INLS 235 Digital Library Review

 

Select a digital library of your choice.  Before proceeding, get instructor approval.    Prepare a written summary for the project using the following template.  Note that the template is meant to guide your summary--some DLs may not address all attributes on template and may include others.  The summary should not exceed 5 printed pages and should be handed in as a formatted printout by March 6.  The summary should also be mounted on  the class webpage in the dl_overview subdirectory (your file should be ftped to /export/htdocs/inls235_s02/dl_overviews on Ruby.  The file name should have the form DLNAME_YOURNAME (DLNAME can be the official or abbreviated version and YOURNAME can be some variation on your name). The URL for reaching the template page is http://ils.unc.edu/inls235_s02/dl_overviews/dl_template.html.  We will link your reviews to this page.  Prepare a 10-minute presentation to be given in class sometime after March 6.

 

Some possible DLs (but many others possible)

·         DLI1 or DLI2 Projects

·         Specific state (e.g., CDL, NC-Live) or library projects

·         National Library Projects (e.g., LC, British Library, Bibliotheque Nationale de France, NL of Australia, etc.)

·         Professional Organization DLs (e.g., ACM DL)

·         Computer Science TR DL (NCSTRL)

·         Commercial Projects (e.g., image archives)

·         Perseus Project DL

 

Digital Library Review Template

DL Name

DL Address (URL)

DL Mission

 

Community

·         What is the user community(ies)?

·         Who are the stakeholders (sponsors, partners)? Who actually operates the DL?

·         How is the DL funded?  Is this sustainable?

·         How does the DL interoperate/cooperate with other DLs?

Content  (Collection Development Policy)

·         What does the DL contain (type, media, volume)?

·         What will it contain in 5 years?

·         How is it organized (what are atomic collection units? Collections/aggregations? What metadata is used for each?)

·         If the DL is part of a physical library, how are digital and physical objects related? (e.g., are there digital pointers to physical objects?

Services

·         What is the access policy (e.g., open URL, partially open, membership, etc.)?

·         What search services are provided (e.g., single search engine for entire DL? Alternative modes [e.g., basic, advanced])?

·         How is selection/browsing managed?

·         Are reference services offered (e.g., FAQ, email queries, query form, etc.)?

·         Is help or instruction available?

Technology

·         Where do the files/dbs/server(s) reside?

·         What are the hardware (compute and network) components?

·         What interface techniques are used (assumptions about user expertise, interaction style supported [command/form-fill/menu/direct manipulation/visualizations], control mechanisms provided [frames, java apps])?

·         Are there special security or quality of service provisions?

·         Are there specific research and development problems this DL addresses?

Publications, related URLs, etc.