1. An extensible digital library, comprising: (a) a library server for storing tables describing the digital library, wherein the library server further includes a relational database server for managing the storage of the tables describing the digital library; (b) an object server, coupled to the library server, for storing objects referenced by the tables describing the digital library; (c) a first application programming interface (API), coupled to the library server and the object server, for providing functions for accessing the stored tables and the stored objects via the library server and the object server; and (d) a second application programming interface (API), coupled to the first application programming interface and the relational database server, for providing functions for interacting directly with the relational database server to access the stored tables.