Realizing the full value of contemporary resources for education and research requires a new layer of structure, which lies atop the Internet and the Web, is based on simple specifications, and imposes few constraints. The foundation for NSDL is such a layer. It will support library-like organization of information and foster the creation of valuable services for discovering, accessing, using, manipulating, and even contributing to the underlying information. Some of the most successful future Internet applications for education and research may be those for which a) descriptive information appears in NSDL and b) the NSDL support layer is integral to the application's own functionality. This paper highlights key aspects of NSDL, including its relationship to DLESE (the Digital Library for Earth System Education) and how the layered architecture may help applications support user inquiry, such as the discovery of pertinent data and other resources.