World Wide Web (WWW) and related information tech-provide networked delivery of the final product-a dusty nologies are transforming the distribution of scientific CD-ROM is just as inaccessible as a dusty journal. and technical information (STI). We examine 11 recent, We find that most DLs follow strictly along discipline functioning digital libraries focusing on the distribution or publishers' boundaries, with little interaction occurring of STI publications, including journal articles, conference or even possible between servers. In addition, most DLs papers, and technical reports. We introduce 4 main categories of digital library projects: Based on the architec-tend to fall along artificial media boundaries, and servers ture (distributed vs. centralized) and the contributor (trathat provide electronic access to traditional publications ditional publisher vs. authoring individual/organization). generally do not provide access to video, software, data-Many digital library prototypes merely automate existing sets, or other information. publishing practices or focus solely on the digitization of We introduce a nomenclature for categorizing STI the publishing cycle output, not sampling and capturing elements of the input. Still others do not consider for servers and examine methods of expanding their holddistribution the large body of ''gray literature.'' We adings. We also suggest that the best method for future dress these deficiencies in the current model of STI exaccess is not in placing traditional journals on the World change by suggesting methods for expanding the scope Wide Web or other information servers, but rather redeand target of digital libraries by focusing on a greater fining the unit of STI exchange. To this end, we introsource of technical publications and using ''buckets,'' an object-oriented construct for grouping logically related duce the concept of ''buckets,'' an object-oriented coninformation objects, to include holdings other than techstruct for logically grouping related STI, including nonnical publications.