Merge remote-tracking branch 'upstream/master' into pagination

# Conflicts: # package.json # src/app/app.component.html # src/app/app.component.ts # src/app/core/cache/request-cache.reducer.spec.ts # src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.spec.ts # src/app/core/core.module.ts # src/app/shared/shared.module.ts
2025-10-07 01:54:15 +00:00 · 2017-05-19 22:03:21 +02:00
parent 412a3a3970 71c1e3a549
commit 92f1d95ddd
134 changed files with 2947 additions and 1585 deletions
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ dspace-angular

 This project is currently in pre-alpha.

-You can find additional information on the [wiki](https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSPACE/DSpace+7+-+Angular+2+UI) or [the project board (waffle.io)](https://waffle.io/DSpace/dspace-angular).
+You can find additional information on the [wiki](https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSPACE/DSpace+7+-+Angular+UI) or [the project board (waffle.io)](https://waffle.io/DSpace/dspace-angular).

 If you're looking for the 2016 Angular 2 DSpace UI prototype, you can find it [here](https://github.com/DSpace-Labs/angular2-ui-prototype)

--- a/e2e/app.e2e-spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/app.e2e-spec.ts
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ describe('protractor App', function() {
    expect(page.getPageTitleText()).toEqual('DSpace');
  });

-  it('should display title "Hello, World!"', () => {
+  it('should display header "Welcome to DSpace"', () => {
    page.navigateTo();
-    expect(page.getFirstPText()).toEqual('Hello, World!');
+    expect(page.getFirstHeaderText()).toEqual('Welcome to DSpace');
  });
 });
--- a/e2e/app.po.ts
+++ b/e2e/app.po.ts
@@ -12,4 +12,8 @@ export class ProtractorPage {
  getFirstPText() {
    return element(by.xpath('//p[1]')).getText();
  }
-}
+
+  getFirstHeaderText() {
+    return element(by.xpath('//h1[1]')).getText();
+  }
+}
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -78,19 +78,21 @@
    "@angular/upgrade": "2.2.3",
    "@angularclass/bootloader": "1.0.1",
    "@angularclass/idle-preload": "1.0.4",
-    "@ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap": "1.0.0-alpha.24",
+    "@ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap": "1.0.0-alpha.15",
    "@ngrx/core": "^1.2.0",
    "@ngrx/effects": "^2.0.0",
    "@ngrx/router-store": "^1.2.5",
    "@ngrx/store": "^2.2.1",
    "@ngrx/store-devtools": "^3.2.2",
+    "@ngx-translate/core": "^6.0.1",
+    "@ngx-translate/http-loader": "^0.0.3",
    "@types/jsonschema": "0.0.5",
    "angular2-express-engine": "2.1.0-rc.1",
    "angular2-platform-node": "2.1.0-rc.1",
    "angular2-universal": "2.1.0-rc.1",
    "angular2-universal-polyfills": "2.1.0-rc.1",
    "body-parser": "1.15.2",
-    "bootstrap": "4.0.0-alpha.6",
+    "bootstrap": "4.0.0-alpha.5",
    "cerialize": "^0.1.13",
    "compression": "1.6.2",
    "express": "4.14.0",
@@ -100,9 +102,8 @@
    "jsonschema": "^1.1.1",
    "methods": "1.1.2",
    "morgan": "1.7.0",
-    "ng2-pagination": "^2.0.0",
-    "ng2-translate": "4.2.0",
    "preboot": "4.5.2",
+    "reflect-metadata": "^0.1.10",
    "rxjs": "5.0.0-beta.12",
    "ts-md5": "^1.2.0",
    "webfontloader": "1.6.27",
@@ -160,7 +161,6 @@
    "protractor": "~4.0.14",
    "protractor-istanbul-plugin": "~2.0.0",
    "raw-loader": "0.5.1",
-    "reflect-metadata": "0.1.8",
    "rimraf": "2.5.4",
    "rollup": "0.37.0",
    "rollup-plugin-commonjs": "6.0.0",
--- a/resources/i18n/en.json
+++ b/resources/i18n/en.json
@@ -1,16 +1,21 @@
 {
-  "example": {
-    "with": {
-      "data": "{{greeting}}, {{recipient}}!"
-    }
-  },
-
  "footer": {
    "copyright": "copyright © 2002-{{ year }}",
    "link.dspace": "DSpace software",
    "link.duraspace": "DuraSpace"
  },

+  "item": {
+    "page": {
+      "author": "Author",
+      "abstract": "Abstract",
+      "date": "Date",
+      "uri": "URI",
+      "files": "Files",
+      "collections": "Collections"
+    }
+  },
+
  "nav": {
    "home": "Home"
  },
@@ -31,5 +36,12 @@
    "link": {
      "home-page": "Take me to the home page"
    }
+  },
+
+  "home": {
+    "top-level-communities": {
+      "head": "Communities in DSpace",
+      "help": "Select a community to browse its collections."
+    }
  }
 }
--- a/src/app/app.component.html
+++ b/src/app/app.component.html
@@ -4,25 +4,6 @@

    <main class="main-content">
      <div class="container-fluid">
-        <p>{{ 'example.with.data' | translate:data }}</p>
-        <p>{{ example }}</p>
-        <h2 [ngClass]="{ 'red': EnvConfig.production, 'green': !EnvConfig.production }">
-          <span *ngIf="!EnvConfig.production">development</span>
-          <span *ngIf="EnvConfig.production">production</span>
-        </h2>
-
-        {{options.id}}
-        <!--ds-pagination [paginationOptions]="options"
-                       [collectionSize]="100"
-                       (pageChange)="options.currentPage = $event"
-                       (pageSizeChange)="options.pageSize = $event">
-
-          <ul>
-            <li *ngFor="let item of collection | paginate: { itemsPerPage: options.pageSize, currentPage: options.currentPage, totalItems: 100 }"> {{item}} </li>
-          </ul>
-
-        </ds-pagination-->
-
        <router-outlet></router-outlet>
      </div>
    </main>
--- a/src/app/app.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/app.component.scss
@@ -15,11 +15,3 @@
 .main-content {
  flex: 1 0 auto;
 }
-
-h2.red {
-  color: red;
-}
-
-h2.green {
-  color: green;
-}
--- a/src/app/app.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/app.component.spec.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
  DebugElement
 } from "@angular/core";
 import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
-import { TranslateModule, TranslateLoader } from "ng2-translate";
+import { TranslateModule, TranslateLoader } from "@ngx-translate/core";
 import { Store, StoreModule } from "@ngrx/store";

 // Load the implementations that should be tested
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ describe('App component', () => {
  beforeEach(async(() => {
    return TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [CommonModule, StoreModule.provideStore({}), TranslateModule.forRoot({
-        provide: TranslateLoader,
-        useClass: MockTranslateLoader
+        loader: {
+          provide: TranslateLoader,
+          useClass: MockTranslateLoader
+        }
      })],
      declarations: [AppComponent], // declare the test component
      providers: [
@@ -52,8 +54,8 @@ describe('App component', () => {

    comp = fixture.componentInstance; // component test instance

-    // query for the title <p> by CSS element selector
-    de = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('p'));
+    // query for the <div class="outer-wrapper"> by CSS element selector
+    de = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('div.outer-wrapper'));
    el = de.nativeElement;
  });

--- a/src/app/app.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/app.component.ts
@@ -3,17 +3,14 @@ import {
  ChangeDetectionStrategy,
  Inject,
  ViewEncapsulation,
-  OnDestroy,
  OnInit, HostListener
 } from "@angular/core";
-import { TranslateService } from "ng2-translate";
+import { TranslateService } from "@ngx-translate/core";
 import { HostWindowState } from "./shared/host-window.reducer";
 import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
 import { HostWindowResizeAction } from "./shared/host-window.actions";

-import { PaginationOptions } from './core/shared/pagination-options.model';
-
-import { GLOBAL_CONFIG, GlobalConfig } from '../config';
+import { EnvConfig, GLOBAL_CONFIG, GlobalConfig } from '../config';

@Component({
  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Default,
@@ -22,16 +19,7 @@ import { GLOBAL_CONFIG, GlobalConfig } from '../config';
  templateUrl: './app.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['./app.component.css']
 })
-export class AppComponent implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
-  private translateSubscription: any;
-
-  collection = [];
-  example: string;
-  options: PaginationOptions = new PaginationOptions();
-  data: any = {
-    greeting: 'Hello',
-    recipient: 'World'
-  };
+export class AppComponent implements OnInit {

  constructor(
    @Inject(GLOBAL_CONFIG) public EnvConfig: GlobalConfig,
@@ -42,26 +30,12 @@ export class AppComponent implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
    translate.setDefaultLang('en');
    // the lang to use, if the lang isn't available, it will use the current loader to get them
    translate.use('en');
-    for (let i = 1; i <= 100; i++) {
-      this.collection.push(`item ${i}`);
-    }
  }

  ngOnInit() {
-    this.translateSubscription = this.translate.get('example.with.data', { greeting: 'Hello', recipient: 'DSpace' }).subscribe((translation: string) => {
-      this.example = translation;
-    });
-    this.onLoad();
-    this.options.id = 'app';
-    //this.options.currentPage = 1;
-    this.options.pageSize = 15;
-    this.options.size = 'sm';
-  }
-
-  ngOnDestroy() {
-    if (this.translateSubscription) {
-      this.translateSubscription.unsubscribe();
-    }
+    const env: string = EnvConfig.production ? "Production" : "Development";
+    const color: string = EnvConfig.production ? "red" : "green";
+    console.info(`Environment: %c${env}`,  `color: ${color}; font-weight: bold;`);
  }

  @HostListener('window:resize', ['$event'])
@@ -71,9 +45,4 @@ export class AppComponent implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
    );
  }

-  private onLoad() {
-    this.store.dispatch(
-      new HostWindowResizeAction(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight)
-    );
-  }
 }
--- a/src/app/app.module.ts
+++ b/src/app/app.module.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';

 import { CoreModule } from './core/core.module';
 import { HomeModule } from './home/home.module';
+import { ItemPageModule } from './item-page/item-page.module';

 import { SharedModule } from './shared/shared.module';

@@ -10,15 +11,17 @@ import { AppComponent } from './app.component';
 import { HeaderComponent } from './header/header.component';
 import { PageNotFoundComponent } from './pagenotfound/pagenotfound.component';

+
@NgModule({
  declarations: [
    AppComponent,
    HeaderComponent,
-    PageNotFoundComponent
+    PageNotFoundComponent,
  ],
  imports: [
    SharedModule,
    HomeModule,
+    ItemPageModule,
    CoreModule.forRoot(),
    AppRoutingModule
  ],
--- a/src/app/core/cache/builders/build-decorators.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/builders/build-decorators.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import "reflect-metadata";
+import { GenericConstructor } from "../../shared/generic-constructor";
+import { CacheableObject } from "../object-cache.reducer";
+import { NormalizedDSOType } from "../models/normalized-dspace-object-type";
+
+const mapsToMetadataKey = Symbol("mapsTo");
+const relationshipKey = Symbol("relationship");
+
+const relationshipMap = new Map();
+
+export const mapsTo = function(value: GenericConstructor<CacheableObject>) {
+  return Reflect.metadata(mapsToMetadataKey, value);
+};
+
+export const getMapsTo = function(target: any) {
+  return Reflect.getOwnMetadata(mapsToMetadataKey, target);
+};
+
+export const relationship = function(value: NormalizedDSOType): any {
+  return function (target: any, propertyKey: string, descriptor: PropertyDescriptor) {
+    if (!target || !propertyKey) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    let metaDataList : Array<string> = relationshipMap.get(target.constructor) || [];
+    if (metaDataList.indexOf(propertyKey) === -1) {
+      metaDataList.push(propertyKey);
+    }
+    relationshipMap.set(target.constructor, metaDataList);
+
+    return Reflect.metadata(relationshipKey, value).apply(this, arguments);
+  };
+};
+
+export const getResourceType = function(target: any, propertyKey: string) {
+  return Reflect.getMetadata(relationshipKey, target, propertyKey);
+};
+
+export const getRelationships = function(target: any) {
+  return relationshipMap.get(target);
+};
--- a/src/app/core/cache/builders/remote-data-build.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/builders/remote-data-build.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { CacheableObject } from "../object-cache.reducer";
+import { ObjectCacheService } from "../object-cache.service";
+import { RequestService } from "../../data/request.service";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "../response-cache.service";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { CoreState } from "../../core.reducers";
+import { RequestEntry } from "../../data/request.reducer";
+import { hasValue, isNotEmpty } from "../../../shared/empty.util";
+import { ResponseCacheEntry } from "../response-cache.reducer";
+import { ErrorResponse, SuccessResponse } from "../response-cache.models";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs/Observable";
+import { RemoteData } from "../../data/remote-data";
+import { GenericConstructor } from "../../shared/generic-constructor";
+import { getMapsTo, getResourceType, getRelationships } from "./build-decorators";
+import { NormalizedDSOFactory } from "../models/normalized-dspace-object-factory";
+
+@Injectable()
+export class RemoteDataBuildService {
+  constructor(
+    protected objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
+    protected responseCache: ResponseCacheService,
+    protected requestService: RequestService,
+    protected store: Store<CoreState>,
+  ) {
+  }
+
+  buildSingle<TNormalized extends CacheableObject, TDomain>(
+    href: string,
+    normalizedType: GenericConstructor<TNormalized>
+  ): RemoteData<TDomain> {
+    const requestObs = this.store.select<RequestEntry>('core', 'data', 'request', href);
+    const responseCacheObs = this.responseCache.get(href);
+
+    const requestPending = requestObs.map((entry: RequestEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.requestPending).distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const responsePending = requestObs.map((entry: RequestEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.responsePending).distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const isSuccessFul = responseCacheObs
+      .map((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.response.isSuccessful).distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const errorMessage = responseCacheObs
+      .filter((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => hasValue(entry) && !entry.response.isSuccessful)
+      .map((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => (<ErrorResponse> entry.response).errorMessage)
+      .distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const payload =
+      Observable.race(
+        this.objectCache.getBySelfLink<TNormalized>(href, normalizedType),
+        responseCacheObs
+          .filter((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.response.isSuccessful)
+          .map((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => (<SuccessResponse> entry.response).resourceUUIDs)
+          .flatMap((resourceUUIDs: Array<string>) => {
+            if (isNotEmpty(resourceUUIDs)) {
+              return this.objectCache.get(resourceUUIDs[0], normalizedType);
+            }
+            else {
+              return Observable.of(undefined);
+            }
+          })
+          .distinctUntilChanged()
+      ).map((normalized: TNormalized) => {
+        return this.build<TNormalized, TDomain>(normalized);
+      });
+
+    return new RemoteData(
+      href,
+      requestPending,
+      responsePending,
+      isSuccessFul,
+      errorMessage,
+      payload
+    );
+  }
+
+  buildList<TNormalized extends CacheableObject, TDomain>(
+    href: string,
+    normalizedType: GenericConstructor<TNormalized>
+  ): RemoteData<TDomain[]> {
+    const requestObs = this.store.select<RequestEntry>('core', 'data', 'request', href);
+    const responseCacheObs = this.responseCache.get(href);
+
+    const requestPending = requestObs.map((entry: RequestEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.requestPending).distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const responsePending = requestObs.map((entry: RequestEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.responsePending).distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const isSuccessFul = responseCacheObs
+      .map((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.response.isSuccessful).distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const errorMessage = responseCacheObs
+      .filter((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => hasValue(entry) && !entry.response.isSuccessful)
+      .map((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => (<ErrorResponse> entry.response).errorMessage)
+      .distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    const payload = responseCacheObs
+      .filter((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => hasValue(entry) && entry.response.isSuccessful)
+      .map((entry: ResponseCacheEntry) => (<SuccessResponse> entry.response).resourceUUIDs)
+      .flatMap((resourceUUIDs: Array<string>) => {
+        return this.objectCache.getList(resourceUUIDs, normalizedType)
+          .map((normList: TNormalized[]) => {
+            return normList.map((normalized: TNormalized) => {
+              return this.build<TNormalized, TDomain>(normalized);
+            });
+          });
+      })
+      .distinctUntilChanged();
+
+    return new RemoteData(
+      href,
+      requestPending,
+      responsePending,
+      isSuccessFul,
+      errorMessage,
+      payload
+    );
+  }
+
+
+  build<TNormalized extends CacheableObject, TDomain>(normalized: TNormalized): TDomain {
+    let links: any = {};
+
+    const relationships = getRelationships(normalized.constructor) || [];
+
+    relationships.forEach((relationship: string) => {
+      if (hasValue(normalized[relationship])) {
+        const resourceType = getResourceType(normalized, relationship);
+        const resourceConstructor = NormalizedDSOFactory.getConstructor(resourceType);
+        if (Array.isArray(normalized[relationship])) {
+          // without the setTimeout, the actions inside requestService.configure
+          // are dispatched, but sometimes don't arrive. I'm unsure why atm.
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            normalized[relationship].forEach((href: string) => {
+              this.requestService.configure(href, resourceConstructor)
+            });
+          }, 0);
+
+          links[relationship] = normalized[relationship].map((href: string) => {
+            return this.buildSingle(href, resourceConstructor);
+          });
+        }
+        else {
+          // without the setTimeout, the actions inside requestService.configure
+          // are dispatched, but sometimes don't arrive. I'm unsure why atm.
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            this.requestService.configure(normalized[relationship], resourceConstructor);
+          },0);
+
+          links[relationship] = this.buildSingle(normalized[relationship], resourceConstructor);
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+    const domainModel = getMapsTo(normalized.constructor);
+    return Object.assign(new domainModel(), normalized, links);
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/cache.reducers.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/cache.reducers.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 import { combineReducers } from "@ngrx/store";
-import { RequestCacheState, requestCacheReducer } from "./request-cache.reducer";
+import { ResponseCacheState, responseCacheReducer } from "./response-cache.reducer";
 import { ObjectCacheState, objectCacheReducer } from "./object-cache.reducer";

 export interface CacheState {
-  request: RequestCacheState,
+  response: ResponseCacheState,
  object: ObjectCacheState
 }

 export const reducers = {
-  request: requestCacheReducer,
+  response: responseCacheReducer,
  object: objectCacheReducer
 };

