OAI and OAIster

Kat HagedornKat Hagedorn

University of Michigan LibrariesUniversity of Michigan Libraries

October 30, 2006October 30, 2006

The oy(ai)ster and the hareThe oy(ai)ster and the hare

Well, if oysters had feet…Well, if oysters had feet…

Other projects move faster (think Google)Other projects move faster (think Google) OAI still building speedOAI still building speed Follows the punctuated equilibrium model…Follows the punctuated equilibrium model…

* © Johnny Hart!

OAIster records over time

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OAIster repositories over time

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# repositories

Why OAIster?Why OAIster?

And why the silly name?And why the silly name?

Initially, wanted to build the Academic Initially, wanted to build the Academic HotBot (yup, you read that right)HotBot (yup, you read that right)

Essentially, a union catalog of those Essentially, a union catalog of those “objects” that couldn’t easily be spidered“objects” that couldn’t easily be spidered

Currently, have more records that link to Currently, have more records that link to “objects” than there are records in our “objects” than there are records in our OPACOPAC

What does OAIster contain?What does OAIster contain?

Harvest everything availableHarvest everything available except obvious test repositoriesexcept obvious test repositories

Keep nearly everythingKeep nearly everything must have a digital object linkmust have a digital object link must have decent metadatamust have decent metadata must be scholarly or informationalmust be scholarly or informational

For example…For example…

http://memory.loc.gov/mbrs/varsmp/0526.mpgLibrary of Congress Digitized Historical Collections

http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/u?/AAW,22LOUISiana Digital Library (LDL)

Why do (should) people use it?Why do (should) people use it?

It’s big-- over 9.6 millionIt’s big-- over 9.6 million It’s varied-- contains articles, books, images It’s varied-- contains articles, books, images

of artwork, datasets, videos, audios, finding of artwork, datasets, videos, audios, finding aids, manuscriptsaids, manuscripts

It keeps growing-- as long as they keep It keeps growing-- as long as they keep paying my salarypaying my salary

One interface to rule them all?One interface to rule them all?

If you don’t know this…If you don’t know this… www.oaister.orgwww.oaister.org www.oaister.umdl.umich.edu/o/oaisterwww.oaister.umdl.umich.edu/o/oaister

……how do you get to the content?how do you get to the content? We consider part of our mission making this We consider part of our mission making this

metadata as widely available as possible, metadata as widely available as possible, so…so…

SRU interfaceSRU interface

Federated search engines are “it” now--Federated search engines are “it” now--trying to solve problem of how to search trying to solve problem of how to search simultaneouslysimultaneously

Perfect place for OAIsterPerfect place for OAIster Built SRU interface (Z39.50 deemed older Built SRU interface (Z39.50 deemed older

tech at this point)tech at this point) ExLibris built connector for MetaLib toolExLibris built connector for MetaLib tool For example--For example--

OAI: what it is (finally)OAI: what it is (finally)

Stands for Open Archives InitiativeStands for Open Archives Initiative “…develops and promotes interoperability standards

that aim to facilitate the efficient dissemination of content.”

Includes a Protocol for Metadata Harvesting Includes a Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (PMH), i.e., what we use to fill OAIster(PMH), i.e., what we use to fill OAIster

Consists of data providers and service Consists of data providers and service providersproviders

OAI: what it is notOAI: what it is not

OAI ≠ open access OAI ≠ open access “…defining and promoting machine interfaces that

facilitate the availability of content from a variety of providers. Openness does not mean ‘free’ or ‘unlimited’ access to the information repositories that conform to the OAI-PMH.”

However, a large majority of OAIster However, a large majority of OAIster records are available to all and sundryrecords are available to all and sundry

Perfect opportunity-- freely sharing free stuffPerfect opportunity-- freely sharing free stuff

OAIster and open accessOAIster and open access

We harvest a large number of open access We harvest a large number of open access “self-publishing” repositories, e.g.,“self-publishing” repositories, e.g., DSpace: 68DSpace: 68 EPrints: 113EPrints: 113 OJS: 21OJS: 21

Plus green and gold standard peer-reviewed Plus green and gold standard peer-reviewed digital object records from repositories like digital object records from repositories like PLOS and arXivPLOS and arXiv

Onwards…Onwards…

Working on clustering and Working on clustering and classifying metadata so it is classifying metadata so it is more easily searchable and more easily searchable and browseable browseable

And continue to work on best And continue to work on best practices for data providerspractices for data providers

Who will win?*Who will win?*

* kidding…?

Questions?Questions?

Kat HagedornKat Hagedorn University of Michigan LibrariesUniversity of Michigan Libraries Digital Library Production ServiceDigital Library Production Service www.oaister.orgwww.oaister.org khage@umich.edukhage@umich.edu