University of Wisconsin - Madison

Curran Riley

criley@library.wisc.edu

1711/criley

Currently using Handles for:

• 1711.web– For licensed electronic resources– Including EZproxy string in Handles for remote

access by valid UW-Madison patrons

• 1711.dl– For digitization projects– Use for URLs as well as links to project

contents (images, etc.)

Development efforts:

• Web administration servlet

• “Handling” application

• Oracle Handle database

Web Administration Servlet

• Allows creation and modification of Handles through a web browser

• Uses J2EE Servlet• Goal is to allow regular librarians to create and

modify Handles for library resources by themselves

• Still in testing, but we would share the source code when it’s finished if others are interested

Web Administration Servlet

• Requires the addition of a HS_SECKEY to the librarian’s personal Handle (which functions as the web password).

Web Administration Servlet

• Users can create a Handle with Name, URL and contact email address

Web Administration Servlet

• Users can also modify existing Handles

Web Administration Servlet

• Modifying the NAME value of a Handle

Web Administration Servlet

• Users can list all Handles for a particular subnaming authority

“Handling” application

• Allows passing of a parameter to the server along with a Handle.

• Interprets what to do with parameter

• Results in a URL being returned, much like current Handle resolver

“Handling” application

• Example: Documents in EBSCO can have links back to holdings in our library catalog, using the ISBN or ISSN number. Requires setting up a “canned search” URL in EBSCO so the ISBN or ISSN can be appended to the URL:– http://madcat.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?

DB=local&CNT=100+records+per+page&BOOL1=as+a+phrase&FLD1=ISBN+%28ISBN%29&SA1=(ISBNNUMBERHERE)

• Better to use a Handle, in case of changes to our catalog require a change to our “canned search” url.

“Handling” application

• Application restructures the URL from:– http://j2ee-dev.library.wisc.edu/1712/madcatissn?ISBN=00567-83

745to– http://j2ee-dev.library.wisc.edu/abc.do?handle=1712/

madcatissn&num=00567-83745

• J2EE servlet (abc.do) will resolve the handle to the “canned search” URL and then append the number in the ISBN parameter. It will then redirect to the newly generated URL.

Future Projects

• Store Handles in an Oracle database– We have been working with CNRI to implement– Licensed for Oracle, good Oracle expertise on campus

(myself excluded)

• Add multiple resolution and authentication piece– Handles would include URLs to freely available

(thumbnails) and restricted (full size) images with a tie to a UW-Madison authentication server

• Add metadata???– We are very interested in how much others are putting in

Handle records

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Curran Riley

criley@library.wisc.edu

1711/criley