Week 2 Readings

A Framework for Building Open Digital Libraries by Suleman and Fox

While this reading was interesting and informative, I thought it was rather superficial. Suleman and Fox didn't really dig into anything beyond the surface level of digital library creation.
They explain the meaning of "open digital libraries", addressing the term "open" as coming from the OAI. Open systems will help to unify the many digital libraries that are out there, although I did not gather from the article whether it will be easy to convert DLs that are not currently open into those that are.

Suleman and Fox give explanations as to why digital libraries had not previously been approached as open projects, citing reasons like:

• the ever-changing world wide web
• digital libraries fulfilling the needs of a particular community, instead of the needs of many general communities at once
• program logic variations

and the list goes on. They also give grounded arguments as to why it is beneficial and positive to look towards an open DL system:

• the changing status of libraries and the academic community
• the ease and usability of understandable and natural OAI protocol
• OAI protocol in general
• simplicity

Overall Suleman and Fox do a good job of allowing me (someone who is technologically challenged) to enter the world of digital libraries and come out the other side understanding the basics of what goes on behind the scenes. This article relates closely with that by Payette, Blanchi, Lagoze, and Overly...

Interoperability for Digital Objects and Repositories: the Cornell/CNRI Experiments by Payette, Blanchi, Lagoze, and Overly

This article was somewhat harder for me to dig my teeth into. Reading about the experiments that were performed to test the Cornell/CNRI digital libraries was interesting. The three tier system of architecture is described as generic, and I am not sure I truly understand how this can be so. While DigitalObjects are able to be "invoked" by clients using the RAP requests, I do not see how this leads to DigitalObjects as generic.
Focusing on the Interoperability and Extensibility mechanisms, it seems that extensibility can be achieved without sacrificing the interoperability of the systems. As long as both systems have the equipment and tools to access, they will work together.

Many of the experiments are now jumbling together in my head. Testing general results for interoperability, testing how items are added to the infrastructure, testing protocol... it all seems important, and yet, very hard to differentiate.

What I took most from this article was that people are working towards creating DLs that are able to be used with one another and can work properly and effectively while doing it.

An Architecture for Information in Digital Libraries by Arms, Blanchi, and Overly

One I can understand! Arms, Blanchi and Overly start from the beginning and define terms that are used throughout the article. Digital objects, handles, and repositories are all described and the reader is given helpful examples of each throughout the reading.
Focusing on creating a system that is easy for users to navigate while maintaining flexibility and complex behind the scenes systems for computer scientists to manipulate data is the goal of the digital library.

The example provided on how each individual part comes together to answer a question submitted by a patron was invaluable for me. To see an example of how the system actually works helped me to understand in a very easy manner the way search engines can retrieve information.

Muddiest Points thus far:
From week 1:
Just to be clear, we do not have to email our thoughts on the readings? And also, these posts are due FRIDAY, and not SUNDAY?