A digital library instead of a traditional database for nanotechnologies: An attempt to use the ABCD system

Against the background of the limited possibilities of the traditional databases during the creation of the information infrastructure of modern science, the advantages and rich potential of digital libraries as a new class of information systems are shown in this paper. Based on the example of nanotechnologies, the specific requirements raised for the created digital libraries are analyzed, i.e., support of semi-structured data, use of a number of formats (text, tables, and graphics), and the active involvement of context information deposited on outside resources. The ABCD system, which is proposed for the control of libraries and information centers, on whose basis an information system for the use of nanomaterials in power engineering has been created, is considered in detail.