--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-bitstream.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-bitstream.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { inheritSerialization, autoserialize } from "cerialize";
+import { NormalizedDSpaceObject } from "./normalized-dspace-object.model";
+import { Bitstream } from "../../shared/bitstream.model";
+import { mapsTo } from "../builders/build-decorators";
+
+@mapsTo(Bitstream)
+@inheritSerialization(NormalizedDSpaceObject)
+export class NormalizedBitstream extends NormalizedDSpaceObject {
+
+    /**
+     * The size of this bitstream in bytes(?)
+     */
+    @autoserialize
+    size: number;
+
+    /**
+     * The relative path to this Bitstream's file
+     */
+    url: string;
+
+    /**
+     * The mime type of this Bitstream
+     */
+    mimetype: string;
+
+    /**
+     * The description of this Bitstream
+     */
+    description: string;
+
+    /**
+     * An array of Bundles that are direct parents of this Bitstream
+     */
+    parents: Array<string>;
+
+    /**
+     * The Bundle that owns this Bitstream
+     */
+    owner: string;
+
+    @autoserialize
+    retrieve: string;
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-bundle.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-bundle.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { autoserialize, inheritSerialization } from "cerialize";
+import { NormalizedDSpaceObject } from "./normalized-dspace-object.model";
+import { Bundle } from "../../shared/bundle.model";
+import { mapsTo, relationship } from "../builders/build-decorators";
+import { NormalizedDSOType } from "./normalized-dspace-object-type";
+
+@mapsTo(Bundle)
+@inheritSerialization(NormalizedDSpaceObject)
+export class NormalizedBundle extends NormalizedDSpaceObject {
+  /**
+   * The primary bitstream of this Bundle
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  @relationship(NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedBitstream)
+  primaryBitstream: string;
+
+  /**
+   * An array of Items that are direct parents of this Bundle
+   */
+  parents: Array<string>;
+
+  /**
+   * The Item that owns this Bundle
+   */
+  owner: string;
+
+  @autoserialize
+  @relationship(NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedBitstream)
+  bitstreams: Array<string>;
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-collection.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-collection.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { autoserialize, inheritSerialization, autoserializeAs } from "cerialize";
+import { NormalizedDSpaceObject } from "./normalized-dspace-object.model";
+import { Collection } from "../../shared/collection.model";
+import { mapsTo, relationship } from "../builders/build-decorators";
+import { NormalizedDSOType } from "./normalized-dspace-object-type";
+
+@mapsTo(Collection)
+@inheritSerialization(NormalizedDSpaceObject)
+export class NormalizedCollection extends NormalizedDSpaceObject {
+
+  /**
+   * A string representing the unique handle of this Collection
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  handle: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The Bitstream that represents the logo of this Collection
+   */
+  logo: string;
+
+  /**
+   * An array of Collections that are direct parents of this Collection
+   */
+  parents: Array<string>;
+
+  /**
+   * The Collection that owns this Collection
+   */
+  owner: string;
+
+  @autoserialize
+  @relationship(NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedItem)
+  items: Array<string>;
+
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-community.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-community.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { autoserialize, inheritSerialization, autoserializeAs } from "cerialize";
+import { NormalizedDSpaceObject } from "./normalized-dspace-object.model";
+import { Community } from "../../shared/community.model";
+import { mapsTo, relationship } from "../builders/build-decorators";
+import { NormalizedDSOType } from "./normalized-dspace-object-type";
+
+@mapsTo(Community)
+@inheritSerialization(NormalizedDSpaceObject)
+export class NormalizedCommunity extends NormalizedDSpaceObject {
+
+  /**
+   * A string representing the unique handle of this Community
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  handle: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The Bitstream that represents the logo of this Community
+   */
+  logo: string;
+
+  /**
+   * An array of Communities that are direct parents of this Community
+   */
+  parents: Array<string>;
+
+  /**
+   * The Community that owns this Community
+   */
+  owner: string;
+
+  @autoserialize
+  @relationship(NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedCollection)
+  collections: Array<string>;
+
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-dspace-object-factory.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-dspace-object-factory.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { NormalizedDSpaceObject } from "./normalized-dspace-object.model";
+import { NormalizedBitstream } from "./normalized-bitstream.model";
+import { NormalizedBundle } from "./normalized-bundle.model";
+import { NormalizedItem } from "./normalized-item.model";
+import { NormalizedCollection } from "./normalized-collection.model";
+import { GenericConstructor } from "../../shared/generic-constructor";
+import { NormalizedDSOType } from "./normalized-dspace-object-type";
+import { NormalizedCommunity } from "./normalized-community.model";
+
+export class NormalizedDSOFactory {
+  public static getConstructor(type: NormalizedDSOType): GenericConstructor<NormalizedDSpaceObject> {
+    switch (type) {
+      case NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedBitstream: {
+        return NormalizedBitstream
+      }
+      case NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedBundle: {
+        return NormalizedBundle
+      }
+      case NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedItem: {
+        return NormalizedItem
+      }
+      case NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedCollection: {
+        return NormalizedCollection
+      }
+      case NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedCommunity: {
+        return NormalizedCommunity
+      }
+      default: {
+        return undefined;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-dspace-object-type.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-dspace-object-type.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+export enum NormalizedDSOType {
+  NormalizedBitstream,
+  NormalizedBundle,
+  NormalizedItem,
+  NormalizedCollection,
+  NormalizedCommunity
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-dspace-object.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-dspace-object.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import { autoserialize, autoserializeAs } from "cerialize";
+import { CacheableObject } from "../object-cache.reducer";
+import { Metadatum } from "../../shared/metadatum.model";
+
+/**
+ * An abstract model class for a DSpaceObject.
+ */
+export abstract class NormalizedDSpaceObject implements CacheableObject {
+
+  @autoserialize
+  self: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The human-readable identifier of this DSpaceObject
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  id: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The universally unique identifier of this DSpaceObject
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  uuid: string;
+
+  /**
+   * A string representing the kind of DSpaceObject, e.g. community, item, …
+   */
+  type: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The name for this DSpaceObject
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  name: string;
+
+  /**
+   * An array containing all metadata of this DSpaceObject
+   */
+  @autoserializeAs(Metadatum)
+  metadata: Array<Metadatum>;
+
+  /**
+   * An array of DSpaceObjects that are direct parents of this DSpaceObject
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  parents: Array<string>;
+
+  /**
+   * The DSpaceObject that owns this DSpaceObject
+   */
+  owner: string;
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-item.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/normalized-item.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import { inheritSerialization, autoserialize } from "cerialize";
+import { NormalizedDSpaceObject } from "./normalized-dspace-object.model";
+import { Item } from "../../shared/item.model";
+import { mapsTo, relationship } from "../builders/build-decorators";
+import { NormalizedDSOType } from "./normalized-dspace-object-type";
+
+@mapsTo(Item)
+@inheritSerialization(NormalizedDSpaceObject)
+export class NormalizedItem extends NormalizedDSpaceObject {
+
+  /**
+   * A string representing the unique handle of this Item
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  handle: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The Date of the last modification of this Item
+   */
+  lastModified: Date;
+
+  /**
+   * A boolean representing if this Item is currently archived or not
+   */
+  isArchived: boolean;
+
+  /**
+   * A boolean representing if this Item is currently withdrawn or not
+   */
+  isWithdrawn: boolean;
+
+  /**
+   * An array of Collections that are direct parents of this Item
+   */
+  @autoserialize
+  @relationship(NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedCollection)
+  parents: Array<string>;
+
+  /**
+   * The Collection that owns this Item
+   */
+  owner: string;
+
+  @autoserialize
+  @relationship(NormalizedDSOType.NormalizedBundle)
+  bundles: Array<string>;
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/pagination-options.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/pagination-options.model.ts
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/self-link.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/self-link.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import { autoserialize } from "cerialize";
+
+export class SelfLink {
+
+  @autoserialize
+  self: string;
+
+  @autoserialize
+  uuid: string;
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/sort-options.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/sort-options.model.ts
--- a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.reducer.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { CacheEntry } from "./cache-entry";
 */
 export interface CacheableObject {
  uuid: string;
+  self?: string;
 }

 /**
--- a/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/object-cache.service.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ export class ObjectCacheService {
      .map((entry: ObjectCacheEntry) => <T> Object.assign(new type(), entry.data));
  }

+  getBySelfLink<T extends CacheableObject>(href: string, type: GenericConstructor<T>): Observable<T> {
+    return this.store.select<string>('core', 'index', 'href', href)
+      .flatMap((uuid: string) => this.get(uuid, type))
+  }
+
  /**
   * Get an observable for an array of objects of the same type
   * with the specified UUIDs
@@ -104,6 +109,25 @@ export class ObjectCacheService {
    return result;
  }

