorldCat and xISBN functionality to facilitate locating books.</P>
    <P>The Second OCLC Research Software Contest ran from July 1 through mid-September.&nbsp; Its goal was to encourage innovation in the use of web-based services for libraries.</P>
    <P>Entries were judged by a panel of expert practitioners and academicians from OCLC and the library/information community: </P>
    <UL>
    <LI>Thom Hickey <BR>Chief Scientist, OCLC<BR>blogs at <A href="http://outgoing.typepad.com/outgoing/">outgoing</A>
    <LI>Walt Crawford<BR>Systems Analyst, RLG and OCLC<BR>author/editor of Cites &amp; Insights; blogs at <A href="http://walt.lishost.org/">Walt at Random</A>
    <LI>Elizabeth Lane Lawley<BR>Associate Professor and Director, Lab for Social Computing, Rochester Institute of Technology<BR>blogs at <A href="http://mamamusings.net/">mamamusings</A>, <A href="http://many.corante.com/">many-to-many</A>, and <A href="http://www.misbehaving.net/">misbehaving.net</A>
    <LI>Roy Tennant<BR>User Services Architect, California Digital Library<BR>Owner, <A href="http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/">Web4Lib</A> and <A href="http://lists.webjunction.org/xml4lib/">XML4Lib</A> electronic discussions; author</LI></UL>
        <P>Ross Singer's Umlaut<BR><A href="features/umlaut-about.htm">http://www.oclc.org/research/announcements/features/umlaut-about.htm</A></P>
    <P>Jesse Andrews' Book Burro<BR><A href="http://bookburro.org/">http://bookburro.org</A></P>
    <P>Thom Hickey<BR><A href="../staff/hickeyt.xml">http://www.oclc.org/research/staff/hickeyt.htm</A></P>
    <P>Walt Crawford<BR><A href="http://waltcrawford.name/">http://waltcrawford.name/</A></P>
    <P>Liz Lawley<BR><A href="http://www.it.rit.edu/~ell/contact_info/">http://www.it.rit.edu/~ell/contact_info/</A></P>
    <P>Roy Tennant<BR><A href="http://roytennant.com/">http://roytennant.com/</A></P>
    <P>2005 Contest Winner<BR><A href="2005-06-22.xml">http://www.oclc.org/research/announcements/2005-06-22.htm</A></P>

        Thom Hickey
        +1-614-764-6075

        Bob Bolander
        bolander@oclc.org
        +1-614-761-5207

        Chief Scientist
        OCLC Research
        Communications &amp; Programs Manager
        OCLC Research