FINDINGS

The following represent key elements of digital library systems in Japan:

• Advanced, mission-specific, and compelling digital library systems are operational in some Japanese public institutions and commercial enterprises.
• Technology companies are exploring advanced digital library components and computing paradigms. Commercial emphasis is on custom integrations.
• Replicable solutions, services, and outsourcing were not observed except as envisioned by the Second Generation Digital Library project.
• Japanese businesses and public institutions are engaged in a second-generation digital library project with a comprehensive architecture.
• Most libraries and museums do demonstration projects, while some are aggressive "early adopters" of digital library approaches.

The following points summarize the findings of the trip regarding systems and architecture:

• Advanced, mission-specific digital library systems are driving certain public institutions and commercial enterprises forward. These systems are usually part of a business process reengineering effort caused by rapid changes in the nature of information creation, consumption, and distribution technologies that affect core business functions and create new business opportunities. In these cases, architecture and systems are driven by business processes.
• Individually, technology companies are doing exploratory work on components for integration into current systems, but also looking forward to new computing paradigms that imply fundamental changes in systems, particularly with respect to information access and distribution. In these cases, it is clear that the interest is in providing advanced core technologies that support many information technology market segments.
• Cooperatively, Japanese business and institutions are engaged in a second-generation digital library project, which does provide a comprehensive architectural and systems point of reference. This is CORBA-based, takes advantage of advances in networking, features metadata management and many flavors of search and query.
• Libraries and museums, whose approach to information management in many ways inspires the technologies we saw, are split between those that are doing interesting, but limited demonstration or exploratory projects, and those that are aggressive "early adopters" with comprehensive visions and commitments to change the ways information is acquired, managed, and utilized in their environments. The library and museum sector featured many digitization projects, and offered numerous insights into the capture and cataloging subcomponents of an overall digital library system.