Digital Library: The HKU Libraries

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Digital Library The HKU Libraries experiences

• Kam-ming Ku
• HKUL
• kmku_at_hku.hk

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The presentation is about

• How to achieve delivering right information to
  the right person at the right time in anywhere?
• HKUL resources/projects
• Going to do
• Challenges
• Overcome the challenges
• Discussion

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1. HKUL resources/projects

• 1.1 Staffing
• 1.2 Networking
• 1.3 Hardware
• 1.4 Software
• 1.5 DL initiatives

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1.1 Systems Staff

• Systems Librarian
• 2 Computer Officers
• Assistant Librarian
• Assistant Computer Officer
• Senior Library Assistant
• 5.5 Technicians

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1.2 Networking

• From 10 ? 100 ? 1000 ? wireless ? Bluetooth??
• Gigabit Ethernet backbone and Fast Ethernet
  running to users. About 1000 network points.
• ACENet connection (Access Everywhere Network
  plug-in network for roaming users) 450 fixed
  points 18 wireless access points.

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1.2 Networking (cont.)

• Libraries within Campus are connected to Campus
  Backbone by Gigabit Ethernet link or Fast
  Ethernet link.
• 2 remote sites, Dental Medical Libraries, are
  connected to Main Campus by 10Mbps links
  respectively.
• Gigabit Firewall (Cisco PIX Firewall)
• Packeteer Network shaper

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1.3 Hardware

• Compaq AlphaServer GS60E ( for library catalogue)
• SUN Enterprise 4000, 10000
• 3 Linux, 5 Windows and 3 Novell Servers

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1.3 Hardware (cont.)

• 10 CDROM Towers
• 4 Towers for Staff
• 2 Towers in Medical Library
• 4 Towers for Network
• 3 WinFrame Servers 1 Thin Client server
• 1 Network CD-ROM MetaFrame Server
• 1 Standalone CD-ROM MetaFrame Server
• 1 Network CD-ROM WinFrame Server
• 1 Dell Server for 6 Thin Clients

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1.3 Hardware (cont.)
PC MAC
Office/Staff 289 6
Counter 35
Student 342 7
Printer Scanner
Office/Staff 107 17
Student 27 12

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1.4 Software

• SUN Solaris 8, DEC UNIX, Windows 2000/NT, Novell
  Netware, Linux
• III Innopac library management system
• Oracle 9i database, 9iAS (Web) and Context
  (full-text indexing/searching)
• ERL server for SilverPlatter databases
• WinFrame server for legacy and network CDROM
  databases
• Apache Web servers

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1.4 Software (cont.)

• TRS 4.0 server
• CJN server for hosting 6000 China full-text
  journals
• Proxy server, Samba server
• Pcounter server
• Tamino XML server
• VOD server (IBM Videocharger)
• Ezproxy Server

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1.4 Software (cont.)

• Illiad server (Inter-library Loan)
• Taiwan Newspaper database
• Chinese Database Server Sibucongkan (????)
  Sikuquanshu (????) ekangxi dictionary (????)

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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives
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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives
Imaging database
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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives

• 1.5.1. Digitalization projects
• e.g. ExamBase
• First in-house developed database
• Imaging database for past exam. papers
• Released in 1996
• Use DMS, client-server model
• Shifted to web-based soon
• tiff only (on-the-fly convert to gif/jpg) , no
  PDF!!!

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• Hardware
• High-speed flat bed scanner (36ppm)
• Software
• Kofax capture 3.0
• Sophisticated software includes scanning, OCR,
  verifications.

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• Logistics
• Scanning
• Automatic indexing
• Verification and manual inputting
• Data Publishing
• Publish data to Oracle database

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• Scanning
• Papers are scanned in batch mode (200 pages per
  batch)
• Uses separation sheet to separate different
  documents (The separation sheet is printed with
  barcoded index (e.g. department, course code) and
  fixed-sized font text The separation sheets can
  be re-used.)

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• Automatic indexing
• To recognize those barcoded indexes and text
  printed on the separation sheet
• Verification and manual inputting
• No need to verify the barcoded indexes, as the
  accuracy is gt 99.999
• In-doubt OCRed text is marked in red, it is easy
  to verify
• Input other indexes manually (e.g. exam. date)

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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives (cont.)

• e.g. Newspaper clippings
• Full-text imaging database
• Outsource scanning/indexing/OCR
• Oracle context cartridge as full-text search
  engine (supports no Chinese!)
• Decision keep on using? or buying a 3-rd party
  full-text software??

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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives (cont.)

• 1.5.2 Value-added Bibliographic databases
• Subset of library catalogue
• e.g. TOC , Thesis Online, AV materials..
• Debate
• single point source or a number of subsets??

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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives (cont.)

• e.g. Table of Contents
• To automate the inputting of TOC into
  bibliographic records

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• Hardware
• Overhead book scanner (4sec per image)
• Software
• Kofax capture 3.0
• Sophisticated software includes scanning, OCR,
  verifications.

