Building a Digital Library the Commons-based Peer Production Way

This article defines the digital library setting as it relates to commons-based peer production (CBPP) [1]. Motivations for selecting the CBPP method in this setting will be discussed, and the challenges of CBPP will be described. The Noosphere system will be presented as a case study to demonstrate CBPP digital library system design. Specific aspects addressed include: how an "economy of ideas" is the basis for productive activity in Noosphere, how logical integration of content is performed, how opportunistic updating is attained, what services Noosphere provides to foster community and provide for social integration, and what could be done to improve the system. Also discussed are different ways to benefit from commons-based peer production in digital libraries.