EDEN: A Web-Based Model for Electronic Document Exchange

The advantages of Web -based document exchange between libraries are just beginning to be systematically explored. This article focuses on general considerations in the development of a Web -based model for electronic document exchange (EDE) in the context of the OpenILL Cooperative’s EDEN project. These include an overview of the existing document delivery standard (GEDI) and its relationship to emerging models and a discussion of factors being considered in the development of a Web -based protocol, including document exchange format, application event sequencing, metadata, and security. Introduction The spread of the Web and its associated hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) have all but eliminated the technical diffi culties associated with moving computer fi les from one place to another. For a variety of reasons, however, library document delivery networks do not currently take full advantage of HTTP, relying instead on the earlier fi le transfer protocol (FTP) for the interchange of documents between sites. HTTP, when it is used at all, tends to be employed in the fi nal stage of the document delivery process, delivering content to end-users. The advantages of Web -based document delivery to end-users have been widely discussed and documented (Schnell, 2000; Sayeed, Murray, & Wheeler, 2001). The advantages of Web -based document exchange between libraries are just beginning to be systematically explored. Atlas Systems has announced that its Odyssey document delivery software is being designed around a new open, Web -based protocol. And the OpenILL Cooperative’s EDEN: A Web-Based Model for Electronic Document Exchange