1. Chapter One Orientation: The world of digital libraries How to Build a Digital Library Ian H. Witten and David Bainbridge

2. What is a Library? A building where books are kept A building where books are kept Most of the public Most of the public Preservation of Literature Preservation of Literature Librarians Librarians Collection & Organization of books, art, film, sound recordings, botanical specimen, cultural objects, etc. Collection & Organization of books, art, film, sound recordings, botanical specimen, cultural objects, etc. Networks of Information Networks of Information Researchers Researchers “the Web” “the Web” Students & youth Students & youth

3. What is a Digital Library? Is it an institution? Is it an institution? Is it a piece of technology? Is it a piece of technology?

4. What is a Digital Library? NOT a “Digitized Library” NOT a “Digitized Library” Not to replace books Not to replace books NOT a means to deconstruct existing institutions NOT a means to deconstruct existing institutions

5. What is a Digital Library? A digital library is an organized collection of information A digital library is an organized collection of information A focused collection of digital objects, including text, video, and audio, along with methods for access and retrieval, and for selection, organization, and maintenance of the collection A focused collection of digital objects, including text, video, and audio, along with methods for access and retrieval, and for selection, organization, and maintenance of the collection

6. What are Digital Objects? Text Text Audio Audio Video Video 3D objects 3D objects Simulations Simulations Dynamic visualizations Dynamic visualizations Virtual worlds Virtual worlds

7. Who is Involved? The User The User Access Access Retrieval Retrieval The Librarian The Librarian Selection Selection Organization Organization

8. Data versus Information Data Data Recorded facts Recorded facts Information Information Set of patterns, or expectations, that underlie the data Set of patterns, or expectations, that underlie the data Knowledge Knowledge Accumulation of a set of expectations Accumulation of a set of expectations Wisdom Wisdom Value attached to knowledge Value attached to knowledge

9. What is a Digital Library? A library without walls A library without walls But it does need boundaries But it does need boundaries A new way of dealing with knowledge by A new way of dealing with knowledge by Preserving Preserving Collecting Collecting Organizing Organizing Propagating Propagating Accessing Accessing An organized collection of digital information An organized collection of digital information Purpose Purpose Principles Principles

10. What about the Librarian’s Job? Selection, organization, and maintenance are central to the notion of library Selection, organization, and maintenance are central to the notion of library Librarians classify and catalog the records of ascertained knowledge, the literature of the whole past Librarians classify and catalog the records of ascertained knowledge, the literature of the whole past It is the wisdom that librarians put into the library that will distinguish digital libraries from the chaos of the World Wide Web It is the wisdom that librarians put into the library that will distinguish digital libraries from the chaos of the World Wide Web Digital library software supports the role of librarians with organizational structures and maintenance Digital library software supports the role of librarians with organizational structures and maintenance

11. What is Metadata? Metadata is “data about data” (glibly) Metadata is “data about data” (glibly) Metadata is the information that is included in the library catalog Metadata is the information that is included in the library catalog Library catalog Library catalog A complete model that represents, in a predictable manner, the universe of books in the library A complete model that represents, in a predictable manner, the universe of books in the library Provides a summary of library contents Provides a summary of library contents Bibliographies and Indexes Bibliographies and Indexes Virtual representations that give access to journal articles, government documents, microfiche and microfilm, and special collections Virtual representations that give access to journal articles, government documents, microfiche and microfilm, and special collections

12. Scope of Digital Libraries Digital libraries offer unique ways of recording, preserving, and propagating culture in multimedia form Digital libraries offer unique ways of recording, preserving, and propagating culture in multimedia form Four Examples: Four Examples: Support human development Support human development Pushing on the frontiers of science Pushing on the frontiers of science Preserving a traditional culture Preserving a traditional culture Exploring popular music Exploring popular music