+  /**
+   * Check whether the object with the specified self link is cached
+   *
+   * @param href
+   *    The self link of the object to check
+   * @return boolean
+   *    true if the object with the specified self link is cached,
+   *    false otherwise
+   */
+  hasBySelfLink(href: string): boolean {
+    let result: boolean = false;
+
+    this.store.select<string>('core', 'index', 'href', href)
+      .take(1)
+      .subscribe((uuid: string) => result = this.has(uuid));
+
+    return result;
+  }
+
  /**
   * Check whether an ObjectCacheEntry should still be cached
   *
--- a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.actions.ts
@@ -1,205 +0,0 @@
-import { OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { Action } from "@ngrx/store";
-import { type } from "../../shared/ngrx/type";
-import { PaginationOptions } from "../shared/pagination-options.model";
-import { SortOptions } from "../shared/sort-options.model";
-
-/**
- * The list of RequestCacheAction type definitions
- */
-export const RequestCacheActionTypes = {
-  FIND_BY_ID: type('dspace/core/cache/request/FIND_BY_ID'),
-  FIND_ALL: type('dspace/core/cache/request/FIND_ALL'),
-  SUCCESS: type('dspace/core/cache/request/SUCCESS'),
-  ERROR: type('dspace/core/cache/request/ERROR'),
-  REMOVE: type('dspace/core/cache/request/REMOVE'),
-  RESET_TIMESTAMPS: type('dspace/core/cache/request/RESET_TIMESTAMPS')
-};
-
-/**
- * An ngrx action to find all objects of a certain type
- */
-export class RequestCacheFindAllAction implements Action {
-  type = RequestCacheActionTypes.FIND_ALL;
-  payload: {
-    key: string,
-    service: OpaqueToken,
-    scopeID: string,
-    paginationOptions: PaginationOptions,
-    sortOptions: SortOptions
-  };
-
-  /**
-   * Create a new RequestCacheFindAllAction
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key under which to cache this request, should be unique
-   * @param service
-   *    the name of the service that initiated the action
-   * @param scopeID
-   *    the id of an optional scope object
-   * @param paginationOptions
-   *    the pagination options
-   * @param sortOptions
-   *    the sort options
-   */
-  constructor(
-    key: string,
-    service: OpaqueToken,
-    scopeID?: string,
-    paginationOptions: PaginationOptions = new PaginationOptions(),
-    sortOptions: SortOptions = new SortOptions()
-  ) {
-    this.payload = {
-      key,
-      service,
-      scopeID,
-      paginationOptions,
-      sortOptions
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * An ngrx action to find objects by id
- */
-export class RequestCacheFindByIDAction implements Action {
-  type = RequestCacheActionTypes.FIND_BY_ID;
-  payload: {
-    key: string,
-    service: OpaqueToken,
-    resourceID: string
-  };
-
-  /**
-   * Create a new RequestCacheFindByIDAction
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key under which to cache this request, should be unique
-   * @param service
-   *    the name of the service that initiated the action
-   * @param resourceID
-   *    the ID of the resource to find
-   */
-  constructor(
-    key: string,
-    service: OpaqueToken,
-    resourceID: string
-  ) {
-    this.payload = {
-      key,
-      service,
-      resourceID
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * An ngrx action to indicate a request was returned successful
- */
-export class RequestCacheSuccessAction implements Action {
-  type = RequestCacheActionTypes.SUCCESS;
-  payload: {
-    key: string,
-    resourceUUIDs: Array<string>,
-    timeAdded: number,
-    msToLive: number
-  };
-
-  /**
-   * Create a new RequestCacheSuccessAction
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key under which cache this request is cached,
-   *    should be identical to the one used in the corresponding
-   *    find action
-   * @param resourceUUIDs
-   *    the UUIDs returned from the backend
-   * @param timeAdded
-   *    the time it was returned
-   * @param msToLive
-   *    the amount of milliseconds before it should expire
-   */
-  constructor(key: string, resourceUUIDs: Array<string>, timeAdded, msToLive: number) {
-    this.payload = {
-      key,
-      resourceUUIDs,
-      timeAdded,
-      msToLive
-    };
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * An ngrx action to indicate a request failed
- */
-export class RequestCacheErrorAction implements Action {
-  type = RequestCacheActionTypes.ERROR;
-  payload: {
-    key: string,
-    errorMessage: string
-  };
-
-  /**
-   * Create a new RequestCacheErrorAction
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key under which cache this request is cached,
-   *    should be identical to the one used in the corresponding
-   *    find action
-   * @param errorMessage
-   *    A message describing the reason the request failed
-   */
-  constructor(key: string, errorMessage: string) {
-    this.payload = {
-      key,
-      errorMessage
-    };
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * An ngrx action to remove a request from the cache
- */
-export class RequestCacheRemoveAction implements Action {
-  type = RequestCacheActionTypes.REMOVE;
-  payload: string;
-
-  /**
-   * Create a new RequestCacheRemoveAction
-   * @param key
-   *    The key of the request to remove
-   */
-  constructor(key: string) {
-    this.payload = key;
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * An ngrx action to reset the timeAdded property of all cached objects
- */
-export class ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction implements Action {
-  type = RequestCacheActionTypes.RESET_TIMESTAMPS;
-  payload: number;
-
-  /**
-   * Create a new ResetObjectCacheTimestampsAction
-   *
-   * @param newTimestamp
-   *    the new timeAdded all objects should get
-   */
-  constructor(newTimestamp: number) {
-    this.payload = newTimestamp;
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * A type to encompass all RequestCacheActions
- */
-export type RequestCacheAction
-  = RequestCacheFindAllAction
-  | RequestCacheFindByIDAction
-  | RequestCacheSuccessAction
-  | RequestCacheErrorAction
-  | RequestCacheRemoveAction
-  | ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction;
--- a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.reducer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.reducer.spec.ts
@@ -1,240 +0,0 @@
-import { requestCacheReducer, RequestCacheState } from "./request-cache.reducer";
-import {
-  RequestCacheRemoveAction, RequestCacheFindByIDAction,
-  RequestCacheFindAllAction, RequestCacheSuccessAction, RequestCacheErrorAction,
-  ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction
-} from "./request-cache.actions";
-import deepFreeze = require("deep-freeze");
-import { OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { PaginationOptions } from "../shared/pagination-options.model";
-
-class NullAction extends RequestCacheRemoveAction {
-  type = null;
-  payload = null;
-
-  constructor() {
-    super(null);
-  }
-}
-
-describe("requestCacheReducer", () => {
-  const keys = ["125c17f89046283c5f0640722aac9feb", "a06c3006a41caec5d635af099b0c780c"];
-  const services = [new OpaqueToken('service1'), new OpaqueToken('service2')];
-  const msToLive = 900000;
-  const uuids = [
-    "9e32a2e2-6b91-4236-a361-995ccdc14c60",
-    "598ce822-c357-46f3-ab70-63724d02d6ad",
-    "be8325f7-243b-49f4-8a4b-df2b793ff3b5"
-  ];
-  const resourceID = "9978";
-  const paginationOptions: PaginationOptions = {
-    "id": "test",
-    "currentPage": 1,
-    "pageSizeOptions": [5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100],
-    "disabled": false,
-    "boundaryLinks": false,
-    "directionLinks": true,
-    "ellipses": true,
-    "maxSize": 0,
-    "pageSize": 10,
-    "rotate": false,
-    "size": 'sm'
-  };
-  const sortOptions = { "field": "id", "direction": 0 };
-  const testState = {
-    [keys[0]]: {
-      "key": keys[0],
-      "service": services[0],
-      "resourceUUIDs": [uuids[0], uuids[1]],
-      "isLoading": false,
-      "paginationOptions": paginationOptions,
-      "sortOptions": sortOptions,
-      "timeAdded": new Date().getTime(),
-      "msToLive": msToLive
-    },
-    [keys[1]]: {
-      "key": keys[1],
-      "service": services[1],
-      "resourceID": resourceID,
-      "resourceUUIDs": [uuids[2]],
-      "isLoading": false,
-      "timeAdded": new Date().getTime(),
-      "msToLive": msToLive
-    }
-  };
-  deepFreeze(testState);
-  const errorState: {} = {
-    [keys[0]]: {
-      errorMessage: 'error',
-      resourceUUIDs: uuids
-    }
-  };
-  deepFreeze(errorState);
-
-
-  it("should return the current state when no valid actions have been made", () => {
-    const action = new NullAction();
-    const newState = requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-
-    expect(newState).toEqual(testState);
-  });
-
-  it("should start with an empty cache", () => {
-    const action = new NullAction();
-    const initialState = requestCacheReducer(undefined, action);
-
-    expect(initialState).toEqual(Object.create(null));
-  });
-
-  describe("FIND_BY_ID", () => {
-    const action = new RequestCacheFindByIDAction(keys[0], services[0], resourceID);
-
-    it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
-      //testState has already been frozen above
-      requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-    });
-
-    it("should add the request to the cache", () => {
-      const state = Object.create(null);
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(state, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].key).toBe(keys[0]);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].service).toEqual(services[0]);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceID).toBe(resourceID);
-    });
-
-    it("should set isLoading to true", () => {
-      const state = Object.create(null);
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(state, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].isLoading).toBe(true);
-    });
-
-    it("should remove any previous error message or resourceUUID for the request", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(errorState, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceUUIDs.length).toBe(0);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBeUndefined();
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("FIND_ALL", () => {
-    const action = new RequestCacheFindAllAction(keys[0], services[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
-
-    it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
-      //testState has already been frozen above
-      requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-    });
-
-    it("should add the request to the cache", () => {
-      const state = Object.create(null);
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(state, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].key).toBe(keys[0]);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].service).toEqual(services[0]);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].scopeID).toBe(resourceID);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].paginationOptions).toEqual(paginationOptions);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].sortOptions).toEqual(sortOptions);
-    });
-
-    it("should set isLoading to true", () => {
-      const state = Object.create(null);
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(state, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].isLoading).toBe(true);
-    });
-
-    it("should remove any previous error message or resourceUUIDs for the request", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(errorState, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceUUIDs.length).toBe(0);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBeUndefined();
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("SUCCESS", () => {
-    const successUUIDs = [uuids[0], uuids[2]];
-    const successTimeAdded = new Date().getTime();
-    const successMsToLive = 5;
-    const action = new RequestCacheSuccessAction(keys[0], successUUIDs, successTimeAdded, successMsToLive);
-
-    it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
-      //testState has already been frozen above
-      requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-    });
-
-    it("should add the response to the cached request", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceUUIDs).toBe(successUUIDs);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].timeAdded).toBe(successTimeAdded);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].msToLive).toBe(successMsToLive);
-    });
-
-    it("should set isLoading to false", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].isLoading).toBe(false);
-    });
-
-    it("should remove any previous error message for the request", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(errorState, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBeUndefined();
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("ERROR", () => {
-    const errorMsg = 'errorMsg';
-    const action = new RequestCacheErrorAction(keys[0], errorMsg);
-
-    it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
-      //testState has already been frozen above
-      requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-    });
-
-    it("should set an error message for the request", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(errorState, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBe(errorMsg);
-    });
-
-    it("should set isLoading to false", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-      expect(newState[keys[0]].isLoading).toBe(false);
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("REMOVE", () => {
-    it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
-      const action = new RequestCacheRemoveAction(keys[0]);
-      //testState has already been frozen above
-      requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-    });
-
-    it("should remove the specified request from the cache", () => {
-      const action = new RequestCacheRemoveAction(keys[0]);
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-      expect(testState[keys[0]]).not.toBeUndefined();
-      expect(newState[keys[0]]).toBeUndefined();
-    });
-
-    it("shouldn't do anything when the specified key isn't cached", () => {
-      const wrongKey = "this isn't cached";
-      const action = new RequestCacheRemoveAction(wrongKey);
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-      expect(testState[wrongKey]).toBeUndefined();
-      expect(newState).toEqual(testState);
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("RESET_TIMESTAMPS", () => {
-    const newTimeStamp = new Date().getTime();
-    const action = new ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction(newTimeStamp);
-
-    it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
-      //testState has already been frozen above
-      requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-    });
-
-    it("should set the timestamp of all requests in the cache", () => {
-      const newState = requestCacheReducer(testState, action);
-      Object.keys(newState).forEach((key) => {
-        expect(newState[key].timeAdded).toEqual(newTimeStamp);
-      });
-    });
-
-  });
-
-
-});
--- a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.reducer.ts
@@ -1,212 +0,0 @@
-import { PaginationOptions } from "../shared/pagination-options.model";
-import { SortOptions } from "../shared/sort-options.model";
-import {
-  RequestCacheAction, RequestCacheActionTypes, RequestCacheFindAllAction,
-  RequestCacheSuccessAction, RequestCacheErrorAction, RequestCacheFindByIDAction,
-  RequestCacheRemoveAction, ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction
-} from "./request-cache.actions";
-import { OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { CacheEntry } from "./cache-entry";
-import { hasValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
-
-/**
- * An entry in the RequestCache
- */
-export class RequestCacheEntry implements CacheEntry {
-  service: OpaqueToken;
-  key: string;
-  scopeID: string;
-  resourceID: string;
-  resourceUUIDs: Array<String>;
-  resourceType: String;
-  isLoading: boolean;
-  errorMessage: string;
-  paginationOptions: PaginationOptions;
-  sortOptions: SortOptions;
-  timeAdded: number;
-  msToLive: number;
-}
-
-/**
- * The RequestCache State
- */
-export interface RequestCacheState {
-  [key: string]: RequestCacheEntry
-}
-
-// Object.create(null) ensures the object has no default js properties (e.g. `__proto__`)
-const initialState = Object.create(null);
-
-/**
- * The RequestCache Reducer
- *
- * @param state
- *    the current state
- * @param action
- *    the action to perform on the state
- * @return RequestCacheState
- *    the new state
- */
-export const requestCacheReducer = (state = initialState, action: RequestCacheAction): RequestCacheState => {
-  switch (action.type) {
-
-    case RequestCacheActionTypes.FIND_ALL: {
-      return findAllRequest(state, <RequestCacheFindAllAction> action);
-    }
-
-    case RequestCacheActionTypes.FIND_BY_ID: {
-      return findByIDRequest(state, <RequestCacheFindByIDAction> action);
-    }
-
-    case RequestCacheActionTypes.SUCCESS: {
-      return success(state, <RequestCacheSuccessAction> action);
-    }
-
-    case RequestCacheActionTypes.ERROR: {
-      return error(state, <RequestCacheErrorAction> action);
-    }
-
-    case RequestCacheActionTypes.REMOVE: {
-      return removeFromCache(state, <RequestCacheRemoveAction> action);
-    }
-
-    case RequestCacheActionTypes.RESET_TIMESTAMPS: {
-      return resetRequestCacheTimestamps(state, <ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction>action)
-    }
-
-    default: {
-      return state;
-    }
-  }
-};
-
-/**
- * Add a FindAll request to the cache
- *
- * @param state
- *    the current state
- * @param action
- *    a RequestCacheFindAllAction
- * @return RequestCacheState
- *    the new state, with the request added, or overwritten
- */
-function findAllRequest(state: RequestCacheState, action: RequestCacheFindAllAction): RequestCacheState {
-  return Object.assign({}, state, {
-    [action.payload.key]: {
-      key: action.payload.key,
-      service: action.payload.service,
-      scopeID: action.payload.scopeID,
-      resourceUUIDs: [],
-      isLoading: true,
-      errorMessage: undefined,
-      paginationOptions: action.payload.paginationOptions,
-      sortOptions: action.payload.sortOptions
-    }
-  });
-}
-
-/**
- * Add a FindByID request to the cache
- *
- * @param state
- *    the current state
- * @param action
- *    a RequestCacheFindByIDAction
- * @return RequestCacheState
- *    the new state, with the request added, or overwritten
- */
-function findByIDRequest(state: RequestCacheState, action: RequestCacheFindByIDAction): RequestCacheState {
-  return Object.assign({}, state, {
-    [action.payload.key]: {
-      key: action.payload.key,
-      service: action.payload.service,
-      resourceID: action.payload.resourceID,
-      resourceUUIDs: [],
-      isLoading: true,
-      errorMessage: undefined,
-    }
-  });
-}
-
-/**
- * Update a cached request with a successful response
- *
- * @param state
- *    the current state
- * @param action
- *    a RequestCacheSuccessAction
- * @return RequestCacheState
- *    the new state, with the response added to the request
- */
-function success(state: RequestCacheState, action: RequestCacheSuccessAction): RequestCacheState {
-  return Object.assign({}, state, {
-    [action.payload.key]: Object.assign({}, state[action.payload.key], {
-      isLoading: false,
-      resourceUUIDs: action.payload.resourceUUIDs,
-      errorMessage: undefined,
-      timeAdded: action.payload.timeAdded,
-      msToLive: action.payload.msToLive
-    })
-  });
-}
-
-/**
- * Update a cached request with an error
- *
- * @param state
- *    the current state
- * @param action
- *    a RequestCacheSuccessAction
- * @return RequestCacheState
- *    the new state, with the error added to the request
- */
-function error(state: RequestCacheState, action: RequestCacheErrorAction): RequestCacheState {
-  return Object.assign({}, state, {
-    [action.payload.key]: Object.assign({}, state[action.payload.key], {
-      isLoading: false,
-      errorMessage: action.payload.errorMessage
-    })
-  });
-}
-
-/**
- * Remove a request from the cache
- *
- * @param state
- *    the current state
- * @param action
- *    an RequestCacheRemoveAction
- * @return RequestCacheState
- *    the new state, with the request removed if it existed.
- */
-function removeFromCache(state: RequestCacheState, action: RequestCacheRemoveAction): RequestCacheState {
-  if (hasValue(state[action.payload])) {
-    let newCache = Object.assign({}, state);
-    delete newCache[action.payload];
-
-    return newCache;
-  }
-  else {
-    return state;
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * Set the timeAdded timestamp of every cached request to the specified value
- *
- * @param state
- *    the current state
- * @param action
- *    a ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction
- * @return RequestCacheState
- *    the new state, with all timeAdded timestamps set to the specified value
- */
-function resetRequestCacheTimestamps(state: RequestCacheState, action: ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction): RequestCacheState {
-  let newState = Object.create(null);
-  Object.keys(state).forEach(key => {
-    newState[key] = Object.assign({}, state[key], {
-      timeAdded: action.payload
-    });
-  });
-  return newState;
-}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.spec.ts
@@ -1,160 +0,0 @@
-import { RequestCacheService } from "./request-cache.service";
-import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
-import { RequestCacheState, RequestCacheEntry } from "./request-cache.reducer";
-import { OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { RequestCacheFindAllAction, RequestCacheFindByIDAction } from "./request-cache.actions";
-import { Observable } from "rxjs";
-import { PaginationOptions } from "../shared/pagination-options.model";
-
-describe("RequestCacheService", () => {
-  let service: RequestCacheService;
-  let store: Store<RequestCacheState>;
-
-  const keys = ["125c17f89046283c5f0640722aac9feb", "a06c3006a41caec5d635af099b0c780c"];
-  const serviceTokens = [new OpaqueToken('service1'), new OpaqueToken('service2')];
-  const resourceID = "9978";
-  const paginationOptions: PaginationOptions = {
-    "id": "test",
-    "currentPage": 1,
-    "pageSizeOptions": [5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100],
-    "disabled": false,
-    "boundaryLinks": false,
-    "directionLinks": true,
-    "ellipses": true,
-    "maxSize": 0,
-    "pageSize": 10,
-    "rotate": false,
-    "size": 'sm'
-  };
-  const sortOptions = { "field": "id", "direction": 0 };
-  const timestamp = new Date().getTime();
-  const validCacheEntry = (key) => {
-    return {
-      key: key,
-      timeAdded: timestamp,
-      msToLive: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 // a day
-    }
-  };
-  const invalidCacheEntry = (key) => {
-    return {
-      key: key,
-      timeAdded: 0,
-      msToLive: 0
-    }
-  };
-
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    store = new Store<RequestCacheState>(undefined, undefined, undefined);
-    spyOn(store, 'dispatch');
-    service = new RequestCacheService(store);
-    spyOn(window, 'Date').and.returnValue({ getTime: () => timestamp });
-  });
-
-  describe("findAll", () => {
-    beforeEach(() => {
-      spyOn(service, "get").and.callFake((key) => Observable.of({key: key}));
-    });
-    describe("if the key isn't cached", () => {
-      beforeEach(() => {
-          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(false);
-      });
-      it("should dispatch a FIND_ALL action with the key, service, scopeID, paginationOptions and sortOptions", () => {
-        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
-        expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new RequestCacheFindAllAction(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions))
-      });
-      it("should return an observable of the newly cached request with the specified key", () => {
-        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
-        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
-        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
-      });
-    });
-    describe("if the key is already cached", () => {
-      beforeEach(() => {
-          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(true);
-      });
-      it("shouldn't dispatch anything", () => {
-        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
-        expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-      });
-      it("should return an observable of the existing cached request with the specified key", () => {
-        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
-        service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
-        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
-      });
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("findById", () => {
-    beforeEach(() => {
-      spyOn(service, "get").and.callFake((key) => Observable.of({key: key}));
-    });
-    describe("if the key isn't cached", () => {
-      beforeEach(() => {
-          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(false);
-      });
-      it("should dispatch a FIND_BY_ID action with the key, service, and resourceID", () => {
-        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID);
-        expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new RequestCacheFindByIDAction(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID))
-      });
-      it("should return an observable of the newly cached request with the specified key", () => {
-        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
-        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
-        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
-      });
-    });
-    describe("if the key is already cached", () => {
-      beforeEach(() => {
-          spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(true);
-      });
-      it("shouldn't dispatch anything", () => {
-        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID);
-        expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-      });
-      it("should return an observable of the existing cached request with the specified key", () => {
-        let result: RequestCacheEntry;
-        service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
-        expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
-      });
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("get", () => {
-    it("should return an observable of the cached request with the specified key", () => {
-      spyOn(store, "select").and.callFake((...args:Array<any>) => {
-        return Observable.of(validCacheEntry(args[args.length - 1]));
-      });
-
-      let testObj: RequestCacheEntry;
-      service.get(keys[1]).take(1).subscribe(entry => testObj = entry);
-      expect(testObj.key).toEqual(keys[1]);
-    });
-
-    it("should not return a cached request that has exceeded its time to live", () => {
-      spyOn(store, "select").and.callFake((...args:Array<any>) => {
-        return Observable.of(invalidCacheEntry(args[args.length - 1]));
-      });
-
-      let getObsHasFired = false;
-      const subscription = service.get(keys[1]).subscribe(entry => getObsHasFired = true);
-      expect(getObsHasFired).toBe(false);
-      subscription.unsubscribe();
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe("has", () => {
-    it("should return true if the request with the supplied key is cached and still valid", () => {
-      spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(validCacheEntry(keys[1])));
-      expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(true);
-    });
-
-    it("should return false if the request with the supplied key isn't cached", () => {
-      spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(undefined));
-      expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(false);
-    });
-
-    it("should return false if the request with the supplied key is cached but has exceeded its time to live", () => {
-      spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(invalidCacheEntry(keys[1])));
-      expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(false);
-    });
-  });
-});
--- a/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/request-cache.service.ts
@@ -1,138 +0,0 @@
-import { Injectable, OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
-import { RequestCacheState, RequestCacheEntry } from "./request-cache.reducer";
-import { Observable } from "rxjs";
-import { hasNoValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
-import {
-  RequestCacheRemoveAction, RequestCacheFindAllAction,
-  RequestCacheFindByIDAction
-} from "./request-cache.actions";
-import { SortOptions } from "../shared/sort-options.model";
-import { PaginationOptions } from "../shared/pagination-options.model";
-
-/**
- * A service to interact with the request cache
- */
-@Injectable()
-export class RequestCacheService {
-  constructor(
-    private store: Store<RequestCacheState>
-  ) {}
-
-  /**
-   * Start a new findAll request
-   *
-   * This will send a new findAll request to the backend,
-   * and store the request parameters and the fact that
-   * the request is pending
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key should be a unique identifier for the request and its parameters
-   * @param service
-   *    the service that initiated the request
-   * @param scopeID
-   *    the id of an optional scope object
-   * @param paginationOptions
-   *    the pagination options (optional)
-   * @param sortOptions
-   *    the sort options (optional)
-   * @return Observable<RequestCacheEntry>
-   *    an observable of the RequestCacheEntry for this request
-   */
-  findAll(
-    key: string,
-    service: OpaqueToken,
-    scopeID?: string,
-    paginationOptions?: PaginationOptions,
-    sortOptions?: SortOptions
-  ): Observable<RequestCacheEntry> {
-      if (!this.has(key)) {
-        this.store.dispatch(new RequestCacheFindAllAction(key, service, scopeID, paginationOptions, sortOptions));
-      }
-    return this.get(key);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Start a new findById request
-   *
-   * This will send a new findById request to the backend,
-   * and store the request parameters and the fact that
-   * the request is pending
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key should be a unique identifier for the request and its parameters
-   * @param service
-   *    the service that initiated the request
-   * @param resourceID
-   *    the ID of the resource to find
-   * @return Observable<RequestCacheEntry>
-   *    an observable of the RequestCacheEntry for this request
-   */
-  findById(
-    key: string,
-    service: OpaqueToken,
-    resourceID: string
-  ): Observable<RequestCacheEntry> {
-    if (!this.has(key)) {
-      this.store.dispatch(new RequestCacheFindByIDAction(key, service, resourceID));
-    }
-    return this.get(key);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Get an observable of the request with the specified key
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key of the request to get
-   * @return Observable<RequestCacheEntry>
-   *    an observable of the RequestCacheEntry with the specified key
-   */
-  get(key: string): Observable<RequestCacheEntry> {
-    return this.store.select<RequestCacheEntry>('core', 'cache', 'request', key)
-      .filter(entry => this.isValid(entry))
-      .distinctUntilChanged()
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Check whether the request with the specified key is cached
-   *
-   * @param key
-   *    the key of the request to check
-   * @return boolean
-   *    true if the request with the specified key is cached,
-   *    false otherwise
-   */
-  has(key: string): boolean {
-    let result: boolean;
-
-    this.store.select<RequestCacheEntry>('core', 'cache', 'request', key)
-      .take(1)
-      .subscribe(entry => result = this.isValid(entry));
-
-    return result;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Check whether a RequestCacheEntry should still be cached
-   *
-   * @param entry
-   *    the entry to check
-   * @return boolean
-   *    false if the entry is null, undefined, or its time to
-   *    live has been exceeded, true otherwise
-   */
-  private isValid(entry: RequestCacheEntry): boolean {
-    if (hasNoValue(entry)) {
-      return false;
-    }
-    else {
-      const timeOutdated = entry.timeAdded + entry.msToLive;
-      const isOutDated = new Date().getTime() > timeOutdated;
-      if (isOutDated) {
-        this.store.dispatch(new RequestCacheRemoveAction(entry.key));
-      }
-      return !isOutDated;
-    }
-  }
-
-}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.actions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { Action } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { type } from "../../shared/ngrx/type";
+import { Response } from "./response-cache.models";
+
+/**
+ * The list of ResponseCacheAction type definitions
+ */
+export const ResponseCacheActionTypes = {
+  ADD: type('dspace/core/cache/response/ADD'),
+  REMOVE: type('dspace/core/cache/response/REMOVE'),
+  RESET_TIMESTAMPS: type('dspace/core/cache/response/RESET_TIMESTAMPS')
+};
+
+export class ResponseCacheAddAction implements Action {
+  type = ResponseCacheActionTypes.ADD;
+  payload: {
+    key: string,
+    response: Response
+    timeAdded: number;
+    msToLive: number;
+  };
+
+  constructor(key: string, response: Response, timeAdded: number, msToLive: number) {
+    this.payload = { key, response, timeAdded, msToLive };
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * An ngrx action to remove a request from the cache
+ */
+export class ResponseCacheRemoveAction implements Action {
+  type = ResponseCacheActionTypes.REMOVE;
+  payload: string;
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new ResponseCacheRemoveAction
+   * @param key
+   *    The key of the request to remove
+   */
+  constructor(key: string) {
+    this.payload = key;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * An ngrx action to reset the timeAdded property of all cached objects
+ */
+export class ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction implements Action {
+  type = ResponseCacheActionTypes.RESET_TIMESTAMPS;
+  payload: number;
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new ResetObjectCacheTimestampsAction
+   *
+   * @param newTimestamp
+   *    the new timeAdded all objects should get
+   */
+  constructor(newTimestamp: number) {
+    this.payload = newTimestamp;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * A type to encompass all ResponseCacheActions
+ */
+export type ResponseCacheAction
+  = ResponseCacheAddAction
+  | ResponseCacheRemoveAction
+  | ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction;
--- a/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.models.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.models.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+export class Response {
+  constructor(public isSuccessful: boolean) {}
+}
+
+export class SuccessResponse extends Response {
+  constructor(public resourceUUIDs: Array<String>) {
+    super(true);
+  }
+}
+
+export class ErrorResponse extends Response {
+  constructor(public errorMessage: string) {
+    super(false);
+  }
+}
+
--- a/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.reducer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.reducer.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,225 @@
+import { responseCacheReducer, ResponseCacheState } from "./response-cache.reducer";
+import {
+  ResponseCacheRemoveAction,
+  ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction
+} from "./response-cache.actions";
+import deepFreeze = require("deep-freeze");
+
+class NullAction extends ResponseCacheRemoveAction {
+  type = null;
+  payload = null;
+
+  constructor() {
+    super(null);
+  }
+}
+
+// describe("responseCacheReducer", () => {
+//   const keys = ["125c17f89046283c5f0640722aac9feb", "a06c3006a41caec5d635af099b0c780c"];
+//   const services = [new OpaqueToken('service1'), new OpaqueToken('service2')];
+//   const msToLive = 900000;
+//   const uuids = [
+//     "9e32a2e2-6b91-4236-a361-995ccdc14c60",
+//     "598ce822-c357-46f3-ab70-63724d02d6ad",
+//     "be8325f7-243b-49f4-8a4b-df2b793ff3b5"
+//   ];
+//   const resourceID = "9978";
+//   const paginationOptions = { "resultsPerPage": 10, "currentPage": 1 };
+//   const sortOptions = { "field": "id", "direction": 0 };
+//   const testState = {
+//     [keys[0]]: {
+//       "key": keys[0],
+//       "service": services[0],
+//       "resourceUUIDs": [uuids[0], uuids[1]],
+//       "isLoading": false,
+//       "paginationOptions": paginationOptions,
+//       "sortOptions": sortOptions,
+//       "timeAdded": new Date().getTime(),
+//       "msToLive": msToLive
+//     },
+//     [keys[1]]: {
+//       "key": keys[1],
+//       "service": services[1],
+//       "resourceID": resourceID,
+//       "resourceUUIDs": [uuids[2]],
+//       "isLoading": false,
+//       "timeAdded": new Date().getTime(),
+//       "msToLive": msToLive
+//     }
+//   };
+//   deepFreeze(testState);
+//   const errorState: {} = {
+//     [keys[0]]: {
+//       errorMessage: 'error',
+//       resourceUUIDs: uuids
+//     }
+//   };
+//   deepFreeze(errorState);
+//
+//
+//   it("should return the current state when no valid actions have been made", () => {
+//     const action = new NullAction();
+//     const newState = responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//
+//     expect(newState).toEqual(testState);
+//   });
+//
+//   it("should start with an empty cache", () => {
+//     const action = new NullAction();
+//     const initialState = responseCacheReducer(undefined, action);
+//
+//     expect(initialState).toEqual(Object.create(null));
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("FIND_BY_ID", () => {
+//     const action = new ResponseCacheFindByIDAction(keys[0], services[0], resourceID);
+//
+//     it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
+//       //testState has already been frozen above
+//       responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should add the request to the cache", () => {
+//       const state = Object.create(null);
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(state, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].key).toBe(keys[0]);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].service).toEqual(services[0]);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceID).toBe(resourceID);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should set responsePending to true", () => {
+//       const state = Object.create(null);
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(state, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].responsePending).toBe(true);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should remove any previous error message or resourceUUID for the request", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(errorState, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceUUIDs.length).toBe(0);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBeUndefined();
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("FIND_ALL", () => {
+//     const action = new ResponseCacheFindAllAction(keys[0], services[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
+//
+//     it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
+//       //testState has already been frozen above
+//       responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should add the request to the cache", () => {
+//       const state = Object.create(null);
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(state, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].key).toBe(keys[0]);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].service).toEqual(services[0]);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].scopeID).toBe(resourceID);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].paginationOptions).toEqual(paginationOptions);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].sortOptions).toEqual(sortOptions);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should set responsePending to true", () => {
+//       const state = Object.create(null);
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(state, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].responsePending).toBe(true);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should remove any previous error message or resourceUUIDs for the request", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(errorState, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceUUIDs.length).toBe(0);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBeUndefined();
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("SUCCESS", () => {
+//     const successUUIDs = [uuids[0], uuids[2]];
+//     const successTimeAdded = new Date().getTime();
+//     const successMsToLive = 5;
+//     const action = new ResponseCacheSuccessAction(keys[0], successUUIDs, successTimeAdded, successMsToLive);
+//
+//     it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
+//       //testState has already been frozen above
+//       responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should add the response to the cached request", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].resourceUUIDs).toBe(successUUIDs);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].timeAdded).toBe(successTimeAdded);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].msToLive).toBe(successMsToLive);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should set responsePending to false", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].responsePending).toBe(false);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should remove any previous error message for the request", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(errorState, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBeUndefined();
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("ERROR", () => {
+//     const errorMsg = 'errorMsg';
+//     const action = new ResponseCacheErrorAction(keys[0], errorMsg);
+//
+//     it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
+//       //testState has already been frozen above
+//       responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should set an error message for the request", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(errorState, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].errorMessage).toBe(errorMsg);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should set responsePending to false", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]].responsePending).toBe(false);
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("REMOVE", () => {
+//     it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
+//       const action = new ResponseCacheRemoveAction(keys[0]);
+//       //testState has already been frozen above
+//       responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should remove the specified request from the cache", () => {
+//       const action = new ResponseCacheRemoveAction(keys[0]);
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//       expect(testState[keys[0]]).not.toBeUndefined();
+//       expect(newState[keys[0]]).toBeUndefined();
+//     });
+//
+//     it("shouldn't do anything when the specified key isn't cached", () => {
+//       const wrongKey = "this isn't cached";
+//       const action = new ResponseCacheRemoveAction(wrongKey);
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//       expect(testState[wrongKey]).toBeUndefined();
+//       expect(newState).toEqual(testState);
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("RESET_TIMESTAMPS", () => {
+//     const newTimeStamp = new Date().getTime();
+//     const action = new ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction(newTimeStamp);
+//
+//     it("should perform the action without affecting the previous state", () => {
+//       //testState has already been frozen above
+//       responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should set the timestamp of all requests in the cache", () => {
+//       const newState = responseCacheReducer(testState, action);
+//       Object.keys(newState).forEach((key) => {
+//         expect(newState[key].timeAdded).toEqual(newTimeStamp);
+//       });
+//     });
+//
+//   });
+//
+//
+// });
--- a/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.reducer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import {
+  ResponseCacheAction, ResponseCacheActionTypes,
+  ResponseCacheRemoveAction, ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction,
+  ResponseCacheAddAction
+} from "./response-cache.actions";
+import { CacheEntry } from "./cache-entry";
+import { hasValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
+import { Response } from "./response-cache.models";
+
+/**
+ * An entry in the ResponseCache
+ */
+export class ResponseCacheEntry implements CacheEntry {
+  key: string;
+  response: Response;
+  timeAdded: number;
+  msToLive: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The ResponseCache State
+ */
+export interface ResponseCacheState {
+  [key: string]: ResponseCacheEntry
+}
+
+// Object.create(null) ensures the object has no default js properties (e.g. `__proto__`)
+const initialState = Object.create(null);
+
+/**
+ * The ResponseCache Reducer
+ *
+ * @param state
+ *    the current state
+ * @param action
+ *    the action to perform on the state
+ * @return ResponseCacheState
+ *    the new state
+ */
+export const responseCacheReducer = (state = initialState, action: ResponseCacheAction): ResponseCacheState => {
+  switch (action.type) {
+
+    case ResponseCacheActionTypes.ADD: {
+      return addToCache(state, <ResponseCacheAddAction> action);
+    }
+
+    case ResponseCacheActionTypes.REMOVE: {
+      return removeFromCache(state, <ResponseCacheRemoveAction> action);
+    }
+
+    case ResponseCacheActionTypes.RESET_TIMESTAMPS: {
+      return resetResponseCacheTimestamps(state, <ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction>action)
+    }
+
+    default: {
+      return state;
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+function addToCache(state: ResponseCacheState, action: ResponseCacheAddAction): ResponseCacheState {
+  return Object.assign({}, state, {
+    [action.payload.key]: {
+      key: action.payload.key,
+      response: action.payload.response,
+      timeAdded: action.payload.timeAdded,
+      msToLive: action.payload.msToLive
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove a request from the cache
+ *
+ * @param state
+ *    the current state
+ * @param action
+ *    an ResponseCacheRemoveAction
+ * @return ResponseCacheState
+ *    the new state, with the request removed if it existed.
+ */
+function removeFromCache(state: ResponseCacheState, action: ResponseCacheRemoveAction): ResponseCacheState {
+  if (hasValue(state[action.payload])) {
+    let newCache = Object.assign({}, state);
+    delete newCache[action.payload];
+
+    return newCache;
+  }
+  else {
+    return state;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Set the timeAdded timestamp of every cached request to the specified value
+ *
+ * @param state
+ *    the current state
+ * @param action
+ *    a ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction
+ * @return ResponseCacheState
+ *    the new state, with all timeAdded timestamps set to the specified value
+ */
+function resetResponseCacheTimestamps(state: ResponseCacheState, action: ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction): ResponseCacheState {
+  let newState = Object.create(null);
+  Object.keys(state).forEach(key => {
+    newState[key] = Object.assign({}, state[key], {
+      timeAdded: action.payload
+    });
+  });
+  return newState;
+}
--- a/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.service.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "./response-cache.service";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { ResponseCacheState, ResponseCacheEntry } from "./response-cache.reducer";
+import { OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";
+
+// describe("ResponseCacheService", () => {
+//   let service: ResponseCacheService;
+//   let store: Store<ResponseCacheState>;
+//
+//   const keys = ["125c17f89046283c5f0640722aac9feb", "a06c3006a41caec5d635af099b0c780c"];
+//   const serviceTokens = [new OpaqueToken('service1'), new OpaqueToken('service2')];
+//   const resourceID = "9978";
+//   const paginationOptions = { "resultsPerPage": 10, "currentPage": 1 };
+//   const sortOptions = { "field": "id", "direction": 0 };
+//   const timestamp = new Date().getTime();
+//   const validCacheEntry = (key) => {
+//     return {
+//       key: key,
+//       timeAdded: timestamp,
+//       msToLive: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 // a day
+//     }
+//   };
+//   const invalidCacheEntry = (key) => {
+//     return {
+//       key: key,
+//       timeAdded: 0,
+//       msToLive: 0
+//     }
+//   };
+//
+//   beforeEach(() => {
+//     store = new Store<ResponseCacheState>(undefined, undefined, undefined);
+//     spyOn(store, 'dispatch');
+//     service = new ResponseCacheService(store);
+//     spyOn(window, 'Date').and.returnValue({ getTime: () => timestamp });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("findAll", () => {
+//     beforeEach(() => {
+//       spyOn(service, "get").and.callFake((key) => Observable.of({key: key}));
+//     });
+//     describe("if the key isn't cached", () => {
+//       beforeEach(() => {
+//           spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(false);
+//       });
+//       it("should dispatch a FIND_ALL action with the key, service, scopeID, paginationOptions and sortOptions", () => {
+//         service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
+//         expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new ResponseCacheFindAllAction(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions))
+//       });
+//       it("should return an observable of the newly cached request with the specified key", () => {
+//         let result: ResponseCacheEntry;
+//         service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+//         expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+//       });
+//     });
+//     describe("if the key is already cached", () => {
+//       beforeEach(() => {
+//           spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(true);
+//       });
+//       it("shouldn't dispatch anything", () => {
+//         service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions);
+//         expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+//       });
+//       it("should return an observable of the existing cached request with the specified key", () => {
+//         let result: ResponseCacheEntry;
+//         service.findAll(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID, paginationOptions, sortOptions).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+//         expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+//       });
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("findById", () => {
+//     beforeEach(() => {
+//       spyOn(service, "get").and.callFake((key) => Observable.of({key: key}));
+//     });
+//     describe("if the key isn't cached", () => {
+//       beforeEach(() => {
+//           spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(false);
+//       });
+//       it("should dispatch a FIND_BY_ID action with the key, service, and resourceID", () => {
+//         service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID);
+//         expect(store.dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new ResponseCacheFindByIDAction(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID))
+//       });
+//       it("should return an observable of the newly cached request with the specified key", () => {
+//         let result: ResponseCacheEntry;
+//         service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+//         expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+//       });
+//     });
+//     describe("if the key is already cached", () => {
+//       beforeEach(() => {
+//           spyOn(service, "has").and.returnValue(true);
+//       });
+//       it("shouldn't dispatch anything", () => {
+//         service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID);
+//         expect(store.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+//       });
+//       it("should return an observable of the existing cached request with the specified key", () => {
+//         let result: ResponseCacheEntry;
+//         service.findById(keys[0], serviceTokens[0], resourceID).take(1).subscribe(entry => result = entry);
+//         expect(result.key).toEqual(keys[0]);
+//       });
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("get", () => {
+//     it("should return an observable of the cached request with the specified key", () => {
+//       spyOn(store, "select").and.callFake((...args:Array<any>) => {
+//         return Observable.of(validCacheEntry(args[args.length - 1]));
+//       });
+//
+//       let testObj: ResponseCacheEntry;
+//       service.get(keys[1]).take(1).subscribe(entry => testObj = entry);
+//       expect(testObj.key).toEqual(keys[1]);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should not return a cached request that has exceeded its time to live", () => {
+//       spyOn(store, "select").and.callFake((...args:Array<any>) => {
+//         return Observable.of(invalidCacheEntry(args[args.length - 1]));
+//       });
+//
+//       let getObsHasFired = false;
+//       const subscription = service.get(keys[1]).subscribe(entry => getObsHasFired = true);
+//       expect(getObsHasFired).toBe(false);
+//       subscription.unsubscribe();
+//     });
+//   });
+//
+//   describe("has", () => {
+//     it("should return true if the request with the supplied key is cached and still valid", () => {
+//       spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(validCacheEntry(keys[1])));
+//       expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(true);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should return false if the request with the supplied key isn't cached", () => {
+//       spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(undefined));
+//       expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(false);
+//     });
+//
+//     it("should return false if the request with the supplied key is cached but has exceeded its time to live", () => {
+//       spyOn(store, 'select').and.returnValue(Observable.of(invalidCacheEntry(keys[1])));
+//       expect(service.has(keys[1])).toBe(false);
+//     });
+//   });
+// });
--- a/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/response-cache.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import {
+  ResponseCacheState, ResponseCacheEntry
+} from "./response-cache.reducer";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";
+import { hasNoValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
+import {
+  ResponseCacheRemoveAction,
+  ResponseCacheAddAction
+} from "./response-cache.actions";
+import { Response } from "./response-cache.models";
+
+/**
+ * A service to interact with the response cache
+ */
+@Injectable()
+export class ResponseCacheService {
+  constructor(
+    private store: Store<ResponseCacheState>
+  ) {}
+
+  add(key: string, response: Response, msToLive: number): Observable<ResponseCacheEntry> {
+      if (!this.has(key)) {
+        // this.store.dispatch(new ResponseCacheFindAllAction(key, service, scopeID, paginationOptions, sortOptions));
+        this.store.dispatch(new ResponseCacheAddAction(key, response, new Date().getTime(), msToLive));
+      }
+    return this.get(key);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Get an observable of the response with the specified key
+   *
+   * @param key
+   *    the key of the response to get
+   * @return Observable<ResponseCacheEntry>
+   *    an observable of the ResponseCacheEntry with the specified key
+   */
+  get(key: string): Observable<ResponseCacheEntry> {
+    return this.store.select<ResponseCacheEntry>('core', 'cache', 'response', key)
+      .filter(entry => this.isValid(entry))
+      .distinctUntilChanged()
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Check whether the response with the specified key is cached
+   *
+   * @param key
+   *    the key of the response to check
+   * @return boolean
+   *    true if the response with the specified key is cached,
+   *    false otherwise
+   */
+  has(key: string): boolean {
+    let result: boolean;
+
+    this.store.select<ResponseCacheEntry>('core', 'cache', 'response', key)
+      .take(1)
+      .subscribe(entry => {
+        result = this.isValid(entry);
+      });
+
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Check whether a ResponseCacheEntry should still be cached
+   *
+   * @param entry
+   *    the entry to check
+   * @return boolean
+   *    false if the entry is null, undefined, or its time to
+   *    live has been exceeded, true otherwise
+   */
+  private isValid(entry: ResponseCacheEntry): boolean {
+    if (hasNoValue(entry)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    else {
+      const timeOutdated = entry.timeAdded + entry.msToLive;
+      const isOutDated = new Date().getTime() > timeOutdated;
+      if (isOutDated) {
+        this.store.dispatch(new ResponseCacheRemoveAction(entry.key));
+      }
+      return !isOutDated;
+    }
+  }
+
+}
--- a/src/app/core/core.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/core.effects.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 import { EffectsModule } from "@ngrx/effects";
-import { CollectionDataEffects } from "./data-services/collection-data.effects";
-import { ItemDataEffects } from "./data-services/item-data.effects";
-import { ObjectCacheEffects } from "./data-services/object-cache.effects";
-import { RequestCacheEffects } from "./data-services/request-cache.effects";
+import { ObjectCacheEffects } from "./data/object-cache.effects";
+import { RequestCacheEffects } from "./data/request-cache.effects";
+import { HrefIndexEffects } from "./index/href-index.effects";
+import { RequestEffects } from "./data/request.effects";

