Discusses the potential for visualization of metadata and metadata-based surrogates, including a command interface for metadata viewing, site mapping and data aggregation tools, dynamic derivation of surrogates, and a reintroduction of transient hypergraphs from the tradition of cocitation networking. Addresses digital library research into query-specific instantiation through agents accessing a central metadata repository in the context of potential synergies between querying, browsing, and group information sharing. (Contains 36 references.) (AEF)