1. The term “digital library” has recently displaced the more traditional “electronic library” [E. Fox et al. Commun. ACM 38 23 (April 1995)]. The advent of computer networks built upon optical fibers made the term “electronic” seem inappropriate because the fibers carry light not electricity; however the term “digital” sometimes has the unfortunate connotation of “digitization.” There are many aspects of digital libraries that are important to complete systems such as intellectual property and permanent archiving issues. The discussion here concentrates on the search-and-display issues most relevant to bringing search to the Net.
2. Wells H. G., World Brain (Methuen, London, 1938).
3. Borges J. L., “The Library of Babel,” reprinted in Labyrinths: Selected Stories and Other Writings (New Directions, New York, 1964), pp. 51-58.
4. Bush V., Atl. Mon. 176 101 (July 1945) [reprinted in (48)].
5. Lesk M. E. The Seven Ages of Information Retrieval in As We May Think: A 50th Anniversary Celebration of Bush's Vision MIT October 1995. Available at http://www-eecs.mit.edu/AY95-96/events/bush/index.html.