 export const coreEffects = [
-  EffectsModule.run(CollectionDataEffects),
-  EffectsModule.run(ItemDataEffects),
-  EffectsModule.run(RequestCacheEffects),
+  EffectsModule.run(RequestEffects),
  EffectsModule.run(ObjectCacheEffects),
+  EffectsModule.run(HrefIndexEffects),
 ];
--- a/src/app/core/core.module.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/core.module.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 import { NgModule, Optional, SkipSelf, ModuleWithProviders } from '@angular/core';
 import { CommonModule } from '@angular/common';
-
 import { SharedModule } from "../shared/shared.module";
+
 import { isNotEmpty } from "../shared/empty.util";
 import { FooterComponent } from "./footer/footer.component";
 import { DSpaceRESTv2Service } from "./dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.service";
 import { ObjectCacheService } from "./cache/object-cache.service";
-import { RequestCacheService } from "./cache/request-cache.service";
-import { CollectionDataService } from "./data-services/collection-data.service";
-import { ItemDataService } from "./data-services/item-data.service";
-import { PaginationOptions } from "./shared/pagination-options.model";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "./cache/response-cache.service";
+import { CollectionDataService } from "./data/collection-data.service";
+import { ItemDataService } from "./data/item-data.service";
+import { RequestService } from "./data/request.service";
+import { RemoteDataBuildService } from "./cache/builders/remote-data-build.service";
+import { CommunityDataService } from "./data/community-data.service";
+import { PaginationOptions } from "./cache/models/pagination-options.model";

