ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

Community 1. What is the user community(-ies)? Alexandria Digital Library (ADL) provides access to its collection of gazetteer, databases, maps, documents and photographs via its specialized technology. The users of the digital library are students, researchers, faculty members and other people for general public who are interested in science. Users are able to search through various catalogues and collect information they are interested in. Users are able to create collection level metadata, map item-level metadata and locate item images. 2. Who are stakeholders (sponsors, partners)? Who actually operates this digital library? The digital library is one of the Digital Library Initiatives. It has many partners in various industries and academia. It works closely with University of California at Santa Barbara, State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Maine California Digital Library, Center for the Study of Sacred Sites (CASS), Digital Library of Earth Systems Education (DLESE), Environmental Systems Research (ESRI), Georgia Tech University, Informix, MapInfo, Nanyang Technological University, National Park Service, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Operational Support Web (NAVOCEANO), Oracle, PCRaster, San Diego Supercomputer Center, SGI, Southern California Earthquake Center, SRI International, Stanford University, Sun Microsystems, University of Aberdeen, University of California (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Berkeley), US Geological Survey and Utrecht University. The digital library is constantly seeking partnership from evolving and existing industries. In order to make the library work effectively, some divisions are involved in the project. The divisions are Metadata Administration, Software Developers and workshops (like NZADL

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

workshop). Workshops include division of the use of R-Structures and Information Management Systems. 3. How is the digital library funded? Is it sustainable? The digital library was established in 1994 and has been mainly funded by National Science Foundation, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The funding of the development of the library under the NSF DLI2 initiative is ended till 2006. Since all these organizations were funded enough to keep their projects alive, we may see that ADL was no exception. The support is now provided by Davidson Library UCSB. 4. How does the Digital Library interoperate/cooperate with other Digital Libraries? The library has a number of developed technological mechanisms to cooperate with other digital libraries. Various collaboration software has been used between digital libraries affiliated to UCSB, for example: UC Berkeley Digital Library and Alexandria Digital are working under high interoperation process. ADL uses UCBDLs Geographic Information System Viewer to display ADL Gazetteer data and various geographical data. ADL also collaborates with Digital Library of Earth System Education by sharing database and developing library technologies. Content 1. What does the Digital Library contain (type, media, volume)? Alexandria Digital Library I created to design and share spatially-indexed information. The library collects maps, gazetteers, atlases, images and photographs, and organizes them in digital form, in order to make them available to as many individuals as possible. Library

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

contains a great variety of information collections that are targeted to support various industries and sciences, geology and environmental sciences. ADL also contains geometrical photographs, scanned aerial photographs, digital elevation models, digital raster graphics, world maps and a great variety of other extremely useful information about Earth and Social Sciences. The volume of information is hard to be estimated, because the library is connected to a great variety of resources and collects data every second gathering thousands of images, reports, interactive maps and data. 2. Is there a formal collection development policy? The librarys collection development consists of various stages that include selection, evaluation, preservation and managing the materials that meet the aims of the library. The librarys collection development policy describes the principles of the collecting activity to inform users of library collecting peculiarities. The policy guides, assures, assists and aids users and digital library operating staff. As an official document, the collection development policy is targeted at creating the ideal of collection development and the way s of its improvement. 3. Who can add objects to the collection? The librarys information management technology is designed in the way that allows user to add objects to the current collection. Spatial objects, spatially referenced objects and general objects are three types of digital items that can be added to a collection. Users can add a collection by registering. Users are to complete the Collection-level Metadata form, create or map item level metadata and create configuration files. In order to aid the collection adding ADL provides templates to ensure adding accuracy.

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

4. How is it organized (what are the basic units of the collection? What metadata is used for each?) What metadata standards have been adopted? ADL collection consists of geographically referenced items, such as aerial photographs, satellite images, maps, etc. All these items have item level metadata (item information that is unique within the collection) and collection level metadata (standardized collection description). In order to stimulate production of metadata, the Federal Geographic Committee promoted its Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata known as FGDC-STD-0011998. These standards are being adopted by the Digital Library. Services 1. What is the access policy (e.g., free web, subscription, membership, etc.)? Alexandria Digital Library does not require subscribed membership for access. Online users are free to use ADL library webclient. But in case of collection adding or other operations users have to apply for membership. System requires login and password to access the modification area. 2. What search services are provided (e.g., single search engine for entire DL? Alternative modes [e.g., basic, advanced])? The library has a unified search engine for the entire collection. Its webclient (Globetrotter) allows finding valuable geospatial content in any part of the world. As for the search modes, ADL initially proposes basic search mode. In case, when users have items that require specific information, they can use advanced search mode for text, time and space. 3. How is selection/browsing managed?

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

Operational ADL area contains NGDA Globetrotter console to search and view the required content. Search results are displayed in sections and have secondary hyperlinks and search item information. Collection is easy to use even for first time users, because all necessary hyperlinks are easy to track and guidelines are provided in the area where they are needed. 4. Are reference services offered (e.g., FAQ, email quires, query form, chat, etc.)? ADLs website is the composition of collection navigation tools and interfaces. There are no FAQs and no email query options. The only aid that is provided is located in help area. The site also offers presentations in the form of ppt files, where users may view how things are organized and how to operate with the library. Contact us hyperlink gets users to the area where e-mails of key figures are introduced. Generally, site is designed for users that know what they need. 5. Is help or instructions available? Presentations are available to be downloaded and viewed. They contain information that is targeted to help users in ADL surfing and operation. Globetrotter webclient contains sections that may not be easy to work with and that is why, there is Help section where all key elements are described and explained.

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LIBRARY REVIEW

References Alexandria Digital Library. (2004). http://www.alexandria.ucsb.edu/index.html Retrieved September 17, 2012, from

Goodchild, M. F. (1995, November 8). Alexandria Digital Library: Report on a Workshop on Metadata. Retrieved September 18, 2012, from University of California: http://www.alexandria.ucsb.edu/public-documents/metadata/metadata_ws.html Hil, L. L., Carver, l. L., Larsgaard, M., Dolin, R., Smith, T. R., Frew, J., et al. (2000). Alexandria digital library: user evaluation studies and system design. Journal of the American Society for Information Science , Vol. 51 (Issue 3), 246-259.