Virtual bookshelf

A computer system for visually representing information in a document browsing system associated with a plurality of documents comprising:

• memory for storing classification information for a plurality of documents such that a plurality of themes for the documents are classified in a plurality of categories to identify a plurality of subject matter areas for each document by the categories classified;
• an output display for displaying information to a user;
• and
• processing unit coupled to said memory for displaying, on the output display, at least a portion of the categories, and for displaying, on the output display, in response to user selection of a category, document information for documents that have themes classified in the category selected, wherein classification of documents by themes in a plurality of categories permits a user to identify all documents that include thematic content corresponding to said category.

A method for providing peripheral information in a document browsing system, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing classification information for a plurality of documents so as to classify each document in a category that depicts a general subject matter area for the corresponding document;
• storing, for at least one category, thematic information that identifies a plurality of themes for each of the documents classified in the category, wherein the themes for a document identify a plurality of subject matter areas contained in a corresponding document in addition to subject matter of a category for which the document was classified;
• displaying the at least one category on an output display;
• receiving user selection of the category;
• and
• displaying representations that depict at least one theme corresponding to the category selected, wherein the display of the at least one theme presents to the user subject matter peripheral to subject matter identified by the category.

A computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to visually represent information in a document browsing system associated with a plurality of documents, said instructions for:

• storing classification information to classify a plurality of documents, wherein the classification information comprises a plurality of themes for each document, and the classification information associates each of the themes with a category so as to identify a plurality of subject matter areas for each document by the categories;
• displaying on an output display at least a portion of the categories;
• and
• displaying on the output display, in response to user selection of a category, document information for documents that have themes classified in the category selected, wherein classification of documents by themes in a plurality of categories permits a user to identify all documents that include thematic content corresponding to the category.

A computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of:

• storing classification information for a plurality of documents so as to classify each document in a category that depicts a general subject matter area for the corresponding document;
• storing, for at least one category, thematic information that identifies a plurality of themes for each of the documents classified in the category, wherein the themes for a document identify a plurality of subject matter areas contained in a corresponding document in addition to subject matter of a category for which the document was classified;
• displaying on an output display at least one of the categories for which at least one document has been classified;
• receiving user selection of the category;
• and
• displaying representations that depict at least one theme corresponding to the category selected, wherein the display of the at least one theme presents to the user subject matter peripheral to subject matter identified by the category.