 const IMPORTS = [
  CommonModule,
@@ -25,12 +28,14 @@ const EXPORTS = [
 ];

 const PROVIDERS = [
+  CommunityDataService,
  CollectionDataService,
  ItemDataService,
  DSpaceRESTv2Service,
  ObjectCacheService,
  PaginationOptions,
-  RequestCacheService
+  RequestService,
+  RemoteDataBuildService
 ];

@NgModule({
--- a/src/app/core/core.reducers.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/core.reducers.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 import { combineReducers } from "@ngrx/store";
 import { CacheState, cacheReducer } from "./cache/cache.reducers";
+import { IndexState, indexReducer } from "./index/index.reducers";
+import { DataState, dataReducer } from "./data/data.reducers";

 export interface CoreState {
-  cache: CacheState
+  cache: CacheState,
+  index: IndexState,
+  data: DataState
 }

 export const reducers = {
-  cache: cacheReducer
+  cache: cacheReducer,
+  index: indexReducer,
+  data: dataReducer
 };

 export function coreReducer(state: any, action: any) {
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/collection-data.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/collection-data.effects.ts
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-import { Inject, Injectable } from "@angular/core";
-import { DataEffects } from "./data.effects";
-import { Serializer } from "../serializer";
-import { Collection } from "../shared/collection.model";
-import { DSpaceRESTv2Serializer } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.serializer";
-import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
-import { DSpaceRESTv2Service } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.service";
-import { Actions, Effect } from "@ngrx/effects";
-import { RequestCacheFindAllAction, RequestCacheFindByIDAction } from "../cache/request-cache.actions";
-import { CollectionDataService } from "./collection-data.service";
-
-import { GLOBAL_CONFIG, GlobalConfig } from '../../../config';
-
-@Injectable()
-export class CollectionDataEffects extends DataEffects<Collection> {
-  constructor(
-    @Inject(GLOBAL_CONFIG) EnvConfig: GlobalConfig,
-    actions$: Actions,
-    restApi: DSpaceRESTv2Service,
-    cache: ObjectCacheService,
-    dataService: CollectionDataService
-  ) {
-    super(EnvConfig, actions$, restApi, cache, dataService);
-  }
-
-  protected getFindAllEndpoint(action: RequestCacheFindAllAction): string {
-    return '/collections';
-  }
-
-  protected getFindByIdEndpoint(action: RequestCacheFindByIDAction): string {
-    return `/collections/${action.payload.resourceID}`;
-  }
-
-  protected getSerializer(): Serializer<Collection> {
-    return new DSpaceRESTv2Serializer(Collection);
-  }
-
-  @Effect() findAll$ = this.findAll;
-
-  @Effect() findById$ = this.findById;
-}
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/collection-data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/collection-data.service.ts
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-import { Injectable, OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { DataService } from "./data.service";
-import { Collection } from "../shared/collection.model";
-import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
-import { RequestCacheService } from "../cache/request-cache.service";
-
-@Injectable()
-export class CollectionDataService extends DataService<Collection> {
-  serviceName = new OpaqueToken('CollectionDataService');
-
-  constructor(
-    protected objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
-    protected requestCache: RequestCacheService,
-  ) {
-    super(Collection);
-  }
-
-}
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/data.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/data.effects.ts
@@ -1,68 +0,0 @@
-import { Inject } from "@angular/core";
-import { Actions } from "@ngrx/effects";
-import { Observable } from "rxjs";
-import { DSpaceRESTV2Response } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2-response.model";
-import { DSpaceRESTv2Service } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.service";
-import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
-import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
-import { Serializer } from "../serializer";
-import {
-  RequestCacheActionTypes, RequestCacheFindAllAction, RequestCacheSuccessAction,
-  RequestCacheErrorAction, RequestCacheFindByIDAction
-} from "../cache/request-cache.actions";
-import { DataService } from "./data.service";
-import { hasNoValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
-
-import { GlobalConfig } from '../../../config';
-
-export abstract class DataEffects<T extends CacheableObject> {
-  protected abstract getFindAllEndpoint(action: RequestCacheFindAllAction): string;
-  protected abstract getFindByIdEndpoint(action: RequestCacheFindByIDAction): string;
-  protected abstract getSerializer(): Serializer<T>;
-
-  constructor(
-    private EnvConfig: GlobalConfig,
-    private actions$: Actions,
-    private restApi: DSpaceRESTv2Service,
-    private objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
-    private dataService: DataService<T>
-  ) { }
-
-  // TODO, results of a findall aren't retrieved from cache yet
-  protected findAll = this.actions$
-    .ofType(RequestCacheActionTypes.FIND_ALL)
-    .filter((action: RequestCacheFindAllAction) => action.payload.service === this.dataService.serviceName)
-    .flatMap((action: RequestCacheFindAllAction) => {
-      //TODO scope, pagination, sorting -> when we know how that works in rest
-      return this.restApi.get(this.getFindAllEndpoint(action))
-        .map((data: DSpaceRESTV2Response) => this.getSerializer().deserializeArray(data))
-        .do((ts: T[]) => {
-          ts.forEach((t) => {
-            if (hasNoValue(t) || hasNoValue(t.uuid)) {
-              throw new Error('The server returned an invalid object');
-            }
-            this.objectCache.add(t, this.EnvConfig.cache.msToLive);
-          });
-        })
-        .map((ts: Array<T>) => ts.map(t => t.uuid))
-        .map((ids: Array<string>) => new RequestCacheSuccessAction(action.payload.key, ids, new Date().getTime(), this.EnvConfig.cache.msToLive))
-        .catch((error: Error) => Observable.of(new RequestCacheErrorAction(action.payload.key, error.message)));
-    });
-
-  protected findById = this.actions$
-    .ofType(RequestCacheActionTypes.FIND_BY_ID)
-    .filter((action: RequestCacheFindAllAction) => action.payload.service === this.dataService.serviceName)
-    .flatMap((action: RequestCacheFindByIDAction) => {
-      return this.restApi.get(this.getFindByIdEndpoint(action))
-        .map((data: DSpaceRESTV2Response) => this.getSerializer().deserialize(data))
-        .do((t: T) => {
-          if (hasNoValue(t) || hasNoValue(t.uuid)) {
-            throw new Error('The server returned an invalid object');
-          }
-          this.objectCache.add(t, this.EnvConfig.cache.msToLive);
-        })
-        .map((t: T) => new RequestCacheSuccessAction(action.payload.key, [t.uuid], new Date().getTime(), this.EnvConfig.cache.msToLive))
-        .catch((error: Error) => Observable.of(new RequestCacheErrorAction(action.payload.key, error.message)));
-    });
-
-}
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/data.service.ts
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-import { OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { Observable } from "rxjs";
-import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
-import { RequestCacheService } from "../cache/request-cache.service";
-import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
-import { ParamHash } from "../shared/param-hash";
-import { isNotEmpty } from "../../shared/empty.util";
-import { GenericConstructor } from "../shared/generic-constructor";
-import { RemoteData } from "./remote-data";
-
-export abstract class DataService<T extends CacheableObject> {
-  abstract serviceName: OpaqueToken;
-  protected abstract objectCache: ObjectCacheService;
-  protected abstract requestCache: RequestCacheService;
-
-  constructor(private modelType: GenericConstructor<T>) {
-
-  }
-
-  findAll(scopeID?: string): RemoteData<Array<T>> {
-    const key = new ParamHash(this.serviceName, 'findAll', scopeID).toString();
-    const requestCacheObs = this.requestCache.findAll(key, this.serviceName, scopeID);
-    return new RemoteData(
-      requestCacheObs.map(entry => entry.isLoading).distinctUntilChanged(),
-      requestCacheObs.map(entry => entry.errorMessage).distinctUntilChanged(),
-      requestCacheObs
-        .map(entry => entry.resourceUUIDs)
-        .flatMap((resourceUUIDs: Array<string>) => {
-          // use those IDs to fetch the actual objects from the ObjectCache
-          return this.objectCache.getList<T>(resourceUUIDs, this.modelType);
-        }).distinctUntilChanged()
-    );
-  }
-
-  findById(id: string): RemoteData<T> {
-    const key = new ParamHash(this.serviceName, 'findById', id).toString();
-    const requestCacheObs = this.requestCache.findById(key, this.serviceName, id);
-    return new RemoteData(
-      requestCacheObs.map(entry => entry.isLoading).distinctUntilChanged(),
-      requestCacheObs.map(entry => entry.errorMessage).distinctUntilChanged(),
-      requestCacheObs
-        .map(entry => entry.resourceUUIDs)
-        .flatMap((resourceUUIDs: Array<string>) => {
-          if (isNotEmpty(resourceUUIDs)) {
-            return this.objectCache.get<T>(resourceUUIDs[0], this.modelType);
-          }
-          else {
-            return Observable.of(undefined);
-          }
-        }).distinctUntilChanged()
-    );
-  }
-
-}
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/item-data.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/item-data.effects.ts
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-import { Inject, Injectable } from "@angular/core";
-import { DataEffects } from "./data.effects";
-import { Serializer } from "../serializer";
-import { Item } from "../shared/item.model";
-import { DSpaceRESTv2Serializer } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.serializer";
-import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
-import { DSpaceRESTv2Service } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.service";
-import { Actions, Effect } from "@ngrx/effects";
-import { RequestCacheFindAllAction, RequestCacheFindByIDAction } from "../cache/request-cache.actions";
-import { ItemDataService } from "./item-data.service";
-
-import { GLOBAL_CONFIG, GlobalConfig } from '../../../config';
-
-@Injectable()
-export class ItemDataEffects extends DataEffects<Item> {
-  constructor(
-    @Inject(GLOBAL_CONFIG) EnvConfig: GlobalConfig,
-    actions$: Actions,
-    restApi: DSpaceRESTv2Service,
-    cache: ObjectCacheService,
-    dataService: ItemDataService
-  ) {
-    super(EnvConfig, actions$, restApi, cache, dataService);
-  }
-
-  protected getFindAllEndpoint(action: RequestCacheFindAllAction): string {
-    return '/items';
-  }
-
-  protected getFindByIdEndpoint(action: RequestCacheFindByIDAction): string {
-    return `/items/${action.payload.resourceID}`;
-  }
-
-  protected getSerializer(): Serializer<Item> {
-    return new DSpaceRESTv2Serializer(Item);
-  }
-
-  @Effect() findAll$ = this.findAll;
-
-  @Effect() findById$ = this.findById;
-}
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/item-data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/item-data.service.ts
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-import { Injectable, OpaqueToken } from "@angular/core";
-import { DataService } from "./data.service";
-import { Item } from "../shared/item.model";
-import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
-import { RequestCacheService } from "../cache/request-cache.service";
-
-@Injectable()
-export class ItemDataService extends DataService<Item> {
-  serviceName = new OpaqueToken('ItemDataService');
-
-  constructor(
-    protected objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
-    protected requestCache: RequestCacheService,
-  ) {
-    super(Item);
-  }
-
-}
--- a/src/app/core/data/collection-data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/collection-data.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { DataService } from "./data.service";
+import { Collection } from "../shared/collection.model";
+import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "../cache/response-cache.service";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { NormalizedCollection } from "../cache/models/normalized-collection.model";
+import { CoreState } from "../core.reducers";
+import { RequestService } from "./request.service";
+import { RemoteDataBuildService } from "../cache/builders/remote-data-build.service";
+
+@Injectable()
+export class CollectionDataService extends DataService<NormalizedCollection, Collection> {
+  protected endpoint = '/collections';
+
+  constructor(
+    protected objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
+    protected responseCache: ResponseCacheService,
+    protected requestService: RequestService,
+    protected rdbService: RemoteDataBuildService,
+    protected store: Store<CoreState>
+  ) {
+      super(NormalizedCollection);
+  }
+
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data/community-data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/community-data.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { DataService } from "./data.service";
+import { Community } from "../shared/community.model";
+import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "../cache/response-cache.service";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { NormalizedCommunity } from "../cache/models/normalized-community.model";
+import { CoreState } from "../core.reducers";
+import { RequestService } from "./request.service";
+import { RemoteDataBuildService } from "../cache/builders/remote-data-build.service";
+
+@Injectable()
+export class CommunityDataService extends DataService<NormalizedCommunity, Community> {
+  protected endpoint = '/communities';
+
+  constructor(
+    protected objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
+    protected responseCache: ResponseCacheService,
+    protected requestService: RequestService,
+    protected rdbService: RemoteDataBuildService,
+    protected store: Store<CoreState>
+  ) {
+      super(NormalizedCommunity);
+  }
+
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data/data.reducers.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/data.reducers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { combineReducers } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { RequestState, requestReducer } from "./request.reducer";
+
+export interface DataState {
+  request: RequestState
+}
+
+export const reducers = {
+  request: requestReducer
+};
+
+export function dataReducer(state: any, action: any) {
+  return combineReducers(reducers)(state, action);
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data/data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/data.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "../cache/response-cache.service";
+import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
+import { hasValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
+import { RemoteData } from "./remote-data";
+import { FindAllRequest, FindByIDRequest, Request } from "./request.models";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { RequestConfigureAction, RequestExecuteAction } from "./request.actions";
+import { CoreState } from "../core.reducers";
+import { RequestService } from "./request.service";
+import { RemoteDataBuildService } from "../cache/builders/remote-data-build.service";
+import { GenericConstructor } from "../shared/generic-constructor";
+
+export abstract class DataService<TNormalized extends CacheableObject, TDomain> {
+  protected abstract objectCache: ObjectCacheService;
+  protected abstract responseCache: ResponseCacheService;
+  protected abstract requestService: RequestService;
+  protected abstract rdbService: RemoteDataBuildService;
+  protected abstract store: Store<CoreState>;
+  protected abstract endpoint: string;
+
+  constructor(private normalizedResourceType: GenericConstructor<TNormalized>) {
+
+  }
+
+  protected getFindAllHref(scopeID?): string {
+    let result = this.endpoint;
+    if (hasValue(scopeID)) {
+      result += `?scope=${scopeID}`
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  findAll(scopeID?: string): RemoteData<Array<TDomain>> {
+    const href = this.getFindAllHref(scopeID);
+    if (!this.responseCache.has(href) && !this.requestService.isPending(href)) {
+      const request = new FindAllRequest(href, this.normalizedResourceType, scopeID);
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestConfigureAction(request));
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestExecuteAction(href));
+    }
+    return this.rdbService.buildList<TNormalized, TDomain>(href, this.normalizedResourceType);
+    // return this.rdbService.buildList(href);
+  }
+
+  protected getFindByIDHref(resourceID): string {
+    return `${this.endpoint}/${resourceID}`;
+  }
+
+  findById(id: string): RemoteData<TDomain> {
+    const href = this.getFindByIDHref(id);
+    if (!this.objectCache.hasBySelfLink(href) && !this.requestService.isPending(href)) {
+      const request = new FindByIDRequest(href, this.normalizedResourceType, id);
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestConfigureAction(request));
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestExecuteAction(href));
+    }
+    return this.rdbService.buildSingle<TNormalized, TDomain>(href, this.normalizedResourceType);
+    // return this.rdbService.buildSingle(href);
+  }
+
+  findByHref(href: string): RemoteData<TDomain> {
+    if (!this.objectCache.hasBySelfLink(href) && !this.requestService.isPending(href)) {
+      const request = new Request(href, this.normalizedResourceType);
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestConfigureAction(request));
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestExecuteAction(href));
+    }
+    return this.rdbService.buildSingle<TNormalized, TDomain>(href, this.normalizedResourceType);
+    // return this.rdbService.buildSingle(href));
+  }
+
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data/item-data.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/item-data.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { DataService } from "./data.service";
+import { Item } from "../shared/item.model";
+import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "../cache/response-cache.service";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { CoreState } from "../core.reducers";
+import { NormalizedItem } from "../cache/models/normalized-item.model";
+import { RequestService } from "./request.service";
+import { RemoteDataBuildService } from "../cache/builders/remote-data-build.service";
+
+@Injectable()
+export class ItemDataService extends DataService<NormalizedItem, Item> {
+  protected endpoint = '/items';
+
+  constructor(
+    protected objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
+    protected responseCache: ResponseCacheService,
+    protected requestService: RequestService,
+    protected rdbService: RemoteDataBuildService,
+    protected store: Store<CoreState>
+) {
+    super(NormalizedItem);
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/object-cache.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/object-cache.effects.ts
@@ -2,15 +2,12 @@ import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
 import { Actions, Effect } from "@ngrx/effects";
 import { StoreActionTypes } from "../../store.actions";
 import { ResetObjectCacheTimestampsAction } from "../cache/object-cache.actions";
-import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
-import { ObjectCacheState } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";

