MyLibrary

MyLibrary is a digital library framework — a “toolbox” for managing digital library collections and implementing services against those collections. It is essentially made up of four parts:

1. librarians - the people who manage the library
2. information resources - the content the library collects and disseminates
3. users - the intended audience of the library
4. a controlled vocabulary - the means for creating relationships between librarians, information resources, and users

Unlike the previous versions of MyLibrary, this system is not a turn-key application. Instead it is a set of object-oriented Perl modules designed to read and write against a specifically shaped relational database. Using this approach it is possible to implement many different types of digital libraries. Examples include but are not limited to:

• lists of materials licensed by a library and made available on their website
• an online catalog of library holdings — an OPAC
• a personalized reading list of journals
• lists of resources apropos to a student’s particular course of study

Combined with other technologies, MyLibrary can syndicate its content (RSS, OAI-PHM, etc.). It can make its content available via standardized search (Z39.50, SRU, OpenSearch, etc.). MyLibrary can get its content from many different sources (manual data entry, OAI-PMH data repositories, MARC records, XML files, etc.).

MyLibrary is distributed as open source software. That means it is “free” — “free as a ‘free’ kitten”. No, it will not solve all of your digital library problems, but it will empower you and give you more control over your computing environment than closed source software.

The balance of this blog elaborates on all of these ideas in the hopes of building a community around the system and enabling libraries and librarians to improve the collections and services they provide in their increasingly globally networked environment. Wish us luck.

Tags: General Information //