Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for providing access in an on-demand database service to a content object stored in an external content management data source. Information data identifying a content object stored in an external content management data source can be received and communicated through one or more middleware components. The one or more middleware components can serve as a content hub to establish access with the content object and retrieve data regarding the content object. The data regarding the content object can be stored in a persistent object, which can represent the content object in a social layer of the on-demand database service.