Building a Digital Library at York University

The York University Libraries (YUL) are taking the first steps towards building their digital library. A digital library will provide an infrastructure that will support an enduring archive of the library's electronic resources. Last year, the Libraries participated in a Canadian Association of Research Libraries pilot project, in which five members installed special open source (free) software for storing and providing access to electronic collections. The project provided an opportunity to begin to understand the technical and financial implications of supporting this new format.

During this academic year the Libraries will be moving to more powerful open source software to operate the YUL digital library - DSpace. With this MIT-developed database application in place, the Libraries will be ready to focus on adding content to the digital library. A study is underway to determine how best to store and provide access to GIS data sets in the YUL electronic library. The Libraries are also exploring possibilities for collaborating with York research institutes and other academic areas on campus to ensure preservation of, and improve access to, York's digital scholarly communications.

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