David Bainbridge ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Computer Science, University of Waikato Hamilton, NZ

Abstract

This article is the first in a series of three publications that reflects on the boundaries and perceptions of what we think of when we hear the term Digital Libraries, as substantiated through our mainstream digital library systems. In this first article we lay the groundwork, concentrating on detailing the capabilities of established digital libraries, as a point of reference. We present a range of examples and highlight the commonalities that occur despite dealing with diverse topics and subject matter. We then go on to detail generalized forms of digital library that occur and discuss the software architecture behind them.

Keywords

DL Architecture, Digital Libraries, Digital Library Software.

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David Bainbridge ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Computer Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ

Abstract

This article is the second in a series of three publications that reflect on the boundaries and perceptions of what we think of when we hear the term Digital Libraries, with reference to our mainstream digital library systems. In this second article we look at how the existing building blocks of these digital library software architectures can be re-purposed - with only a modest amount of work - to better support interoperability. We do so through two key developments that show what is possible when this thinking is applied to the open source Greenstone software architecture, supported by several examples of it in use. The first key development focuses on the document ingest phase of the digital library, and shows how it can be transformed into an exchange centre for other digital library systems. The second key development builds on top of the ingest developments of the first, and targets interoperability within the runtime system. It demonstrates how a proxying technique can be used to provide a ready-to-use interactive workflow and end-user experience crafted for one digital library architecture (Greenstone), but applies it to another (Fedora).

Keywords

Digital Libraries, Digital Library Architecture, Digital Library Software, FEDORA. Greenstone Digital Library

Full Text

     

David Bainbridge ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Computer Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ

Abstract

This article is the final in a series of three publications that reflect on the boundaries and perceptions of what we think of when we hear the term Digital Libraries, with reference to our mainstream digital library systems. In this article we present three digital library examples that push the implementation envelope in terms of digital library systems functionality, thereby challenging expectations and assumptions about what our mainstream digital library systems are capable of delivering. The first example integrates a Digital Music Stand with a digital library environment, and in doing so extends the role of the digital library to include fine-grained interaction and access to document content. The second example is a digital library that supports musicological analysis, and shifts the boundaries of where and how the digital library operates. This second example is notable as it breaks out of the silo mindset prevalent in mainstream DLs software architecture designs. The trends of enhanced flexible and permissive capabilities continue through the third example, where we present a crowdsourced pop-trivia music video website with a Guitar Hero game challenge element. While this description might seem far removed from the notion of a digital library, it is in fact implemented using an off-the-shelf open source digital library solution, where all the additional functionality introduced is achieved through the inclusion of supplemental JavaScript and XSLT files—no change to the digital library architecture is needed. While the three chosen examples all happen to be musical in nature, this is really incidental to the main points being made, and the article concludes by generalising the discussion to other forms of digital library.

Keywords

Digital Libraries, Digital Music, Music Videos.

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