PageArk is an efficient digital library system that can be used to deploy small collections on nothing more than a networked Windows desktop system running Windows NT/2000. Large collections or collections with many simultaneous users can effectively exploit large Windows server or cluster configurations. No matter the hardware configuration, PageArk leverages basic operating system services to create flexible collection architectures with excellent price and performance characteristics.

PageArk is currently being used to serve three distinct but related content collections consisting of approximately 420,000 mixed resolution JPEG images, 525,000 XML-encoded newspaper articles and 515,000 independent metadata/catalog records. The production environment for this repository is a single CPU Windows server providing sub-second response; however, this same repository is routinely tested and deployed for limited use on both a new generation Windows desktop and an older laptop system equipped with firewire external drives. One PC does it all including hosting the web server, hosting PageArk, performing indexing, searching and hit highlighting of content and metadata files, dynamic webpage builds and all other managerial and operational functions.

While the most significant PageArk implementations are image/XML-based content collections, Aptigent software engineers have also created derivative products based on MARC, plain text and PDF content. In fact, PageArk can support most popular electronic document formats, including Word, WordPerfect, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, JPEG, TIFF, EPS and so forth.

PageArk Features

• Quick to Web Publishing - The hallmark of PageArk is the ease with which documents can be made accessible on the web. Many common document formats are easily added to the PageArk repository structure and immediately available for delivery to end-users. The repository can be easily managed using simple tools – including Windows Explorer – and through the use of PageArk’s web-accessible Administrative Console. In most cases, publishing involves little more than copying or moving the document to be published to a collection directory. PageArk also supports document sharing allowing all or some documents in one collection to be dynamically published to one or more alternative collections.
• Multiple Collection Support - Each PageArk repository can simultaneously support multiple collections. Content collections can be easily added or changed to meet your content, security, publication or distribution needs. The availability of each collection is independently managed; PageArk allows collections to be both broadly accessible (as in a collection of Public Domain documents) and tightly managed (as in the case of a small work group).
• Automated “Metadata” Harvesting - PageArk provides a variety of methods to associate metadata (document attributes or characteristics such as title, author, date, etc.) with document content. Metadata can be uploaded as independent files, manually entered through a data collection form, or automatically “harvested” from content or database files. Collection documents and their associated metadata are automatically indexed whenever a document is added, changed, or removed from a collection, meaning that they can be instantly available to your users.
• Collection Security - Access to each collection can be individually managed. Collection access rights can be granted based on end-user IP addresses (e.g., site licensing) or by assigned User-ID and Password (a subscription model). Both sets of credentials are easily managed using the Administrative Console. PageArk automatically screens collection access, allowing unimpeded access from pre-approved IP addresses while requiring all others to pass a User-ID/Password challenge.
• Document Browsing and Search - Repository documents are automatically published once placed in a collection. A dynamic browse function allows end users to access all collection documents based on one of perhaps several alternative sort sequences (e.g., documents can be browsed by title, author, date, etc.) The system also supports simple and complex Boolean queries. These queries may be performed against metadata information, against document content, or against a combination of the two. As in the case of Browsing, search results can be returned based on one of several alternative sequences.
• Stand-Alone or Integrated Implementation - At the collection level, PageArk provides a unique set of document management and presentation capabilities. Each PageArk collection is assigned a specific presentation look and feel; collection documents are published in compliance with the presentation templates assigned by the referencing collection. A collection may take on the look-and-feel of an independent website, or may be presented as an extension to an existing website’s template. Thus, PageArk can be used to independently host your collection documents or can be seamlessly integrated within your existing site.
• Promotion and Recognition Features - PageArk supports promotional and donor recognition “Ads”. Using the PageArk console, “companion websites” links can be identified for presentation whenever a document or group of documents is presented. These “Ads” can be used in a standard commercial sense; for example, to direct an end-user to your bookstore, to selectively promote other content collections, or as recognition notices for donors, sponsors or volunteers.