Buckets: smart objects for digital libraries

Original publisher: Hampton, Va. : National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Langley Research Center ; Hanover MD : Available from NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI), [2001] OCLC Number: (OCoLC)51776875 Excerpt: ... of having an open architecture, with multiple searching, browsing and other user interfaces possible, there is an assumption of tightly tying the data objects to a single service that controls their access. For example, in the open architecture DL proposal of Lagoze & Payette ( 1998 ), the integration of repository and object is explicitly stated: " The repository service provides the mechanism for the deposit, storage, and access to digital objects. A digital object is considered contained within a repository if the URN of that object resolves to the respective repository ( and, thus, access to the object is only available via a service request to that repository ). " Our approach begins with promoting the importance of the information objects above that of the DL systems used for their storage, discovery, and management. Within the context of DLs, we make the information objects " first-class citizens ". We propose decoupling information objects from the systems used for their storage and retrieval, allowing the technology for both DLs and information content to progress independently. Paepcke ( 1996 ) argues that " searching is not enough " and that DLs need to provide a wide range of value-added services, far more than DLs currently provide. We agree with this position, and feel that dismantling the current stovepipe of " DL-archive-content " is the first step in building richer DL experiences for users. To demonstrate this partitioning between DLs, archives and information content, we introduce " buckets ". Buckets are aggregative, intelligent, object-oriented constructs for publishing in digital libraries. They are partially similar in design to Kahn-Wilensky Digital Objects ( DOs ) ( Kahn & Wilensky, 1995 ), but with a...