Open Archives Initiative
Encyclopedia
The Open Archives Initiative (OAI) is an attempt to build a "low-barrier interoperability
framework" for archives (institutional repositories
) containing digital content (digital libraries
). It allows people (Service Providers) to harvest metadata (from Data Providers). This metadata is used to provide "value-added services", often by combining different data sets.
Initially, the initiative has been involved in the development of a technological framework and interoperability standards
specifically for enhancing access to e-print archives, in order to increase the availability of scholarly
communication; OAI is, therefore, closely related to the Open access publishing
movement. However, the developed technology and standards are applicable in a much broader domain than scholarly publishing alone.
The OAI technical infrastructure, specified in the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
(OAI-PMH), currently in version 2.0, defines a mechanism for data providers to expose their metadata. This protocol mandates that individual archives map their metadata to the Dublin Core
, a simple and common metadata set for this purpose. In other words, the relation of OAI compatibility to Dublin Core is that OAI standards allow a common way to provide content, and part of those standards is that the content has metadata that describes the items in Dublin Core format.
OAI has recently begun work on the Object Reuse and Exchange
(OAI-ORE) project which defines standards for the description and exchange of aggregations of Web resources.
.
Interoperability
Interoperability is a property referring to the ability of diverse systems and organizations to work together . The term is often used in a technical systems engineering sense, or alternatively in a broad sense, taking into account social, political, and organizational factors that impact system to...
framework" for archives (institutional repositories
Institutional repository
An Institutional repository is an online locus for collecting, preserving, and disseminating - in digital form - the intellectual output of an institution, particularly a research institution....
) containing digital content (digital libraries
Digital library
A digital library is a library in which collections are stored in digital formats and accessible by computers. The digital content may be stored locally, or accessed remotely via computer networks...
). It allows people (Service Providers) to harvest metadata (from Data Providers). This metadata is used to provide "value-added services", often by combining different data sets.
Initially, the initiative has been involved in the development of a technological framework and interoperability standards
Standardization
Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards.The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers , compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality....
specifically for enhancing access to e-print archives, in order to increase the availability of scholarly
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
communication; OAI is, therefore, closely related to the Open access publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
movement. However, the developed technology and standards are applicable in a much broader domain than scholarly publishing alone.
The OAI technical infrastructure, specified in the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
OAI-PMH is a protocol developed by the Open Archives Initiative. It is used to harvest the metadata descriptions of the records in an archive so that services can be built using metadata from many archives...
(OAI-PMH), currently in version 2.0, defines a mechanism for data providers to expose their metadata. This protocol mandates that individual archives map their metadata to the Dublin Core
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata terms are a set of vocabulary terms which can be used to describe resources for the purposes of discovery. The terms can be used to describe a full range of web resources: video, images, web pages etc and physical resources such as books and objects like artworks...
, a simple and common metadata set for this purpose. In other words, the relation of OAI compatibility to Dublin Core is that OAI standards allow a common way to provide content, and part of those standards is that the content has metadata that describes the items in Dublin Core format.
OAI has recently begun work on the Object Reuse and Exchange
Open Archives Initiative Object Reuse and Exchange
Open Archives Initiative Object Reuse and Exchange defines standards for the description and exchange of aggregations of Web resources...
(OAI-ORE) project which defines standards for the description and exchange of aggregations of Web resources.
Oversight, Activity, and Funding
Funding for the initiative comes from various organizations including the Joint Information Systems CommitteeJoint Information Systems Committee
JISC is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body whose role is to support post-16 and higher education and research by providing leadership in the use of ICT in learning, teaching, research and administration...
.
See also
- Digital preservationDigital preservationDigital preservation is the set of processes, activities and management of digital information over time to ensure its long term accessibility. The goal of digital preservation is to preserve materials resulting from digital reformatting, and particularly information that is born-digital with no...
- Library of Congress Digital Library projectLibrary of Congress Digital Library projectThe Library of Congress National Digital Library Program is assembling a digital library of reproductions of primary source materials to support the study of the history and culture of the United States...
- National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation ProgramNational Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation ProgramThe National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program is an archival program led by the Library of Congress to archive and provide access to digital resources. The U.S. Congress established the program in 2000...
- OAI-ORE
- OAI-PMH
- Open accessOpen accessOpen access refers to unrestricted access via the Internet to articles published in scholarly journals, and also increasingly to book chapters or monographs....
- Self archiving
- WorldWide Molecular MatrixWorldwide molecular matrixThe World Wide Molecular Matrix is an electronic repository for unpublished chemical data. First proposed in 2002 by Peter Murray-Rust and his colleagues in the chemistry department at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, WWMM provides a free, easily searchable database for...
External links
- Homepage
- Suleyman Demirel University Open Archives Harvester
- OAI News
- Largest OAI-Harvester (OAIster)
- ScientificCommons.org
- PictureAustralia
- ISIDORE : a french portal in arts & humanities based on OAI and SemWeb
- UIUC OAI Metadata Harvesting Project
- Open Access Bibliography: Liberating Scholarly Literature with E-Prints and Open Access Journals
- Openarchives.eu - The European Guide to OAI-PMH compliant repositories in the world
- Ranking Web of World Repositories