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• Techniques
• Scanning
• Chinese OCR
• Proofreading
• Data Publishing
• Publish data to Catalogue

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• Scanning
• Use book scanner to scan the books TOC
• benefits
• no need to flip the book for scanning
• can scan two sides at one time
• increase the speed of scanning
• Chinese OCR
• A plug-in module was written to interface with
  Kofax Capture for Chinese OCR (TH-OCR 7.5)

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• Proofreading
• Use MS Word (Chinese) to do the proofreading
• Macro program was written to ease the step of
  assigning MARC sub-fields
• Publish data to Catalogue
• Done at night in batch mode
• Use tcl/tk expect script to automate the upload
  process

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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives (cont.)

• 1.5.3 Subject-based e-resources
• Redesign tag 996
• A number of useful information on e-resources
• Grouping of materials by subject fulfill users
  needs
• Ease of extending our further DL projects (e.g.
  portal)
• See HKUL HP (databases, EJ, Ebooks ENews)
• 1.5.4 Internet resources
• 1.5.5 Electronic Delivery (ILLiad)

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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives (cont.)

• 1.5.6 Virtual services
• E-forms (e.g. BRO)
• Online reference
• 1.5.7 Automation
• Increase efficiency
• e.g. amend thousand of records in batch
• Electronic submission
• Staff intranet
• Innoface

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1.5 HKUL DL initiatives (cont.)

• 1.5.8 Collaboration
• Union catalogue w/ Jinan University
• 1.5.9 Authentication Proxy, ezproxy, IP control
• 1.5.10 Others for accessing legacy CDROM
  databases

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2. Going to do

• Storage Area Network (SAN)
• Abundance of servers
• One-stop search
• Alert service
• Wireless applications

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2.1 SAN

• Problem a Storage
• large data size of our hosted databases
• high monthly data increase rate
• Databases are hosted in different hosts/OS

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2.1 SAN (cont.)

• Problem b Backup
• backup drive for every machine
• backup software license for every machine
• Need to handle a lot of backup tapes

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2.1 SAN (cont.)

• Solution (SAN)
• Put all data storage into a single large-sized
  expandable storage device.
• The storage device is connected to the hosts by
  high-speed Fiber channels
• Fiber channel loop is used to connect to each
  host in order to ensure high availability
• Backup can be done on a single device

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2.2 Abundance of servers

• Problem
• Hard to monitor the status and activities of each
  server
• Waste time to tune the performance of each server

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2.2 Abundance of servers (cont.)

• Solution Server consolidation
• Buy several powerful servers instead of many
  cheap mid-range servers
• Keep as minimal servers as possible
• Save space and UPS power ratings , i.e. saving
• Save man power to administer/maintain server
  performance , i.e. cost saving

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2.3 One-stop search

• Before searching, one needs to know which
  database suit ones need
• To search multiple databases simultaneously
• e.g. OAI (http//www.openarchives.org/ )
• e.g. CDL SearchLight (http//www.cdlib.org/cgi-bi
  n/searchlight)

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2.4 Alert service

• To alert users for new information
• SDI

2.5 Wireless Application

• A study on mobile and PDA application in Library

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3. Challenges

• Changes
• New Technologies
• Competitors
• What are the (future) standards?
• Contents
• Digital Vs printed
• Information overflow
• Lifelong education

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3.1 The causes of changes

• Development of I.T.
• Network, telecommunications, digitalization,
  storage format, access model,
• Economy
• Online, e-commerce, smart card ,
• Learning environment
• Life-long learning
• Mode of communication
• Email, ICQ

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3.2 New technologies

• Changing so fast
• Acronyms
• Help http//www.webopedia.com
• Who knows what the future would be?
• Reluctant to change
• Dont be afraid to dig in
• See Editors notes, Computers in Libraries,
  vol.22, no.8, p.6

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3.3 Competitors

• Who?
• See OCLC White paper on the Information Habits
  of College Students (http//www2.oclc.org/oclc/pdf
  /printondemand/informationhabits.pdf)
• 79 use a search engine for every or most
  searches!!

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Technology Adoption Life Cycle
Late Majority
Early Majority
Early Adopters
Laggards
Innovators
Source Crossing the Chasm, Geoffrey Moore
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Crystal Ball??

• Number of visits ?
• Usage of physical materials ?
• Training to users real-time support ?
• Demand for subject knowledge ?
• Competitors ?
• Fast services high productivity
• Information provider and producer
• Cost-effectiveness
• Library workflow goes to e-business model
• Partnership
• Provide services that lead to income

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4. Overcome the challenges

• What business are we in?
• What are our major strengths weakness?
• Who are our competitors?
• Who are our customers? their needs?
• What factors are affecting Library?
• Do we have the skills?

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4. Overcome the challenges how?

• Training - to keep abreast with new technologies
• Human resources - partners
• Value-added services
• User-oriented mindset
• Automation
• Improve the social image of librarians
• Co-operation
• Talk with other people in order to understand the
  technology different areas
• Research

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4. Overcome the challenges (cont.)

• Skills?
• Librarianship IT knowledge
• Teamwork, Commitment
• Thinking methodology creativity, use of
  knowledge
• Outlook of the world
• Interpersonal skills
• Health!!

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Principles for building DL

• Expect change
• Know your content
• Involve the right people
• Design usable system
• Ensure open access
• Beware of data rights
• Automate whenever possible
• Adopt and adhere to standards
• Ensure quality
• Be concerned about persistence
• McCray, A. Gallagher, M. (2001). Principles for
  Digital Library Development, Communications of
  the ACM, 44(5), pp.49-54.

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• THE END
• THANK YOU!