National Library of New Zealand

1
National Library of New Zealand

• Dave Thompson
• Resource Development Analyst 
• Digital Initiatives Unit

2

• NLNZ is working with the Handle System as a way
  of developing and testing the use of persistent
  identifiers - PIDs - to permanently identify
  digital materials.

3
Two fold approach

1. Structure and design/naming schema of handles,
   handle workflows/administration, application and
   use of Handles and identifiers in NLNZ
2. Technical environment hardware/software
   environment, networks, capacity/load issues,
   resolution issues

4

• This proposal for the allocation of PIDs is based
  on the following principles

• The primary purpose of the PID is to provide a
  unique and permanent name, and resolution is an
  added value.
• The PID object relationship is a permanent one.
  If the content of the digital object changes a
  new PID is allocated.

5

• The Handle prefix has been split to represent
  archival and non-archival collections. NLNZ
  assigns PIDs using two issuing authorities.
  Represented as

• Resources selected for the digital archive,
  represented by a sequence of 1727.10/nnnnnnnn,
  and
• Non archival resources, represented by a sequence
  of 1727.11/nnnnnnnn

This split between archival items selected for
other purposes reflects different degrees of
commitment the NLNZ has to preserving the digital
object.
6

• NLNZ has not yet fully addressed all of the
  technical issues required to implement the Handle
  System.

• Key work is required on
• Robustness of the Handle model when scaled up to
  work at a national level, the ability to
  integrate the Java tool into existing systems and
  workflow structures
• Multiple resolution and how we apply what
  functionality is available
• Potential performance / capacity / volume issues
  when many users channel requests through our
  single Handle server
• Size of hardware environment. Need for /
  advantage of multiple servers
• Network. Capacity / routing issues using
  different Handle resolution formats (HTTP, HDL,
  etc)

7
Further questions

• DOI uses the Handle system. What is the
  relationship between the basic Handle system and
  DOI? Is DOI a wrapper around the Handle? Who
  developed DOI and who owns it?
• Compatibility issues, can we adapt Handle system?
  If so where is the international infrastructure?
• What other persistent identifiers are out there
  or on the horizon?

8

• Discover is a resource of the National Library of
  New Zealand and is an online treasure trove of
  New Zealand art and music that supports the
  Visual Arts and Music disciplines of the Arts/Nga
  Toi curriculum.
•  URL discover.natlib.govt.nz
•  
• User ID demo
• Password sep24