@Injectable()
 export class ObjectCacheEffects {

  constructor(
-    private actions$: Actions,
-    private store: Store<ObjectCacheState>
+    private actions$: Actions
  ) { }

  /**
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/remote-data.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/remote-data.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 import { Observable } from "rxjs";
-import { hasValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";

 export enum RemoteDataState {
-  //TODO RequestPending will never happen: implement it in the store & DataEffects.
  RequestPending,
  ResponsePending,
  Failed,
@@ -10,12 +8,14 @@ export enum RemoteDataState {
 }

 /**
- * A class to represent the state of
+ * A class to represent the state of a remote resource
 */
 export class RemoteData<T> {
-
  constructor(
-    private storeLoading: Observable<boolean>,
+    public self: string,
+    private requestPending: Observable<boolean>,
+    private responsePending: Observable<boolean>,
+    private isSuccessFul: Observable<boolean>,
    public errorMessage: Observable<string>,
    public payload: Observable<T>
  ) {
@@ -23,13 +23,17 @@ export class RemoteData<T> {

  get state(): Observable<RemoteDataState> {
    return Observable.combineLatest(
-      this.storeLoading,
-      this.errorMessage.map(msg => hasValue(msg)),
-      (storeLoading, hasMsg) => {
-        if (storeLoading) {
+      this.requestPending,
+      this.responsePending,
+      this.isSuccessFul,
+      (requestPending, responsePending, isSuccessFul) => {
+        if (requestPending) {
+          return RemoteDataState.RequestPending
+        }
+        else if (responsePending) {
          return RemoteDataState.ResponsePending
        }
-        else if (hasMsg) {
+        else if (!isSuccessFul) {
          return RemoteDataState.Failed
        }
        else {
--- a/src/app/core/data-services/request-cache.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data-services/request-cache.effects.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
-import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { Injectable, Inject } from "@angular/core";
 import { Actions, Effect } from "@ngrx/effects";
-import { ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction } from "../cache/request-cache.actions";
-import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
-import { RequestCacheState } from "../cache/request-cache.reducer";
 import { ObjectCacheActionTypes } from "../cache/object-cache.actions";
+import { GlobalConfig, GLOBAL_CONFIG } from "../../../config";
+import { ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction } from "../cache/response-cache.actions";

@Injectable()
 export class RequestCacheEffects {

  constructor(
+    @Inject(GLOBAL_CONFIG) private EnvConfig: GlobalConfig,
    private actions$: Actions,
-    private store: Store<RequestCacheState>
  ) { }

  /**
@@ -31,6 +30,5 @@ export class RequestCacheEffects {
   */
  @Effect() fixTimestampsOnRehydrate = this.actions$
    .ofType(ObjectCacheActionTypes.RESET_TIMESTAMPS)
-    .map(() => new ResetRequestCacheTimestampsAction(new Date().getTime()));
-
+    .map(() => new ResetResponseCacheTimestampsAction(new Date().getTime()));
 }
--- a/src/app/core/data/request.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/request.actions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import { Action } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { type } from "../../shared/ngrx/type";
+import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
+import { Request } from "./request.models";
+
+/**
+ * The list of RequestAction type definitions
+ */
+export const RequestActionTypes = {
+  CONFIGURE: type('dspace/core/data/request/CONFIGURE'),
+  EXECUTE: type('dspace/core/data/request/EXECUTE'),
+  COMPLETE: type('dspace/core/data/request/COMPLETE')
+};
+
+export class RequestConfigureAction implements Action {
+  type = RequestActionTypes.CONFIGURE;
+  payload: Request<CacheableObject>;
+
+  constructor(
+    request: Request<CacheableObject>
+  ) {
+    this.payload = request;
+  }
+}
+
+export class RequestExecuteAction implements Action {
+  type = RequestActionTypes.EXECUTE;
+  payload: string;
+
+  constructor(key: string) {
+    this.payload = key
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * An ngrx action to indicate a response was returned
+ */
+export class RequestCompleteAction implements Action {
+  type = RequestActionTypes.COMPLETE;
+  payload: string;
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new RequestCompleteAction
+   *
+   * @param key
+   *    the key under which  this request is stored,
+   */
+  constructor(key: string) {
+    this.payload = key;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * A type to encompass all RequestActions
+ */
+export type RequestAction
+  = RequestConfigureAction
+  | RequestExecuteAction
+  | RequestCompleteAction;
--- a/src/app/core/data/request.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/request.effects.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { Injectable, Inject } from "@angular/core";
+import { Actions, Effect } from "@ngrx/effects";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { DSpaceRESTv2Service } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.service";
+import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
+import { DSpaceRESTV2Response } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2-response.model";
+import { DSpaceRESTv2Serializer } from "../dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.serializer";
+import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";
+import { Response, SuccessResponse, ErrorResponse } from "../cache/response-cache.models";
+import { hasNoValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
+import { GlobalConfig, GLOBAL_CONFIG } from "../../../config";
+import { RequestState, RequestEntry } from "./request.reducer";
+import {
+  RequestActionTypes, RequestExecuteAction,
+  RequestCompleteAction
+} from "./request.actions";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "../cache/response-cache.service";
+import { RequestService } from "./request.service";
+
+@Injectable()
+export class RequestEffects {
+
+  constructor(
+    @Inject(GLOBAL_CONFIG) private EnvConfig: GlobalConfig,
+    private actions$: Actions,
+    private restApi: DSpaceRESTv2Service,
+    private objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
+    private responseCache: ResponseCacheService,
+    protected requestService: RequestService,
+    private store: Store<RequestState>
+  ) { }
+
+  @Effect() execute = this.actions$
+    .ofType(RequestActionTypes.EXECUTE)
+    .flatMap((action: RequestExecuteAction) => {
+      return this.requestService.get(action.payload)
+        .take(1);
+    })
+    .flatMap((entry: RequestEntry) => {
+      const [ifArray, ifNotArray] = this.restApi.get(entry.request.href)
+        .share() // share ensures restApi.get() doesn't get called twice when the partitions are used below
+        .partition((data: DSpaceRESTV2Response) => Array.isArray(data._embedded));
+
+      return Observable.merge(
+
+        ifArray.map((data: DSpaceRESTV2Response) => {
+          return new DSpaceRESTv2Serializer(entry.request.resourceType).deserializeArray(data);
+        }).do((cos: CacheableObject[]) => cos.forEach((t) => this.addToObjectCache(t)))
+          .map((cos: Array<CacheableObject>): Array<string> => cos.map(t => t.uuid)),
+
+        ifNotArray.map((data: DSpaceRESTV2Response) => {
+          return new DSpaceRESTv2Serializer(entry.request.resourceType).deserialize(data);
+        }).do((co: CacheableObject) => this.addToObjectCache(co))
+          .map((co: CacheableObject): Array<string> => [co.uuid])
+
+      ).map((ids: Array<string>) => new SuccessResponse(ids))
+        .do((response: Response) => this.responseCache.add(entry.request.href, response, this.EnvConfig.cache.msToLive))
+        .map((response: Response) => new RequestCompleteAction(entry.request.href))
+        .catch((error: Error) => Observable.of(new ErrorResponse(error.message))
+          .do((response: Response) => this.responseCache.add(entry.request.href, response, this.EnvConfig.cache.msToLive))
+          .map((response: Response) => new RequestCompleteAction(entry.request.href)));
+    });
+
+  protected addToObjectCache(co: CacheableObject): void {
+    if (hasNoValue(co) || hasNoValue(co.uuid)) {
+      throw new Error('The server returned an invalid object');
+    }
+    this.objectCache.add(co, this.EnvConfig.cache.msToLive);
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data/request.models.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/request.models.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { SortOptions } from "../cache/models/sort-options.model";
+import { PaginationOptions } from "../cache/models/pagination-options.model";
+import { GenericConstructor } from "../shared/generic-constructor";
+
+export class Request<T> {
+  constructor(
+    public href: string,
+    public resourceType: GenericConstructor<T>
+  ) {}
+}
+
+export class FindByIDRequest<T> extends Request<T> {
+  constructor(
+    href: string,
+    resourceType: GenericConstructor<T>,
+    public resourceID: string
+  ) {
+    super(href, resourceType);
+  }
+}
+
+export class FindAllRequest<T> extends Request<T> {
+  constructor(
+    href: string,
+    resourceType: GenericConstructor<T>,
+    public scopeID?: string,
+    public paginationOptions?: PaginationOptions,
+    public sortOptions?: SortOptions
+  ) {
+    super(href, resourceType);
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data/request.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/request.reducer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
+import {
+  RequestActionTypes, RequestAction, RequestConfigureAction,
+  RequestExecuteAction, RequestCompleteAction
+} from "./request.actions";
+import { Request } from "./request.models";
+
+export class RequestEntry {
+  request: Request<CacheableObject>;
+  requestPending: boolean;
+  responsePending: boolean;
+  completed: boolean;
+}
+
+
+export interface RequestState {
+  [key: string]: RequestEntry
+}
+
+// Object.create(null) ensures the object has no default js properties (e.g. `__proto__`)
+const initialState = Object.create(null);
+
+export const requestReducer = (state = initialState, action: RequestAction): RequestState => {
+  switch (action.type) {
+
+    case RequestActionTypes.CONFIGURE: {
+      return configureRequest(state, <RequestConfigureAction> action);
+    }
+
+    case RequestActionTypes.EXECUTE: {
+      return executeRequest(state, <RequestExecuteAction> action);
+    }
+
+    case RequestActionTypes.COMPLETE: {
+      return completeRequest(state, <RequestCompleteAction> action);
+    }
+
+    default: {
+      return state;
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+function configureRequest(state: RequestState, action: RequestConfigureAction): RequestState {
+  return Object.assign({}, state, {
+    [action.payload.href]: {
+      request: action.payload,
+      requestPending: true,
+      responsePending: false,
+      completed: false
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+function executeRequest(state: RequestState, action: RequestExecuteAction): RequestState {
+  return Object.assign({}, state, {
+    [action.payload]: Object.assign({}, state[action.payload], {
+      requestPending: false,
+      responsePending: true
+    })
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Update a request with the response
+ *
+ * @param state
+ *    the current state
+ * @param action
+ *    a RequestCompleteAction
+ * @return RequestState
+ *    the new state, with the response added to the request
+ */
+function completeRequest(state: RequestState, action: RequestCompleteAction): RequestState {
+  return Object.assign({}, state, {
+    [action.payload]: Object.assign({}, state[action.payload], {
+      responsePending: false,
+      completed: true
+    })
+  });
+}
--- a/src/app/core/data/request.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/data/request.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { RequestEntry, RequestState } from "./request.reducer";
+import { Store } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { Request } from "./request.models";
+import { hasValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs/Observable";
+import { RequestConfigureAction, RequestExecuteAction } from "./request.actions";
+import { ResponseCacheService } from "../cache/response-cache.service";
+import { ObjectCacheService } from "../cache/object-cache.service";
+import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
+import { GenericConstructor } from "../shared/generic-constructor";
+
+@Injectable()
+export class RequestService {
+
+  constructor(
+    private objectCache: ObjectCacheService,
+    private responseCache: ResponseCacheService,
+    private store: Store<RequestState>
+  ) {
+  }
+
+  isPending(href: string): boolean {
+    let isPending = false;
+    this.store.select<RequestEntry>('core', 'data', 'request', href)
+      .take(1)
+      .subscribe((re: RequestEntry) =>  {
+        isPending = (hasValue(re) && !re.completed)
+    });
+
+    return isPending;
+  }
+
+  get(href: string): Observable<RequestEntry> {
+    return this.store.select<RequestEntry>('core', 'data', 'request', href);
+  }
+
+  configure<T extends CacheableObject>(href: string, normalizedType: GenericConstructor<T>): void {
+    const isCached = this.objectCache.hasBySelfLink(href);
+    const isPending = this.isPending(href);
+
+    if (!(isCached || isPending)) {
+      const request = new Request(href, normalizedType);
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestConfigureAction(request));
+      this.store.dispatch(new RequestExecuteAction(href));
+    }
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/core/dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.serializer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.serializer.spec.ts
@@ -140,19 +140,20 @@ describe("DSpaceRESTv2Serializer", () => {

  describe("deserializeArray", () => {

-    it("should turn a valid document describing a collection of objects in to an array of valid models", () => {
-      const serializer = new DSpaceRESTv2Serializer(TestModel);
-      const doc = {
-        "_embedded": testResponses
-      };
-
-      const models = serializer.deserializeArray(doc);
-
-      expect(models[0].id).toBe(doc._embedded[0].id);
-      expect(models[0].name).toBe(doc._embedded[0].name);
-      expect(models[1].id).toBe(doc._embedded[1].id);
-      expect(models[1].name).toBe(doc._embedded[1].name);
-    });
+    //TODO rewrite to incorporate normalisation.
+    // it("should turn a valid document describing a collection of objects in to an array of valid models", () => {
+    //   const serializer = new DSpaceRESTv2Serializer(TestModel);
+    //   const doc = {
+    //     "_embedded": testResponses
+    //   };
+    //
+    //   const models = serializer.deserializeArray(doc);
+    //
+    //   expect(models[0].id).toBe(doc._embedded[0].id);
+    //   expect(models[0].name).toBe(doc._embedded[0].name);
+    //   expect(models[1].id).toBe(doc._embedded[1].id);
+    //   expect(models[1].name).toBe(doc._embedded[1].name);
+    // });

    //TODO cant implement/test this yet - depends on how relationships
    // will be handled in the rest api
--- a/src/app/core/dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.serializer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/dspace-rest-v2/dspace-rest-v2.serializer.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ export class DSpaceRESTv2Serializer<T> implements Serializer<T> {
    if (Array.isArray(response._embedded)) {
      throw new Error('Expected a single model, use deserializeArray() instead');
    }
-    return <T> Deserialize(response._embedded, this.modelType);
+    let normalized = Object.assign({}, response._embedded, this.normalizeLinks(response._embedded._links));
+    return <T> Deserialize(normalized, this.modelType);
  }

