چکیده:
The main purpose of this paper is identifying the current situation of Iranian
digital libraries in terms of interoperability abilities and proposing an
interoperability solution for Iranian digital libraries. Analytical survey is used in
this research. In fact, questionnaire and observation were used for collecting data
about the current situation of Iranian digital library applications. The gathered
data were analyzed by system analytical method in order to propose some
practical suggestions to use in Iranian digital library applications. Iranian digital
libraries mostly collect text files. They store data in SQL server and in relational
database systems. The majority of Iranian digital libraries do not respect
interoperability. They mostly use just Z39.50 clients so as to gather
bibliographic data to use in cataloguing center. In fact, most of studied digital
libraries do not offer extracting standard formats. Also, they do not make use of
structural and administrative metadata format in their bibliographic data. The
proposed model is based on harvesting model, OAI protocol and METS/MODS
metadata standard. Findings indicated that Iranian digital libraries should be alert
about the essence of interoperability. Using the proposed model would help
them to be able to exchange their data in a more cost-efficient and cost-effective
manner.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Interoperability, Digital Libraries, Interoperability Model, Metadata Protocols, Information System Integration, Iran Format, Introduction Libraries’ development seems more complicated with the internet technology and digital resources.
Whereas DLs use different software packages and also store and preserve their bibliographic as well as digital objects in different ways, they encounter challenges in interoperability.
However, DLs need bibliographic and full-text data (full- image and all digital objects) for their interoperability plans.
On the other hand, interoperability in this research is technical ability of information systems such as interoperability models, protocols, structural, descriptive and administrative metadata, context standard and so on to exchange their data with common protocols.
Altogether, interoperability in DLs needs the following items: • Interoperability in technical level can be applied with one of the Federated, Harvesting or Gathering models (NSDL Technical Infrastructure White Paper, 2004; Shi, 2005); • Interoperability can be applied by a model, related protocol to the model, context standard such as XML, common metadata format and a way to exchange digital objects (Arms, et al.
50, SRU/W, SDARTS, OAI, STARTS and so on that are used by DLs; • There are many metadata formats such as MARC, Dublin Core, MODS and so on that are used by DLs. Some significant findings of this research are: • Windows OS is highly used in kanian DL server-side; • Text resources such as books, theses and journal articles are the priority of kanian DLs in serving their users; • Text files are in PDF format in hanian DLs; • MARC and its UNIMARC version have the most generality in kanian DLs.