Journal of Network and Computer Applications (1997) 20, 1–2

GUEST EDITORIAL

Special issue of JNCA on digital libraries

This issue of JNCA is dedicated to the topic of digital libraries. As guest editor, oneof my goals was to try to give the reader a feeling for the breadth of topics that arebeing considered in the digital libraries area. This issue contains papers on extendingSQL to support integrated queries on bibliographic and relational databases, softwaretools for enhancing information access, the use of agent-based user interfaces, systemdesign based upon a Hyper-G server, the use of on-line resources for education, andlessons in very large scale scientific publishing. A second goal was to try to includepapers having different perspectives from different parts of the world. This issue containspapers from the U.S., Germany, Mexico, Singapore and Japan. Each of the six papersprovides insights on the impacts that digital libraries will have on our society.

In ‘Integrated queries to existing bibliographic and structured databases’, Lim andLu discuss an approach to the unification of bibliographic and structured data forquerying in digital libraries. By extending standard SQL with facilities for handlingMARC format databases, they show how the bibliographic data model may beintegrated with the relational model in a loosely-coupled manner that allows transparentqueries to distributed databases on the Internet.

In ‘experimental studies on software tools to enhance accessibility to information indigital libraries,’ Sugimoto et al. describe five experiments involving user interfacemetaphors, information visualization, collaboration support systems, and multi-lingualbrowsers. The paper describes the need for intuitive information access tools for noviceusers of digital libraries.

In ‘Agent services for users of digital libraries’, Sanchez and Leggett discuss thepotential of agent-based user interfaces as an alternative style for information accessand interaction with digital libraries. A prototypical implementation of a distributedclient-server architecture for agent services within a substantial digital library projectis described. User agents are shown to have potential for bridging the gap between theuser’s information needs and the large, dynamic and complex information spaces ofdigital libraries.

In ‘DogitaLS1: The Dortmund digital library system,’ Tochtermann et al. presenttheir design rationale for building digital library systems and describe an implementationbased upon these concepts. The DogitaLS1 digital library system uses the Hyper-Gsecond generation Internet information system as a storage substrate. The paperdiscusses experiences using Hyper-G as the underlying server technology for DogitaLS1and compares results with other research projects.

In ‘Creating an inquiry-based learning environment using the World Wide Web,’Alloway et al. describe their experiences using on-line resources to promote sustainedinquiry in science classrooms. The paper provides a good example of educational usesof digital libraries and discusses shortcomings in current technologies. If we take a

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2 Guest Editorial

holistic view of what digital libraries will mean to literature, scholarship and education,we can see the lessons learned in this project are important for influencing future digitallibrary system design.

In ‘The flora of North America digital library: a case study in biodiversity data basepublishing,’ Schnase et al. provide an insider’s view to a very large scale scientificpublishing enterprise that is providing the content for a very valuable botanical digitallibrary. The paper discusses the difficult challenges inherent in such projects, the impactson the work practices of participating scientists, and the inevitable change in the scienceitself as a result of using the electronic record in the digital library instead of the paperrecord in the physical library.

I would like to thank Hermann Maurer for the opportunity to edit this special issueof JNCA on digital libraries and to express my appreciation to all those who readdrafts of the papers for their time and effort.

John J. LeggettCenter for the Study of Digital Libraries

Texas A&M UniversityUSA