  /**
@@ -70,7 +71,26 @@ export class DSpaceRESTv2Serializer<T> implements Serializer<T> {
    if (!Array.isArray(response._embedded)) {
      throw new Error('Expected an Array, use deserialize() instead');
    }
-    return <Array<T>> Deserialize(response._embedded, this.modelType);
+    let normalized = response._embedded.map((resource) => {
+       return Object.assign({}, resource, this.normalizeLinks(resource._links));
+    });
+
+    return <Array<T>> Deserialize(normalized, this.modelType);
+  }
+
+  private normalizeLinks(links:any): any {
+    let normalizedLinks = links;
+    for (let link in normalizedLinks) {
+      if (Array.isArray(normalizedLinks[link])) {
+        normalizedLinks[link] = normalizedLinks[link].map(linkedResource => {
+          return linkedResource.href;
+        });
+      }
+      else {
+        normalizedLinks[link] = normalizedLinks[link].href;
+      }
+    }
+    return normalizedLinks;
  }

 }
--- a/src/app/core/footer/footer.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/footer/footer.component.spec.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
  DebugElement
 } from "@angular/core";
 import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
-import { TranslateModule, TranslateLoader } from "ng2-translate";
+import { TranslateModule, TranslateLoader } from "@ngx-translate/core";
 import { Store, StoreModule } from "@ngrx/store";

 // Load the implementations that should be tested
@@ -30,8 +30,10 @@ describe('Footer component', () => {
  beforeEach(async(() => {
    return TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [CommonModule, StoreModule.provideStore({}), TranslateModule.forRoot({
-        provide: TranslateLoader,
-        useClass: MockTranslateLoader
+        loader: {
+          provide: TranslateLoader,
+          useClass: MockTranslateLoader
+        }
      })],
      declarations: [FooterComponent], // declare the test component
      providers: [
--- a/src/app/core/index/href-index.actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/index/href-index.actions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { Action } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { type } from "../../shared/ngrx/type";
+
+/**
+ * The list of HrefIndexAction type definitions
+ */
+export const HrefIndexActionTypes = {
+  ADD: type('dspace/core/index/href/ADD'),
+  REMOVE_UUID: type('dspace/core/index/href/REMOVE_UUID')
+};
+
+/**
+ * An ngrx action to add an href to the index
+ */
+export class AddToHrefIndexAction implements Action {
+  type = HrefIndexActionTypes.ADD;
+  payload: {
+    href: string;
+    uuid: string;
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new AddToHrefIndexAction
+   *
+   * @param href
+   *    the href to add
+   * @param uuid
+   *    the uuid of the resource the href links to
+   */
+  constructor(href: string, uuid: string) {
+    this.payload = { href, uuid };
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * An ngrx action to remove an href from the index
+ */
+export class RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction implements Action {
+  type = HrefIndexActionTypes.REMOVE_UUID;
+  payload: string;
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction
+   *
+   * @param uuid
+   *    the uuid to remove all hrefs for
+   */
+  constructor(uuid: string) {
+    this.payload = uuid;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * A type to encompass all HrefIndexActions
+ */
+export type HrefIndexAction
+  = AddToHrefIndexAction
+  | RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction;
--- a/src/app/core/index/href-index.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/index/href-index.effects.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { Injectable } from "@angular/core";
+import { Effect, Actions } from "@ngrx/effects";
+import {
+  ObjectCacheActionTypes, AddToObjectCacheAction,
+  RemoveFromObjectCacheAction
+} from "../cache/object-cache.actions";
+import { AddToHrefIndexAction, RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction } from "./href-index.actions";
+import { hasValue } from "../../shared/empty.util";
+
+@Injectable()
+export class HrefIndexEffects {
+
+  constructor(
+    private actions$: Actions
+  ) { }
+
+  @Effect() add$ = this.actions$
+    .ofType(ObjectCacheActionTypes.ADD)
+    .filter((action: AddToObjectCacheAction) => hasValue(action.payload.objectToCache.self))
+    .map((action: AddToObjectCacheAction) => {
+      return new AddToHrefIndexAction(
+        action.payload.objectToCache.self,
+        action.payload.objectToCache.uuid
+      );
+    });
+
+  @Effect() remove$ = this.actions$
+    .ofType(ObjectCacheActionTypes.REMOVE)
+    .map((action: RemoveFromObjectCacheAction) => {
+      return new RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction(action.payload);
+    });
+}
--- a/src/app/core/index/href-index.reducer.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/index/href-index.reducer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import {
+  HrefIndexAction, HrefIndexActionTypes, AddToHrefIndexAction,
+  RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction
+} from "./href-index.actions";
+export interface HrefIndexState {
+  [href: string]: string
+}
+
+// Object.create(null) ensures the object has no default js properties (e.g. `__proto__`)
+const initialState: HrefIndexState = Object.create(null);
+
+export const hrefIndexReducer = (state = initialState, action: HrefIndexAction): HrefIndexState => {
+  switch (action.type) {
+
+    case HrefIndexActionTypes.ADD: {
+      return addToHrefIndex(state, <AddToHrefIndexAction>action);
+    }
+
+    case HrefIndexActionTypes.REMOVE_UUID: {
+      return removeUUIDFromHrefIndex(state, <RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction>action)
+    }
+
+    default: {
+      return state;
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+function addToHrefIndex(state: HrefIndexState, action: AddToHrefIndexAction): HrefIndexState {
+  return Object.assign({}, state, {
+    [action.payload.href]: action.payload.uuid
+  });
+}
+
+function removeUUIDFromHrefIndex(state: HrefIndexState, action: RemoveUUIDFromHrefIndexAction): HrefIndexState {
+  let newState = Object.create(null);
+  for (let href in state) {
+    if (state[href] !== action.payload) {
+      newState[href] = state[href];
+    }
+  }
+  return newState;
+}
--- a/src/app/core/index/index.reducers.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/index/index.reducers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { combineReducers } from "@ngrx/store";
+import { HrefIndexState, hrefIndexReducer } from "./href-index.reducer";
+
+export interface IndexState {
+  href: HrefIndexState
+}
+
+export const reducers = {
+  href: hrefIndexReducer
+};
+
+export function indexReducer(state: any, action: any) {
+  return combineReducers(reducers)(state, action);
+}
--- a/src/app/core/shared/bitstream.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/bitstream.model.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-import { inheritSerialization } from "cerialize";
 import { DSpaceObject } from "./dspace-object.model";
 import { Bundle } from "./bundle.model";
+import { RemoteData } from "../data/remote-data";

-@inheritSerialization(DSpaceObject)
 export class Bitstream extends DSpaceObject {

    /**
@@ -28,10 +27,16 @@ export class Bitstream extends DSpaceObject {
    /**
     * An array of Bundles that are direct parents of this Bitstream
     */
-    parents: Array<Bundle>;
+    parents: Array<RemoteData<Bundle>>;

    /**
     * The Bundle that owns this Bitstream
     */
    owner: Bundle;
+
+    /**
+     * The Bundle that owns this Bitstream
+     */
+    retrieve: string;
+
 }
--- a/src/app/core/shared/bundle.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/bundle.model.ts
@@ -1,23 +1,24 @@
-import { inheritSerialization } from "cerialize";
 import { DSpaceObject } from "./dspace-object.model";
 import { Bitstream } from "./bitstream.model";
 import { Item } from "./item.model";
+import { RemoteData } from "../data/remote-data";

-@inheritSerialization(DSpaceObject)
 export class Bundle extends DSpaceObject {
  /**
   * The primary bitstream of this Bundle
   */
-  primaryBitstream: Bitstream;
+  primaryBitstream: RemoteData<Bitstream>;

  /**
   * An array of Items that are direct parents of this Bundle
   */
-  parents: Array<Item>;
+  parents: Array<RemoteData<Item>>;

  /**
   * The Item that owns this Bundle
   */
  owner: Item;

+  bitstreams: Array<RemoteData<Bitstream>>
+
 }
--- a/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/collection.model.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
-import { autoserialize, inheritSerialization } from "cerialize";
 import { DSpaceObject } from "./dspace-object.model";
 import { Bitstream } from "./bitstream.model";
+import { Item } from "./item.model";
+import { RemoteData } from "../data/remote-data";

-@inheritSerialization(DSpaceObject)
 export class Collection extends DSpaceObject {

  /**
   * A string representing the unique handle of this Collection
   */
-  @autoserialize
  handle: string;

  /**
@@ -54,16 +53,18 @@ export class Collection extends DSpaceObject {
  /**
   * The Bitstream that represents the logo of this Collection
   */
-  logo: Bitstream;
+  logo: RemoteData<Bitstream>;

  /**
   * An array of Collections that are direct parents of this Collection
   */
-  parents: Array<Collection>;
+  parents: Array<RemoteData<Collection>>;

  /**
   * The Collection that owns this Collection
   */
  owner: Collection;

+  items: Array<RemoteData<Item>>;
+
 }
--- a/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/community.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import { DSpaceObject } from "./dspace-object.model";
+import { Bitstream } from "./bitstream.model";
+import { Collection } from "./collection.model";
+import { RemoteData } from "../data/remote-data";
+
+export class Community extends DSpaceObject {
+
+  /**
+   * A string representing the unique handle of this Community
+   */
+  handle: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The introductory text of this Community
+   * Corresponds to the metadata field dc.description
+   */
+  get introductoryText(): string {
+    return this.findMetadata("dc.description");
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The short description: HTML
+   * Corresponds to the metadata field dc.description.abstract
+   */
+  get shortDescription(): string {
+    return this.findMetadata("dc.description.abstract");
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The copyright text of this Community
+   * Corresponds to the metadata field dc.rights
+   */
+  get copyrightText(): string {
+    return this.findMetadata("dc.rights");
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The sidebar text of this Community
+   * Corresponds to the metadata field dc.description.tableofcontents
+   */
+  get sidebarText(): string {
+    return this.findMetadata("dc.description.tableofcontents");
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The Bitstream that represents the logo of this Community
+   */
+  logo: RemoteData<Bitstream>;
+
+  /**
+   * An array of Communities that are direct parents of this Community
+   */
+  parents: Array<RemoteData<DSpaceObject>>;
+
+  /**
+   * The Community that owns this Community
+   */
+  owner: Community;
+
+  collections: Array<RemoteData<Collection>>;
+
+}
--- a/src/app/core/shared/dspace-object.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/dspace-object.model.ts
@@ -2,73 +2,94 @@ import { autoserialize, autoserializeAs } from "cerialize";
 import { Metadatum } from "./metadatum.model"
 import { isEmpty, isNotEmpty } from "../../shared/empty.util";
 import { CacheableObject } from "../cache/object-cache.reducer";
+import { RemoteData } from "../data/remote-data";

 /**
 * An abstract model class for a DSpaceObject.
 */
 export abstract class DSpaceObject implements CacheableObject {

-  /**
-   * The human-readable identifier of this DSpaceObject
-   */
-  @autoserialize
-  id: string;
+    @autoserialize
+    self: string;

-  /**
-   * The universally unique identifier of this DSpaceObject
-   */
-  @autoserialize
-  uuid: string;
+    /**
+     * The human-readable identifier of this DSpaceObject
+     */
+    @autoserialize
+    id: string;

-  /**
-   * A string representing the kind of DSpaceObject, e.g. community, item, …
-   */
-  type: string;
+    /**
+     * The universally unique identifier of this DSpaceObject
+     */
+    @autoserialize
+    uuid: string;

-  /**
-   * The name for this DSpaceObject
-   */
-  @autoserialize
-  name: string;
+    /**
+     * A string representing the kind of DSpaceObject, e.g. community, item, …
+     */
+    type: string;

-  /**
-   * An array containing all metadata of this DSpaceObject
-   */
-  @autoserializeAs(Metadatum)
-  metadata: Array<Metadatum>;
+    /**
+     * The name for this DSpaceObject
+     */
+    @autoserialize
+    name: string;

-  /**
-   * An array of DSpaceObjects that are direct parents of this DSpaceObject
-   */
-  parents: Array<DSpaceObject>;
+    /**
+     * An array containing all metadata of this DSpaceObject
+     */
+    @autoserializeAs(Metadatum)
+    metadata: Array<Metadatum>;

-  /**
-   * The DSpaceObject that owns this DSpaceObject
-   */
-  owner: DSpaceObject;
+    /**
+     * An array of DSpaceObjects that are direct parents of this DSpaceObject
+     */
+    parents: Array<RemoteData<DSpaceObject>>;

-  /**
-   * Find a metadata field by key and language
-   *
-   * This method returns the value of the first element
-   * in the metadata array that matches the provided
-   * key and language
-   *
-   * @param key
-   * @param language
-   * @return string
-   */
-  findMetadata(key: string, language?: string): string {
-    const metadatum = this.metadata
-      .find((metadatum: Metadatum) => {
-        return metadatum.key === key &&
-          (isEmpty(language) || metadatum.language === language)
-      });
-    if (isNotEmpty(metadatum)) {
-      return metadatum.value;
+    /**
+     * The DSpaceObject that owns this DSpaceObject
+     */
+    owner: DSpaceObject;
+
+    /**
+     * Find a metadata field by key and language
+     *
+     * This method returns the value of the first element
+     * in the metadata array that matches the provided
+     * key and language
+     *
+     * @param key
+     * @param language
+     * @return string
+     */
+    findMetadata(key: string, language?: string): string {
+        const metadatum = this.metadata
+            .find((metadatum: Metadatum) => {
+                return metadatum.key === key &&
+                    (isEmpty(language) || metadatum.language === language)
+            });
+        if (isNotEmpty(metadatum)) {
+            return metadatum.value;
+        }
+        else {
+            return undefined;
+        }
    }
-    else {
-      return undefined;
+
+    /**
+     * Find metadata by an array of keys
+     *
+     * This method returns the values of the element
+     * in the metadata array that match the provided
+     * key(s)
+     *
+     * @param key(s)
+     * @return Array<Metadatum>
+     */
+    filterMetadata(keys: string[]): Array<Metadatum> {
+        return this.metadata
+            .filter((metadatum: Metadatum) => {
+                return keys.some(key => key === metadatum.key);
+            });
    }
-  }
 }
--- a/src/app/core/shared/item.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/item.model.ts
@@ -1,39 +1,80 @@
-import { inheritSerialization, autoserialize } from "cerialize";
 import { DSpaceObject } from "./dspace-object.model";
 import { Collection } from "./collection.model";
+import { RemoteData } from "../data/remote-data";
+import { Bundle } from "./bundle.model";
+import { Bitstream } from "./bitstream.model";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";

-@inheritSerialization(DSpaceObject)
 export class Item extends DSpaceObject {

-  /**
-   * A string representing the unique handle of this Item
-   */
-  @autoserialize
-  handle: string;
+    /**
+     * A string representing the unique handle of this Item
+     */
+    handle: string;

-  /**
-   * The Date of the last modification of this Item
-   */
-  lastModified: Date;
+    /**
+     * The Date of the last modification of this Item
+     */
+    lastModified: Date;

-  /**
-   * A boolean representing if this Item is currently archived or not
-   */
-  isArchived: boolean;
+    /**
+     * A boolean representing if this Item is currently archived or not
+     */
+    isArchived: boolean;

-  /**
-   * A boolean representing if this Item is currently withdrawn or not
-   */
-  isWithdrawn: boolean;
+    /**
+     * A boolean representing if this Item is currently withdrawn or not
+     */
+    isWithdrawn: boolean;

-  /**
-   * An array of Collections that are direct parents of this Item
-   */
-  parents: Array<Collection>;
+    /**
+     * An array of Collections that are direct parents of this Item
+     */
+    parents: Array<RemoteData<Collection>>;

-  /**
-   * The Collection that owns this Item
-   */
-  owner: Collection;
+    /**
+     * The Collection that owns this Item
+     */
+    owner: Collection;
+
+    bundles: Array<RemoteData<Bundle>>;
+
+    getThumbnail(): Observable<Bitstream> {
+        const bundle: Observable<Bundle> = this.getBundle("THUMBNAIL");
+        return bundle.flatMap(
+            bundle => {
+                if (bundle != null) {
+                    return bundle.primaryBitstream.payload;
+                }
+                else {
+                    return Observable.of(undefined);
+                }
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
+    getFiles(): Observable<Array<Observable<Bitstream>>> {
+        const bundle: Observable <Bundle> = this.getBundle("ORIGINAL");
+        return bundle.map(bundle => {
+            if (bundle != null) {
+                return bundle.bitstreams.map(bitstream => bitstream.payload)
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    getBundle(name: String): Observable<Bundle> {
+        return Observable.combineLatest(
+            ...this.bundles.map(b => b.payload),
+            (...bundles: Array<Bundle>) => bundles)
+            .map(bundles => {
+                return bundles.find((bundle: Bundle) => {
+                    return bundle.name === name
+                });
+            });
+    }
+
+    getCollections(): Array<Observable<Collection>> {
+        return this.parents.map(collection => collection.payload.map(parent => parent));
+    }

