[Prev Abstract][Next Abstract][Contents]
Gary King[1], H. T. Kung[2], Barbara Grosz[2], Sidney Verba[3], Dale Flecker[4], and Brian Kahin[5]
[1]Department of Government, gk@isr.harvard.edu
[2]Division of Applied Sciences, {kung, grosz}@das.harvard.edu
[3]Department of Government and Harvard University Library, sverba@hdc.mhs.harvard.edu
[4]Harvard University Library, dale@harvarda.harvard.edu
[5]John F. Kennedy School of Government, kahin@hulaw1.harvard.edu
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
This paper proposes the development of a library system with an in-depth catalog of social science materials linked initially to a digital collection of survey and other research datasets. It is proposed that digital libraries can accept information from, as well as dispense information to users, and that such libraries can be improved and enriched through use. The digital library is composed of the user client software, a metadata or catalog server, a data store server, and a contribution acceptance server. Primary emphasis is given to research and development of the user client software, which must support information retrieval (both traditional and hypertext), tools to capture the extensive knowledge, analysis, and information routinely created by users during the research process, and the ability to contribute such information back to the digital library. The system will be designed to be extensible to various types of digital content beyond survey datasets, and to other types of access networks, including cable television access. In addition to issues of user client design, research areas include the "bibliographic" description of datasets, security/authentication in an inter-institutional context, scalable client/server architectures, information certification, and intellectual-property management.
Keywords: User contribution, client software, information retrieval, certification, work environments, user interface
[Prev Abstract][Next Abstract][Contents]