DSpace @ UM | Malaysia

Salam,

Today i'm gonna write about dspace. DSpace is an open source software for developing digital library. It is developed by HP-MIT Alliance. Its widely used by most institutions all over the world. Easy to install, configure and customize are among the reasons why this software is the first choice. In fact, at Malaysia there are more than 3 institutions (as far as i'm concern) using dspace for institutional repository.



Well, for me i'm going to tell you a bit about DSpace at University of Malaya as i involved little bit in configuration and customization. The installation of DSpace is not as simple as greenstone. As it builds on java, any changes you made may need to recompile before you can see the changes. Besides the dspace installation pack, you may need apache maven, postgreSQL, apache ant and some more softwares (i can't remember).



However, you don't have to worry as the step-by-step guidelines is availabe on the dspace web for the beginner. Compared to greenstone dspace is totally 100% online repository as the records are submitted through its web and not like greenstone which use GLI to build records. The good thing about dspace is you can easily create a collection, sub collection, community and sub community to better organise your repository. DSpace @ UM is for student at UM submitting their thesis and other related paper work. Its a commitment by our Information Science head of department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abrizah Abdullah with help from the team and Mr.Nor Badrul.

Now we have come to the customization. hmmm.. i don't where to start actually. At first, i have been asked by Mr.Bad to change the 'look' of the dspace. Then Dr.Abrizah asked me to create another 'face' for dspace using DSpace Manakin. hmm.. its already in the dspace installation package, you just need to configure to enable the manakin interface. Anyway, its a great experienced playing with this software. later, i will tell you on dspace workshop handled by University of Malaya Library for AUNILO.

-DSpace Workshop for Aunilo-

Aunilo is stands for 'ASEAN University Network Inter Library'. The University Of Malaya Library handled a workshop title '3-day Intitutional Repository (IR) Workshop Using DSpace for AUNILO Members.' Started from 25th - 27th May 2009. The modules in the workshop are :
1.Install;
2.Configure;
3.Customize;
4.Harvest; and
5.Use DSpace Interface and its various utility panels.

And as for my part, i did the installation, configuration and customization using Manakin Interface. Its a half day talk of step-by-step guidelines and also troubleshooting for those encounter problems during the tutorial.

If the schedule for the workshop still available you can see it here: http://aunilo.wordpress.com/3-day-institutional-repository-workshop-using-dspace-schedule. Anyway, its my 1st time teaching people who are from outside Malaysia and i can say that i might be the youngest person in that workshop (not really sure, but i think so.). So, at 1st place i was a bit nervous, but from time to time as i start to focus on the teaching my feelings are getting better. Overall, the workshop is one successful program and i have fun attending and sharing some knowledge with others :)

Digital Libraries using Greenstone at Malaysia

Salam,

Well..It is almost 2 years now i'm working on a digital library for malay manuscipts or pustaka digital manuskrip melayu using an open source software called greenstone. Its a software that build using Perl and macro language (for version 2.82 and below) by New Zealand Digital Library Project at the University of Waikato. At first i was shocked because i have never learn Perl Programming at school and the codes is totally different compared with java. As i don't have much choices during that time, i decided to learn and do some research on greenstone. Alhamdulillah, all documentations provided by greenstone helps me understand better on how the greenstone works. Moreover, they have a maling list that i subscibed, so that i can ask questions about developing a digital library using greenstone while helping others with their problems.




With help from friends here at fcsit at University of Malaya i managed to finish it. There are some features that i have embed within MyManuskrip (as my prof ask me too). Functions like "quick search", view statistics, register and auto calculate total records is hardly to do especially when you are using open source ("not your own codes"). Overall, for me greenstone is definitely one of the best digital library or institutional repository or whatever you call it in market right now.

Features of Greenstone :-
1) Easy Step by step Installation Guidelines.

2) 3 Choiceses of searching engine (Lucene, MG & MG++).

3) Easy to manipulate/alter the interface.

4) Able to create your own new metadata sets.

5) Easy to understand the process of building records and customization.

6) Almost all common plugins available.

7) You don't have to compile/build/export/restart when you change the code, just refresh the page.


--MyMaova--

The word MyMaova stands for 'Malaysian Modern Archive of Visual Art'. This is also the example of digital library developed using greenstone. This is a final year project (for masters) of my friend, shahnim safian. It tooks almost 3 months of hardwork to complete the system. As you can see, the interface can be manipulate to best suit your needs and creativity.


-Summary-

There you go!! As far as i'm concern there are 2 or 3 organizations in Malaysia already used greenstone for their digital library. But, i'm not going to tell you who. hehe.. So, if you're interested of developing a digital library using greenstone, gd lk and all the best. Let me know if you need a help..chow..

Introduction to HakIm @ WoRK

Salam,

I am not a good writer, but i'll try not to make u fall asleep while reading my blog. I will share my knowledge on Digital Library Development using open source software like Dspace and Greenstone. As i involved directly with these two softwares during my work as a research assistant at University of Malaya.

Right now i'm developing a system called cmsbbg. Its a system for Biro Bantuan Guaman (BBG) , a government department in Putrajaya. Not going to say much about this (kind of boring).. So, if you like to comment anything, be my guess. choww...