Distributing Repository functions with DSpace Richard Jones

Why would you want to? ● Because you already have existing systems which are useful ● Because your use case or workflow is too complicated for a single application ● Because your data comes from another authority system

So what exactly do we mean by “distributing” and “repository functions” ● Embedding the user interface in another system ● Conducting workflow by web service ● Importing and exporting data by web service ● Dividing the repository into private and public components

An Imperial Architecture Public IR Private IR Publications System Online Database Academic Web Page harvest Metadata Public URLs Resolve Metadata File data Licence data Archive information Public URLs AIP (over LNI) Public URL

The Future Architecture Public IR Private IR Publications System Online Database Academic Web Page harvest Metadata Public URLs Resolve Metadata File data Licence data Archive information Public URLs AIP (over LNI) Public URL E-Theses Archive Data Set Archive AIP (over LNI) Public URL British Library Central Hub Format

And where have we got to? ● Data import first successful run ● Currently in system testing, going to UAT in January ● All essential administrator's features developed ● LNI implemented ● Basic publication process, with identifier tracking implemented ● Plenty still to do....

Problems and Solutions ● Scalability problems: – Browse system – Import system – Solved by large rewrites of core DSpace code ● Difficulty of implementing the LNI – Good java docs, but terrible code layout ● Plugging functionality into existing pages – Implementation of "Chain of Responsibility" using PluginManager on relevant pages

Benefits to the DSpace Community ● New, scalable, configurable browse system ● General improvements to core objects ● Further documentation (to come) about implementing the LNI ● Possible uses for scalability improvement in importers ● Other minor additions to the core: soft delete, item status management tools (may make good add-ons)

Thanks for listening Richard Jones Web and Database Technology Specialist Imperial College London