DogitaLS1: the Dortmund digital library system

Abstract

This paper presents DogitaLS1, the Dortmund digital library system. DogitaLS1 uses Hyper-G, a second generation Internet Information system, as underlying WWW-server technology. The main emphasis is placed on two different goals that are important for digital libraries: structuring heterogeneous document collections and providing services for patrons and librarians. Concerning the structure of the document collection, the concepts provided by Hyper-G are exploited. Concerning the services, the tasks that both a patron and a librarian typically perform are examined. Then, we describe the services that have been implemented in DogitaLS1 to cover these different tasks. The paper also deals with how services can be embedded in the structure of a digital library if the digital library system is based on Hyper-G. Beyond this, this paper introduces services that do not have an analogue in conventional libraries but that have now become possible due to the technology used. Since DogitaLS1 is one of the few digital library systems based on Hyper-G, this paper might also be helpful to all who intend using Hyper-G as a substrate for implementing a digital library.