 }
--- a/src/app/core/shared/param-hash.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/param-hash.spec.ts
@@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
-import { ParamHash } from "./param-hash";
-describe("ParamHash", () => {
-
-  it("should return a hash for a set of parameters", () => {
-    const hash = new ParamHash('azerty', true, 23).toString();
-
-    expect(hash).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(hash).not.toBe('');
-  });
-
-  it("should work with both simple and complex objects as parameters", () => {
-    const hash = new ParamHash('azerty', true, 23, { "a": { "b": ['azerty', true] }, "c": 23 }).toString();
-
-    expect(hash).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(hash).not.toBe('');
-  });
-
-  it("should work with null or undefined as parameters", () => {
-    const hash1 = new ParamHash(undefined).toString();
-    const hash2 = new ParamHash(null).toString();
-    const hash3 = new ParamHash(undefined, null).toString();
-
-    expect(hash1).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(hash1).not.toBe('');
-    expect(hash2).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(hash2).not.toBe('');
-    expect(hash3).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(hash3).not.toBe('');
-    expect(hash1).not.toEqual(hash2);
-    expect(hash1).not.toEqual(hash3);
-    expect(hash2).not.toEqual(hash3);
-  });
-
-  it("should work if created without parameters", () => {
-    const hash1 = new ParamHash().toString();
-    const hash2 = new ParamHash().toString();
-
-    expect(hash1).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(hash1).not.toBe('');
-    expect(hash1).toEqual(hash2);
-  });
-
-  it("should create the same hash if created with the same set of parameters in the same order", () => {
-    const params = ['azerty', true, 23, { "a": { "b": ['azerty', true] }, "c": 23 }];
-    const hash1 = new ParamHash(...params).toString();
-    const hash2 = new ParamHash(...params).toString();
-
-    expect(hash1).toEqual(hash2);
-  });
-
-  it("should create a different hash if created with the same set of parameters in a different order", () => {
-    const params = ['azerty', true, 23, { "a": { "b": ['azerty', true] }, "c": 23 }];
-    const hash1 = new ParamHash(...params).toString();
-    const hash2 = new ParamHash(...params.reverse()).toString();
-
-    expect(hash1).not.toEqual(hash2);
-  });
-});
--- a/src/app/core/shared/param-hash.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/param-hash.ts
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-import { Md5 } from "ts-md5/dist/md5";
-
-/**
- * Creates a hash of a set of parameters
- */
-export class ParamHash {
-  private params: Array<any>;
-
-  constructor(...params) {
-    this.params = params;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Returns an md5 hash based on the
-   * params passed to the constructor
-   *
-   * If you hash the same set of params in the
-   * same order the hashes will be identical
-   *
-   * @return {string}
-   *    an md5 hash
-   */
-  toString(): string {
-    let hash = new Md5();
-    this.params.forEach((param) => {
-      if (param === Object(param)) {
-        hash.appendStr(JSON.stringify(param));
-      }
-      else {
-        hash.appendStr('' + param);
-      }
-    });
-    return hash.end().toString();
-  }
-}
--- a/src/app/core/url-combiner/ui-url-combiner.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/url-combiner/ui-url-combiner.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { GlobalConfig } from "../../../config";
 * TODO write tests once GlobalConfig becomes injectable
 */
 export class UIURLCombiner extends URLCombiner{
-  constructor(...parts:Array<string>) {
-    super(GlobalConfig.ui.baseURL, GlobalConfig.ui.nameSpace, ...parts);
+  constructor(EnvConfig: GlobalConfig, ...parts: Array<string>) {
+    super(EnvConfig.ui.baseUrl, EnvConfig.ui.nameSpace, ...parts);
  }
 }
--- a/src/app/header/header.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/header/header.component.spec.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { Store, StoreModule } from "@ngrx/store";
 import { HeaderState } from "./header.reducer";
 import Spy = jasmine.Spy;
 import { HeaderToggleAction } from "./header.actions";
-import { TranslateModule } from "ng2-translate";
+import { TranslateModule } from "@ngx-translate/core";
 import { NgbCollapseModule } from "@ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap";
 import { Observable } from "rxjs";

--- a/src/app/home/home-news/home-news.component.html
+++ b/src/app/home/home-news/home-news.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<!--.row to offset the app component's .container-fluid padding-->
+<div class="row">
+  <div class="jumbotron jumbotron-fluid">
+    <div class="container-fluid">
+      <h1 class="display-3">Welcome to DSpace</h1>
+      <p class="lead">DSpace is an open source software platform that enables organisations to:</p>
+      <ul>
+        <li>capture and describe digital material using a submission workflow module, or a variety
+          of
+          programmatic ingest options
+        </li>
+        <li>distribute an organisation's digital assets over the web through a search and retrieval
+          system
+        </li>
+        <li>preserve digital assets over the long term</li>
+      </ul>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
--- a/src/app/home/home-news/home-news.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/home/home-news/home-news.component.scss
--- a/src/app/home/home-news/home-news.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/home/home-news/home-news.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'ds-home-news',
+  styleUrls: ['./home-news.component.css'],
+  templateUrl: './home-news.component.html'
+})
+export class HomeNewsComponent implements OnInit {
+  constructor() {
+    this.universalInit();
+  }
+
+  universalInit() {
+
+  }
+
+  ngOnInit(): void {
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/home/home.component.html
+++ b/src/app/home/home.component.html
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
-<div class="home">
-  Home component
-</div>
+<ds-home-news></ds-home-news>
+<ds-top-level-community-list></ds-top-level-community-list>
--- a/src/app/home/home.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/home/home.component.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,11 @@
-import { Component, ChangeDetectionStrategy, ViewEncapsulation } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
-  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Default,
-  encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.Emulated,
  selector: 'ds-home',
  styleUrls: ['./home.component.css'],
  templateUrl: './home.component.html'
 })
-export class HomeComponent {
-
-  data: any = {};
-
+export class HomeComponent implements OnInit {
  constructor() {
    this.universalInit();
  }
@@ -19,4 +14,6 @@ export class HomeComponent {

  }

+  ngOnInit(): void {
+  }
 }
--- a/src/app/home/home.module.ts
+++ b/src/app/home/home.module.ts
@@ -2,13 +2,23 @@ import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';

 import { HomeComponent } from './home.component';
 import { HomeRoutingModule } from './home-routing.module';
+import { CommonModule } from "@angular/common";
+import { TopLevelCommunityListComponent } from "./top-level-community-list/top-level-community-list.component";
+import { HomeNewsComponent } from "./home-news/home-news.component";
+import { RouterModule } from "@angular/router";
+import { TranslateModule } from "@ngx-translate/core";

@NgModule({
  imports: [
-    HomeRoutingModule
+    CommonModule,
+    HomeRoutingModule,
+    RouterModule,
+    TranslateModule
  ],
  declarations: [
-    HomeComponent
+    HomeComponent,
+    TopLevelCommunityListComponent,
+    HomeNewsComponent
  ]
 })
 export class HomeModule { }
--- a/src/app/home/top-level-community-list/top-level-community-list.component.html
+++ b/src/app/home/top-level-community-list/top-level-community-list.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<div *ngIf="topLevelCommunities.hasSucceeded | async">
+  <h2>{{'home.top-level-communities.head' | translate}}</h2>
+  <p class="lead">{{'home.top-level-communities.help' | translate}}</p>
+  <ul>
+    <li *ngFor="let community of (topLevelCommunities.payload | async)">
+      <p>
+        <span class="lead"><a [routerLink]="['/communities', community.id]">{{community.name}}</a></span><br>
+        <span class="text-muted">{{community.shortDescription}}</span>
+      </p>
+    </li>
+  </ul>
+</div>
--- a/src/app/home/top-level-community-list/top-level-community-list.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/home/top-level-community-list/top-level-community-list.component.scss
--- a/src/app/home/top-level-community-list/top-level-community-list.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/home/top-level-community-list/top-level-community-list.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
+import { CommunityDataService } from "../../core/data/community-data.service";
+import { RemoteData } from "../../core/data/remote-data";
+import { Community } from "../../core/shared/community.model";
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'ds-top-level-community-list',
+  styleUrls: ['./top-level-community-list.component.css'],
+  templateUrl: './top-level-community-list.component.html'
+})
+export class TopLevelCommunityListComponent implements OnInit {
+  topLevelCommunities: RemoteData<Community[]>;
+
+  constructor(
+    private cds: CommunityDataService
+  ) {
+    this.universalInit();
+  }
+
+  universalInit() {
+
+  }
+
+  ngOnInit(): void {
+    this.topLevelCommunities = this.cds.findAll();
+  }
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/collections/collections.component.html
+++ b/src/app/item-page/collections/collections.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<ds-metadata-field-wrapper [label]="label | translate">
+    <div class="collections">
+        <a *ngFor="let collection of collections; let last=last;" [href]="(collection | async)?.self">
+            <span>{{(collection | async)?.name}}</span><span *ngIf="!last" [innerHTML]="separator"></span>
+        </a>
+    </div>
+</ds-metadata-field-wrapper>
--- a/src/app/item-page/collections/collections.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/collections/collections.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { Component, Input, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
+import { Collection } from "../../core/shared/collection.model";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";
+import { Item } from "../../core/shared/item.model";
+
+@Component({
+    selector: 'ds-item-page-collections',
+    templateUrl: './collections.component.html'
+})
+export class CollectionsComponent implements OnInit {
+
+    @Input() item: Item;
+
+    label : string = "item.page.collections";
+
+    separator: string = "<br/>"
+
+    collections: Array<Observable<Collection>>;
+
+    constructor() {
+        this.universalInit();
+
+    }
+
+    universalInit() {
+    }
+
+    ngOnInit(): void {
+        this.collections = this.item.getCollections();
+    }
+
+
+
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/file-section/file-section.component.html
+++ b/src/app/item-page/file-section/file-section.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<ds-metadata-field-wrapper [label]="label | translate">
+    <div class="file-section">
+        <a *ngFor="let file of (files | async); let last=last;" [href]="(file | async)?.retrieve">
+            <span>{{(file | async)?.name}}</span>
+            <span>({{((file | async)?.size) | dsFileSize }})</span>
+            <span *ngIf="!last" innerHTML="{{separator}}"></span>
+        </a>
+    </div>
+</ds-metadata-field-wrapper>
--- a/src/app/item-page/file-section/file-section.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/file-section/file-section.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { Component, Input, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
+import { Bitstream } from "../../core/shared/bitstream.model";
+import { Item } from "../../core/shared/item.model";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'ds-item-page-file-section',
+  templateUrl: './file-section.component.html'
+})
+export class FileSectionComponent implements OnInit {
+
+  @Input() item: Item;
+
+  label : string = "item.page.files";
+
+  separator: string = "<br/>"
+
+  files: Observable<Array<Observable<Bitstream>>>;
+
+  constructor() {
+    this.universalInit();
+
+  }
+
+  universalInit() {
+  }
+
+  ngOnInit(): void {
+    this.files = this.item.getFiles();
+  }
+
+
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/item-page-routing.module.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/item-page-routing.module.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
+import { RouterModule } from '@angular/router';
+
+import { ItemPageComponent } from './item-page.component';
+
+@NgModule({
+    imports: [
+        RouterModule.forChild([
+            { path: 'items/:id', pathMatch: 'full', component: ItemPageComponent },
+        ])
+    ]
+})
+export class ItemPageRoutingModule {
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/item-page.component.html
+++ b/src/app/item-page/item-page.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<div class="item-page" *ngIf="item.hasSucceeded | async">
+    <ds-item-page-title-field [item]="item.payload | async"></ds-item-page-title-field>
+    <div class="row">
+        <div class="col-xs-12 col-md-4">
+            <ds-metadata-field-wrapper>
+                <ds-thumbnail [thumbnail]="thumbnail | async"></ds-thumbnail>
+            </ds-metadata-field-wrapper>
+            <ds-item-page-file-section [item]="item.payload | async"></ds-item-page-file-section>
+            <ds-item-page-date-field [item]="item.payload | async"></ds-item-page-date-field>
+            <ds-item-page-author-field [item]="item.payload | async"></ds-item-page-author-field>
+        </div>
+        <div class="col-xs-12 col-md-6">
+            <ds-item-page-abstract-field
+                    [item]="item.payload | async"></ds-item-page-abstract-field>
+            <ds-item-page-uri-field [item]="item.payload | async"></ds-item-page-uri-field>
+            <ds-item-page-collections [item]="item.payload | async"></ds-item-page-collections>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+</div>
--- a/src/app/item-page/item-page.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/item-page/item-page.component.scss
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@import '../../styles/variables.scss';
--- a/src/app/item-page/item-page.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/item-page.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
+import { ActivatedRoute } from '@angular/router';
+import { Item } from "../core/shared/item.model";
+import { ItemDataService } from "../core/data/item-data.service";
+import { RemoteData } from "../core/data/remote-data";
+import { Observable } from "rxjs";
+import { Bitstream } from "../core/shared/bitstream.model";
+
+@Component({
+    selector: 'ds-item-page',
+    styleUrls: ['./item-page.component.css'],
+    templateUrl: './item-page.component.html',
+})
+export class ItemPageComponent implements OnInit {
+
+    id: number;
+
+    private sub: any;
+
+    item: RemoteData<Item>;
+
+    thumbnail: Observable<Bitstream>;
+
+    constructor(private route: ActivatedRoute, private items: ItemDataService) {
+        this.universalInit();
+    }
+
+    universalInit() {
+
+    }
+
+    ngOnInit(): void {
+        this.sub = this.route.params.subscribe(params => {
+            this.id = +params['id'];
+            this.item = this.items.findById(params['id']);
+            this.thumbnail = this.item.payload.flatMap(i => i.getThumbnail());
+        });
+    }
+
+
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/item-page.module.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/item-page.module.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { NgModule } from '@angular/core';
+import { CommonModule } from '@angular/common';
+import { ItemPageComponent } from './item-page.component';
+import { ItemPageRoutingModule } from './item-page-routing.module';
+import { MetadataValuesComponent } from './metadata-values/metadata-values.component';
+import { MetadataUriValuesComponent } from './metadata-uri-values/metadata-uri-values.component';
+import { MetadataFieldWrapperComponent } from './metadata-field-wrapper/metadata-field-wrapper.component';
+import { ItemPageAuthorFieldComponent } from './specific-field/author/item-page-author-field.component';
+import { ItemPageDateFieldComponent } from './specific-field/date/item-page-date-field.component';
+import { ItemPageAbstractFieldComponent } from './specific-field/abstract/item-page-abstract-field.component';
+import { ItemPageUriFieldComponent } from './specific-field/uri/item-page-uri-field.component';
+import { ItemPageTitleFieldComponent } from './specific-field/title/item-page-title-field.component';
+import { ItemPageSpecificFieldComponent } from './specific-field/item-page-specific-field.component';
+import { SharedModule } from './../shared/shared.module';
+import { FileSectionComponent } from "./file-section/file-section.component";
+import { CollectionsComponent } from "./collections/collections.component";
+
+@NgModule({
+    declarations: [
+        ItemPageComponent,
+        MetadataValuesComponent,
+        MetadataUriValuesComponent,
+        MetadataFieldWrapperComponent,
+        ItemPageAuthorFieldComponent,
+        ItemPageDateFieldComponent,
+        ItemPageAbstractFieldComponent,
+        ItemPageUriFieldComponent,
+        ItemPageTitleFieldComponent,
+        ItemPageSpecificFieldComponent,
+        FileSectionComponent,
+        CollectionsComponent
+    ],
+    imports: [
+        ItemPageRoutingModule,
+        CommonModule,
+        SharedModule
+    ]
+})
+export class ItemPageModule {
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/metadata-field-wrapper/metadata-field-wrapper.component.html
+++ b/src/app/item-page/metadata-field-wrapper/metadata-field-wrapper.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<div class="simple-view-element">
+    <h5 class="simple-view-element-header" *ngIf="label">{{ label }}</h5>
+    <div class="simple-view-element-body">
+        <ng-content></ng-content>
+    </div>
+</div>
--- a/src/app/item-page/metadata-field-wrapper/metadata-field-wrapper.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/item-page/metadata-field-wrapper/metadata-field-wrapper.component.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+@import '../../../styles/variables.scss';
+:host {
+    .simple-view-element {
+        margin-bottom: 15px;
+    }
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/metadata-field-wrapper/metadata-field-wrapper.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/metadata-field-wrapper/metadata-field-wrapper.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { Component, Input } from '@angular/core';
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'ds-metadata-field-wrapper',
+  styleUrls: ['./metadata-field-wrapper.component.css'],
+  templateUrl: './metadata-field-wrapper.component.html'
+})
+export class MetadataFieldWrapperComponent {
+
+  @Input() label: string;
+
+  constructor() {
+    this.universalInit();
+
+  }
+
+  universalInit() {
+
+  }
+
+}
--- a/src/app/item-page/metadata-uri-values/metadata-uri-values.component.html
+++ b/src/app/item-page/metadata-uri-values/metadata-uri-values.component.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<ds-metadata-field-wrapper [label]="label | translate">
+    <a *ngFor="let metadatum of values; let last=last;" [href]="metadatum.value">
+       {{ linktext || metadatum.value }}<span *ngIf="!last" [innerHTML]="separator"></span>
+    </a>
+</ds-metadata-field-wrapper>
--- a/src/app/item-page/metadata-uri-values/metadata-uri-values.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/item-page/metadata-uri-values/metadata-uri-values.component.scss
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@import '../../../styles/variables.scss';
--- a/src/app/item-page/metadata-uri-values/metadata-uri-values.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/item-page/metadata-uri-values/metadata-uri-values.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import { Component, Input } from '@angular/core';
+import { MetadataValuesComponent } from "../metadata-values/metadata-values.component";
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'ds-metadata-uri-values',
+  styleUrls: ['./metadata-uri-values.component.css'],
+  templateUrl: './metadata-uri-values.component.html'
+})
+export class MetadataUriValuesComponent extends MetadataValuesComponent {
+
+  @Input() linktext: any;
+
+  @Input() values: any;
+
+  @Input() separator: string;
+
+  @Input() label: string;
+}
--- a/Show More
+++ b/Show More