Page 8 - DLIS102_LIBRARY_AND_ITS_USERS

Unit 1: Changing Role of Libraries

reason for this could be than the digital medium tends to be better for searching and the physical Notes
medium better for reading. Lets us know about digital library and the skills required to build up
digital collection.
According to Wieder hold “A digital library is popularly viewed as an electronic version of a library
where storage is in digital form, allowing direct communication to obtain material and copying it
from a master version.
“Digital Library is a combined technology and information resources to allow remote access, breaking
down the physical barrier between resources”.
Winensky viewed that ‘the digital library will be a collection of distributed information services,
producers will make it available, and consumers will find it through the automated agents.’
Digital Library is a “Collection of digital object (text, video, audio) along with method for access
and retrieval, and also for selection, organization, and maintenance (from the point of view of
librarian).
“The digital library is not merely equivalent to a digitized collection with information management
tools. It is also a series of activities that brings together collections, services and people in support of
the full life cycle of creation, dissemination, use and presentation of date, information and knowledge.

Advantages of Digital Library

Digital library has certain characteristics, which make them different from traditional library. It has
expansive and accurate system of searching with large volumes of text, image and audio-video
resources. Digital libraries do not need physical space to build collection and it can be accessed from
anywhere, any time. Different people can access same source at the same time.
The advantages of digital libraries are mentioned herein below:
Preserve the valuable documents, rare and special collections of libraries, archives and muse-
ums.
Provide faster access to the holding of libraries world wide through automated catalogues.
Help to locate both physical and digitized versions of scholarly articles and books through
single interface.
Search optimization, simultaneous searches of the Internet make possible, preparing com-
mercial databases and library collections.
Offering online learning environment.
Making short the chain from author to user.
Save preparation/conservation cost, space and money.
Digital technology affords multiple, simultaneous user from a single original which are not
possible for materials stored in any other forms

Disadvantages of Digital Library
New technology has brought many advantages but simultaneously it also has certain disadvantage
Costly affair
Technology obsolescence (Hardware and Software)
Storage media relate
Dominance of data creators and publishers

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