Notes and Java/Javascript/XHTML Resources?

At work we have a Lotus Notes/Novell based Infrastructure sitting on top of Windows Servers. We have a developer that that does a lot of Notes application design and from what I have seen Notes Scripting and working with the canned widgets can be rather frustrating.

I am wondering if anyone out there knows of any good Java/Javascript/XHTML development resources for Lotus Notes Applications. I need to know how to hook into a Notes Application, the Document Object Model and things of that nature. How do I run or call Javascript/Java from within the notes application? Custom Designed XHTML front ends accessing a Notes Database, perhaps?

Please, throw me a bone here people! =)