Electronic resource access troubleshooting is familiar work in most libraries. The added complexity introduced when a library implements a web-scale discovery service, however, creates a strong need for well-organized, rigorous training to enable troubleshooting staff to provide the best service possible. This article outlines strategies, tools,…

For the past several years academic libraries have been adopting discovery systems to provide a search experience that reflects user expectations and improves access to electronic resources. University of Houston Libraries has kept pace with this evolving trend by pursuing various discovery options; these include an open-source tool, a federated…

This briefing paper captures the key findings and recommendations of a study commissioned by the Joint Information Systems Committee on aspects of the strategic commitment of institutions to repository sustainability. This project, labelled EMBRACE (EMBedding Repositories And Consortial Enhancement), is aimed at enhancing the functionality,…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper to describe the research work on the long-term preservation of Chinese digital information funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) since 2001. Design/methodology/approach: The paper provides an overview, in text and figures, of ways in which e-documents originating in China, in now obsolete…

Over the past several decades, millions of digital objects of significant scientific, economic, cultural, and historic value have been published and distributed to libraries and archives on removable media. Providing long-term access to these documents, media files, and software executables is an increasingly complex task because of dependencies…

Electronic resources are more prominent than ever in library collections, yet they resist easy management. A range of tools and cooperative efforts are emerging to improve the management and evaluation of electronic resources. Initiatives are underway to standardize and automate the harvesting of usage statistics and e-journal title and holdings…

The preservation of digital data for the long term presents a variety of challenges from technical to social and organizational. The technical challenge is to ensure that the information, generated today, can survive long term changes in storage media, devices, and data formats. This paper presents a novel approach to the problem. It distinguishes…

This report provides an overview of knowledge organization systems (KOSs) and includes pertinent examples of their application to digital materials, offering extensive practical information for institutions embarking on digital library initiatives. The first section of the report defines the general characteristics of KOSs, with emphasis on their…

Defines digital library collections and outlines two classes of collection metadata. Describes the Alexandria Digital Library (ADL) Project approach to collection metadata, including the ADL system architecture and collection guidelines and the format and use of the ADL collection metadata. Appendices include ADL collection metadata and example.…

Investigates the role of data management in multimedia digital libraries, and its implications for the design of database management systems. Introduces the notions of content abstraction and content independence. Proposes a blueprint of a new class of database technology, which supports the basic functionality for the management of both content…

Examines Boisot's model of information processes and information economics based on information space in three dimensions (I-space). I-space is used as a framework to explain the success of computer-based tools in information scanning and dissemination, and their failure to support problem areas in the process of knowledge creation, especially…

Document management (DM) systems capture, store, index, retrieve, route, distribute, and archive information in organizations. Discusses "passive" electronic libraries and "active" systems; characteristics of effective systems; implementing a system; fitting a new system to an existing infrastructure; budgets; system…

In this article, the author describes his experience when Kathy Nichols contacted him seeking suggestions, recommendations--really anything he could think of--that might help her seize control of a bewildering and rapidly surging torrent of digital image files. The challenges that Nichols described interested him, and he felt they might be…

Includes four articles that discuss evaluation methods for information management systems under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; building digital libraries at the University of California San Francisco's Tobacco Control Archives; IFLA's Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records; and designing the Texas email repository model…

In the United Kingdom over the past few years there has been a dramatic growth of national and regional repositories to collect and disseminate resources related to teaching and learning. Most notable of these are the Joint Information Systems Committee's Online Repository for [Learning and Teaching] Materials as well as the Higher Education…