UMDL Architecture Video

In the spring of 1997, the National Science Foundation asked the University of Michigan Digital Library to produce a video for a public relations exhibit on digital libraries. The video was to explain societies of agents, and their relevance for digital libraries. I worked closely with Gene Alloway and BMC Media Services, under intense time pressure, to produce a three-minute animation. Here is the storyboard. The full video is far more nifty, but requires 46MB, too big for convenient manipulation on today's primitive web.



Traditional libraries have people and tools that help us find and use information.


For example, a reference librarian may help us plan our inquiry. We can search with a catalog, select from a collection, and arrange to use the material at circulation. We call these functional capabilities services.


In the University of Michigan Digital Library, computer programs called agents each provide a specific service.


A myriad of different agents will provide a variety of services. Agents can describe their services to other agents, which may be located anywhere.


Here's how agents interact. A user submits a request. Her agent communicates with other agents to form a team of agents that work together to satisfy the request.


In this simplified example, the search agent sends a list of references to the select agent, which then sends a few references to the use agent, which authorizes display by the user agent.


Mediator agents help form the best team currently available. If a desired agent is too busy, the team enlists another agent without involving the user.


When new agents are developed, they may be automatically included in a team, if they meet the user's needs better than was previously possible.


Agents can combine in a huge number of ways to satisfy different requests. Over time, the system will naturally evolve as agents team in new ways to solve problems that were not foreseen when the agents were built!


The best way to achieve efficient and flexible performance will be to imitate aspects of human society. For example, agents will buy and sell their services in world-wide markets implemented with auctions. Thus, we call these systems societies of agents.


This digital library architecture will foster growth to meet users' needs. The goal is convenient, inexpensive access to vast amounts of information, and highly specialized services.


UMDL Contacts:
Peter Weinstein
Gene Alloway