Reasoning against a semantic digital library framework based on grid technology
| Date | 01 May 2005 |
| Pages | 246-260 |
| Published date | 01 May 2005 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120510596099 |
| Author | Ioannis Papadakis,Agapios Avramidis,Vassilis Chrissikopoulos |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Reasoning against a semantic
digital library framework based
on grid technology
Ioannis Papadakis
Department of Archives and Library Science, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
Agapios Avramidis
Department of Informatics, University of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece, and
Vassilis Chrissikopoulos
Department of Archives and Library Science, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
Abstract
Purpose – Aims to bridge the gap between grid computing and semantic exploitation of information
commonly met in digital library infrastructures.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper introduces a semantic digital library framework
based on grid technology. It follows the OGSA specifications for the development of grid
infrastructures capable of efficiently handling such information. It is a service-oriented approach
based on common web technologies such as the web browser and web server. The design principles of
the proposed framework take into account the emerging need to exploit the semantics of its underlying
information through the employment of adequate open standard technologies such as RDF and OWL.
Findings – Although semantic exploitation of large data sets used to be a difficult and
resource-consuming activity usually taking place in specialized, highly equipped laboratories, this
work demonstrates that emerging technologies like the grid and emerging standards like RDF/OWL
are capable of bringing such research closer to the average workstation.
Research limitations/implications – The lack of a working prototype based on the proposed
framework limits the usefulness of the results deriving from this paper.
Originality/value – This paper can serve as a starting point to researchers wishing to conduct
research in the area of the semantic grid as applied to digital library infrastructures.
Keywords Digital libraries,Knowledge management, Data handling
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The current reality of the web resembles a place where humans and computers live
together under the umbrella of a set of shared protocols and technologies. The
inherently different nature of these two populations initially led to the development of
various tools aiming at instructing the computers to accomplish certain tasks that
humans had in mind. Examples of this trend are the http protocol and the HTML
language. Although the initial goal was accomplished, as a side effect, such an effort
resulted in the development of applications that failed to provide legible information
about their content to humans. In order to overcome such hindrances, XML was
introduced as a set of rules capable of generating languages with the ability to
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
This paper has been produced under the auspices of the South Eastern European Grid-enabled
eInfrastructure Development – SEE-GRID project (SeeGrid, 2005).
LM
26,4/5
246
Library Management
Vol. 26 No. 4/5, 2005
pp. 246-260
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120510596099
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