Mary E. Brown, Ph.D., Professor
Information Science

Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515

Department of Information and Library Science
Fax: 1.203.392-5780 / Phone: 1.203.392-5781
Toll Free: 1-888-500-SCSU, then press 4

In this unit we ask the question: What can we predict about future digital libraries? In answering this question we briefly consider distributed environments, delivery of library objects, client services, and repositories of library objects.

WHAT CAN WE PREDICT ABOUT FUTURE DIGITAL LIBRARIES?

From the above reports by researchers we can confirm that various architectures are being suggested for digital libraries. Sanchez, Legett and Schnase (1997) observed a number of common characteristics among the various proposed architectures and conclude that digital libraries will have 1) highly distributed environments (that is, environments in which central collections store the information and queries go to the one repository to retrieve it as opposed to replication of repositories in multiple locations and queries going to one of the locations); 2) library objects will be served from digital libraries to clients (software residing on the userUs computer) and these client services will request information and receive results though varied communication protocols; 3) the client services will make diverse interfaces available to the user; and 4) repositories on the server side will rely on advanced database management systems (DBMSs) for object storage, indexing and selective retrieval.

What does this mean as to what you can expect as a user of digital libraries? You will be able to choose among screen display presentations and select one which best matches your needs. The screen presentation will include icons for agents, etc. which will take your queries. These agents will store information about you and histories of your information transactions. This stored information may be used in gaining information to satisfy your query. The agent may also recommend sources to which the query is most likely to retrieve a satisfactory response given your constraints, for example, of time or money or disciplinary interest. The agents will then translate your query into the form(s) specified by the sources to be queried, will negotiate fair use and other contracts with source agents, will receive the information requested, sort or arrange it in a sense-making scheme derived from your personal information use habits or specified information organization, and store aspects of this transaction in a personal profile of information needs and use. That is, digital libraries will be a service-orientated assortment of tools which will assist the patron in customizing a team of virtual specialists to broker the patrons information needs. I would expect that at least one proxy service would locate location-bound (non-web-based) resources, obtain information on access to these materials, collect information on local accommodations and travel, and negotiate for reserved access to materials, equipment, personnel, etc.

REFERENCES

Sanchez, J. A., Leggett, J. J., & Schnase, J. L. (1997). AGS: Introducing agents as services provided by digital libraries. Proceedings of the 2nd ACM International Conference on Digital Libraries, 75-82.