PROJECT HYDRA SNEAK PEAK – ADVANCE SHOWING

Brought to you by the Digital Repository Task ForceSteve Marine (chair), Ted Baldwin, Dan Gottlieb, Kevin Grace, Carolyn Hansen, Elizabeth Meyer, *Linda Newman, Elna Saxton, *Thomas Scherz, *James Van Mil

[*Today’s Presenters]

How did we get here?• We have been relying for five years on a DSpace

institutional repository, http://drc.libraries.uc.edu, now at over 560,000 records, and maintained by OH-Tech and OhioLINK.

• We locally run a LUNA image repository, now at over 16,000 records.

• OhioLINK wants to stop supporting repositories…• UC Libraries wants to expand into eScience, Digital

Humanities, Open Access Publishing, all supported by long term digital preservation…

What did we do about it?• UC Libraries formed a Digital Repository Task Force –

with two major subcommittees: Needs and Platform• The Platform subcommittee contacted over 20 institutions

with active DRs and Digital Preservation efforts, conducting in depth interviews by phone or video.

• UC Libraries started intensive talks with UCit about a partnership.

• UC Libraries moved a staff person into a developer position; advertised for an additional developer.

What did we decide?The Hydra community impressed us – the community and the platform.

But – We concluded there was no easy way to ‘stand up’ the repository without at least a year’s worth of development.

We decided to:1. Adopt Hydra as our local digital repository solution.2. Install DSpace and clone the UC DRC locally,

providing our users with the same URL, same functionality, now on our campus.

3. Begin a conversation with the Academic Preservation Trust.

Ruby on Rails

The Hydra Framework

Hydra Blacklight

Fedora Solr

Ruby on Rails• Open source web framework• Auto-“magicly” talks to databases and builds sites• Written in English-friendly Rails language

http://rubyonrails.orghttp://www.ruby-lang.org

Fedora• Flexible, extensible digital object repository• Friendly to Linked Open Data• Content-neutral

http://fedora-commons.org/

• …But it doesn’t have an interface

Solr• “Blazing fast” open source search platform• Full-text search• A “fork” of the Apache Lucene engine• Used by HathiTrust

http://lucene.apache.org/solr/

Blacklight• Ruby on Rails “gem”• Designed for library data• Highly flexible and customizable

http://projectblacklight.org/index.html

Hydra• Another Rails gem• Puts content and metadata in Fedora• Indexes metadata in Solr (and uses Blacklight for search

and retrieval)

http://projecthydra.org/

Ruby on Rails

The Hydra Framework

Hydra Blacklight

SolrFedora

What does every Project Hydra solution have in common?• Each Project Hydra solution is comprised of two

applications:• Catalog: a public-facing search and discovery interface. Built using

Blacklight and SOLR.• Dashboard: a private, restricted management interface for

uploading files and editing metadata. Curated via a Hydra-based metadata management interface. Built using Ruby and Rails.

What can we do with the Project Hydra Framework?

• Institutional Repositories• Image Collections• Media Libraries• Archives and Special Collections• Electronic Thesis and Dissertations• Workflow and Administration• Exhibits• Small data

http://projecthydra.org/apps-demos-2-2/

Hydra is a Framework – not an Application

• What does that mean?

Philosophy (from http://projecthydra.org/community-2-2/philosophy/)Hydra is about building a framework rather than a closed application.  It is designed so that adopters can each have their own design mix of features; variation is part of the plan.

Hydra invests time and resources into collaborative, community working.

Hydra encourages new adopters and so organizes (and encourages others to organize) training and workshops.

Hydra believes in openness and transparency in all it does: code, designs, discussions. Hydra Partners are committed to contributing back to the project: code for the core, documentation, design patterns and more.

Hydra designs for re-use.

Project Hydra is an Open Source Community

How?

http://projecthydra.org/

What’s now underway – two tracks:DRC move: • Plan with OhioLINK/OH-Tech to clone the

DRC; clarify the level of support OhioLINK/OH-Tech will provide throughout this process. (Talks initiated)

• Install and support DSpace and Oracle for the UC DRC. (Summer 2013 – campus IT has increased bandwidth to library server room and will provide an Oracle database server, Library IT is bringing up 2 servers for DSpace test and production, OhioLINK will provide custom DSpace code and record/digital object migration)

• Make critical improvements in backup support, to adequately secure repository content. (Summer 2013, discussions initiated with Library IT and UCit)

Hydra Development: • Establish a sandbox server where the

development team can begin to work with Hydra. (Summer 2013 – sandbox server installed by Library IT; additional disk capacity in progress, Digital Repositories unit has built 6 hydra heads -– all breaking at different points.)

• Schedule training (‘Hydra Camps’) for developers (Summer & Fall 2013)

• Fill the open Digital Repository Developer position (August 2013)

• Establish agreements (SLAs) concerning server resources, backup, and developer hours with UCit and other supporting entities at the University of Cincinnati. (Summer 2013)

• Join Project Hydra as a partner (nomination complete, process underway – Summer & Fall 2013)