September 12th: Building a Rapid-

Response Research Database

Charlotte R. SpinnerPresident

Effective Systems Solutions LLCinfo@effectivesys.com

InfoToday/E-Libraries 2003Building a Digital Library: Shining Examples and Lessons LearnedSession F201 ~ May 7, 2003

U.S. News Coverage in the Aftermath of Sept. 11th

Fields in the USN&WR Terrorist Attack Database

Record Type (Person, Group, Meeting) US Entry Points

Preferred Name Address(es) Variant Name(s) Flight Hijacked Event Pilot Training Role/Involvement Pilot License Info Date of Birth Educational Info Variant Date of Birth FBI Watch List? Age Other Monitoring Physical Description Link to Person Place of Birth Link to Organization Employment Info Arrest Information Social Security Number Financial Data Country of Origin Car Registrations Ethnicity Link to Article Religion Link to Photo Citizenship General Notes Passport(s) Sources Checked Visa Type(s)

Stats

• Currently ~3,000 records in TERROR database

• 80% of records are about a person• 11% groups/businesses• 9% full-text of stories, transcripts

or other documents• smattering of records about key

terrorist meetings

Lessons Learned

• Flexible database tools are a must• Establishing interconnections probably

the most valuable feature• Rapid accomplishments are possible!• Model for other big stories:

– Enron & other Corporate Scandals– Sex Abuse Scandal in the Catholic Church