Using Structural Metadata to Localize Experience of Digital Content

Abstract

With the increasing technical sophistication of both information consumers and providers, there is increasing demand for more meaningful experiences of digital information. We present a framework that separates digital object experience, or rendering, from digital object storage and manipulation, so the rendering can be tailored to particular communities of users. Our framework also accommodates extensible digital object behaviors and interoperability. The two key components of our approach are 1) exposing structural metadata associated with digital objects -- metadata about the labeled access points within a digital object and 2) information intermediaries called context brokers that match structural characteristics of digital objects with mechanisms that produce behaviors. These context brokers allow for localized rendering of digital information stored externally.