Digital Libraries (Chap 1 & 2)

8/10/2019 Digital Libraries (Chap 1 & 2)

1/23

DIGITAL LIBRARIES

IML 651


2/23

Contents

Traditional Library

Definition of Digital Library

Benefits of Digital Library

Characteristics of digital Library


3/23

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, students will be able to;

Understand the basic concepts of a digital library.

Explain the characteristics and benefits of a digital

library.

See the transformation of a traditional library to

become digital and virtual based.

See how digital libraries have changed the way we

retrieve information, the way we learn and the way we

work.


4/23

Traditional Library

An entity in which information containers are selected,

acquired, organized, disseminated, and preserved. (Information

containers are traditional formats in which information is

stored, eg. Magazines, journals, monographs, indexes, referencematerials, etc)

To accomplish these tasks, some administrative infrastructure,

however complex, must control the working of the entity.


5/23

Definition

Dowell (1994);

A library that heavily draws on electronic sources and hence has

little or no printed material and support staff.

A traditional library that has a significant portion of the

collection transformed into the electronic form.

Hein (1999), Suggests that an array of expertise is required tocollect, organize and deliver digital information, and the

primary role of librarians in digital library development will be

an extension of what has been doing on for decades.


6/23

Definition

Williams (2000), A digital library can be defined as a

distributed information system ensuring reliable storage and

effective use of heterogeneous collections of electronic

documents text, graphics, audio, video, etc.) via global data

transfer networks in a way convenient for the end user.

Kapitzke (2001), Truly digital / virtual information does notrequire a huge premise or physical layout. Digitization and its

two main derivatives the Internet and the hypertext, propelled

information access and exchange into the era of cyberspace and

the cyber library or CYBRARY

.


7/23

Definition

Digital libraries are about new ways of dealing with knowledge

preserving, collecting, organizing, propagating, and accessing it

not about deconstructing existing institutions and putting

them in an electronic box. (Witten, 2003)


8/23

Definition

Digital library basically store materials in electronic format and

manipulate large collections of those material effectively. Research

into digital libraries is research network information systems,

concentrating on how to develop the necessary infrastructure toeffectively mass-manipulate the information on the Net. The key

technological issues are how to search and display desired selections

from and across large collections.

The concept of a Digital Library is not merely equivalent to a

digitized collection with information management tools. It is rather

an environment to bring together collections, services and people in

support of the full life cycle of creation, dissemination, use and

preservation of data, information and knowledge.


9/23


1. The digital library brings the library to the

user.

A digital library brings the information to theusersdesk, either at work or at home. With adigital library on the desk top, the reader

never need to visit a library building. There isa library wherever there is a personalcomputer with a network connection.

2. Computer power is used for searching and

browsing.

Computers are particularly useful forreference work that involved repeated leapsfrom one source of information to another.


10/23


3. Information can be shared

Placing digital information on a networkmakes it available to everybody. Many digitallibraries or electronic publications aremaintained at a single central site. This is avast improvement over expensive physical

duplication of little used material, or theinconvenience of unique material that isunobtainable without traveling to the locationwhere it is stored.

4. Information is easier to keep current

Printed materials are awkward to update.Keeping information current is less laboriouswhen the definitive version is in digital formatand stored on a central computer.


11/23


5. The information is always available

Universal access 24/7. It means the availabilityof information 24 hours / day, 7 days / week.

The door of the digital library never close. A

recent study at a British university found that

about half the use of a librarys digitalcollection was at hours when the library

buildings were closed.

6. Integration of information types become

possible

Symbols, sound, graphics, 3Ds, photographs,

models, etc. Ex. Mathematics library can store

mathematical expressions as computer symbols

that can be manipulated by mean of a programsuch a Mathematica or Maple.


12/23


7. Cost effective

Digital libraries may save money. Initially the

digital libraries are also expensive but the

components of digital libraries are declining

rapidly in price.

8. Preservation Conservation

Preservation of the original materials because

once digitized, it reduces the handling of the

originals especially rare and fragile objects.

Fragile and precious artifacts has encouraged

many museums, archives and galleries around

the world to develop digitized collections for

user from all over the world to access.


13/23


9. Increases professional collaboration

10. Convenience of use / safe time / safe cost

especially in document delivery.

11. Supports distance education initiatives for

lifelong learning.

People are being encouraged to learn

throughout their lives and not just while

formally studying within traditional

educational establishment.

12. Safe library space.


14/23


13. Digital Libraries allows greater creativity in

terms of information presentation (images,

color contrast, layout).

14. Intensify the application of automatic

indexing. The creation of digital information

for use by Digital Libraries has automatically

increased the possibility of online indexing

since now information is in digitized form.

Automatic indexing is possible only with

information in a digital format.


15/23


15. Repositories in DLs

Researchers in universities around the world

have become used to online communication

and are keen to enable the flow of scholarly

thought via published papers in digital formfrom repositories.

16. Higher expectation from professional users

These user have become used to searching theweb for entertainment, travel and other

information, and so they expected to be

provided with quality digital information

sources for their professional work.


16/23

Characteristics of Digital Library

1. DL may contain a variety of digital information

resources ranging from text to image, audio and video.

2. DL largely reduce the need for the physical space

required for building and maintaining traditional

libraries.


17/23


3. DL users may be distributed anywhere in the world, and in

some cases several different levels of services have to be

designed to meet the needs of local as well as remote users.

4. Unlike in TL, DL users may build their own personal

collection (s) by using the facilities provided by digital

libraries. User can build their own digital collection in their

personal workspace for future use.


18/23


5. DL provide access to various types of information resources

that may reside on different servers around the globe and

hence infrastructure, interoperability, and so on, are verycritical issues in DL development and management.

6. Several users can use the same information resource at the

same time, which is not possible in a TL.


19/23


7. DL have brought a paradigm shift not only in the use of

information (from print to digital) but also in the

concept of ownership / digital ownership.

8. DL libraries break time, space and language barriers.

Ideally, users from anywhere in the world should be

able to use a DL at any time and possibly in any

language.


20/23

Impact of Digital Library

Cost

Incur huge intellectual and financial capital

In USA, DLI 1- US24 million In USA, DLI 2- US44 million

In UK, the eLib programthe 3 phases 20


21/23


A Digital Library brings information to the user.

Manipulation of information (positive vs. negative).

Tremendous increase in information sharing. Timely and immediate access to information.

Publishing material much easier than traditional publication

(to print may take 6 months or more).

Improved use of information.

Improved collaboration.

Reduction of the digital divide.

Increase in distance learning.


22/23


Change the ways we do our day to day work.

Study

Research Jobs

Problem- solving

Decision- making

Recreational activities


23/23

TH NK YOU

Digital Libraries (Chap 1 & 2)

Documents

Transcript of Digital Libraries (Chap 1 & 2)