13. Digital Libraries In Developing Countries Disseminate humanitarian information Disseminate humanitarian information Information is in the public domain Information is in the public domain Information can be made freely available Information can be made freely available Disaster relief Disaster relief The response to a crisis may produce larges amounts of unstructured multimedia data that must be acquired, processed, organized, and disseminated The response to a crisis may produce larges amounts of unstructured multimedia data that must be acquired, processed, organized, and disseminated These collections of information can be organized and created rapidly with digital library technology These collections of information can be organized and created rapidly with digital library technology Preserving indigenous culture Preserving indigenous culture Multimedia presentations can be accessed through a standard user interface Multimedia presentations can be accessed through a standard user interface Locally produced information Locally produced information Community can produce its own information collection for sustained long-term human development Community can produce its own information collection for sustained long-term human development The technological infrastructure The technological infrastructure Machines may be readily donated Machines may be readily donated Network access not required – CD-ROM or DVD Network access not required – CD-ROM or DVD

14. “Killer App” An application that creates a sustained market for a promising but underutilized technology An application that creates a sustained market for a promising but underutilized technology The World Wide Web may be the Internet’s kill app The World Wide Web may be the Internet’s kill app Music collections may be the killer app for digital libraries Music collections may be the killer app for digital libraries Digital libraries may themselves be killer apps for computer technology Digital libraries may themselves be killer apps for computer technology

15. The Alexandrian Principle “It is a librarian’s duty to increase the stock of his library.” “It is a librarian’s duty to increase the stock of his library.” According to Encyclopedia Britannica, libraries are doubling in size every 16 to 20 years According to Encyclopedia Britannica, libraries are doubling in size every 16 to 20 years

16. Notions are Being Replaced Focused Collections Focused Collections Rather than the Alexandrian model Rather than the Alexandrian model Service to library users Service to library users Rather than massive storehouse of information Rather than massive storehouse of information Unrestrained growth leads to chaos Unrestrained growth leads to chaos

17. Virtual Library? Virtual: Virtual: Existing in essence or effect though not in actual fact, form or name Existing in essence or effect though not in actual fact, form or name Virtual Library: Virtual Library: A library without walls A library without walls (no books either) (no books either)

18. About Libraries A Library A Library Generally includes many different collections Generally includes many different collections Each collection may be organized differently Each collection may be organized differently Usually a strong resemblance in how collections are presented Usually a strong resemblance in how collections are presented

19. About Collections A Collection of Information A Collection of Information Provides a standard interface by which all documents may be accessed Provides a standard interface by which all documents may be accessed May contain many different types of documents May contain many different types of documents May contain a few documents to several million documents May contain a few documents to several million documents Becomes maintainable, searchable, and browsable Becomes maintainable, searchable, and browsable

20. About Documents A Document A Document An information-bearing message in electronically recorded form An information-bearing message in electronically recorded form The fundamental unit or building block on which information collections are built The fundamental unit or building block on which information collections are built May have its own substructure with associated files May have its own substructure with associated files Usually contains text Usually contains text May also contain sound, images or video May also contain sound, images or video

21. Building a Collection Once the building process is established, it becomes automatic Once the building process is established, it becomes automatic The process creates all the structures that are needed at runtime to access the collection The process creates all the structures that are needed at runtime to access the collection Searching Searching Based on indexes Based on indexes Full text Full text Metadata Metadata Browsing Browsing Based on: Based on: Metadata Metadata Phrase Structures Phrase Structures Information abstracted from the full text Information abstracted from the full text Rebuilding the collection Rebuilding the collection When new material becomes available, it can be fully incorporated into the collection When new material becomes available, it can be fully incorporated into the collection

22. Greenstone Software Greenstone Digital Library software New Zealand Digital Library Project University of Waikato Greenstone Digital Library software New Zealand Digital Library Project University of Waikato Public Public Extensible Extensible Issued under the GNU General Public License Issued under the GNU General Public License

23. Features of Greenstone Software Access through Web browser Access through Web browser Windows or Unix Windows or Unix Searching Searching Browsing Browsing Easy to maintain Easy to maintain Various metadata Various metadata Plug-ins for new document types Plug-ins for new document types Multiple languages Multiple languages Text, pictures, audio, video Text, pictures, audio, video Hierarchical phrase and key-phrase indexes Hierarchical phrase and key-phrase indexes Multi-gigabyte Compression Password Protection User logs Administrative functions Updates dynamically without bringing system down Publish to CD-ROM Uniform presentation across different computers Open-source software

24. Things to Consider Copyright Copyright Collecting from the Web Collecting from the Web Illegal or harmful material Illegal or harmful material Standards vary Standards vary Cultural sensitivity Cultural sensitivity