Page 197 - DLIS001_FOUNDATION_OF_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SCIENCE

Foundation of Library and Information Science

Notes Self Assessment

State whether the following statements are true or false:
13. The Virtual Library needs to maintain a ‘human presence’ by balancing both telephone
and e-mail contact.

14. Users are often confident of the service boundaries in the virtual environment.
15. Virtual Library may have many virtual teams with team members located in different
locations.

10.6 Virtual Library and Lifelong Learning

The use of multimedia systems is embedded part of a process of lifelong learning through the
Virtual Library. The Virtual Library appears to offer substantial benefits to lifelong learners
over both formal study and conventional open learning. Virtual lectures in particular provide
an advanced interactive learning tool with distinct advantages in terms of engagement and
flexibility. Students benefited from the interactivity of the environment and its self-assessment
facilities. They also welcomed being able to study in their own location, time and at their own
pace. The virtual lectures have a number of advantages including interactivity, adaptation,
simulation, demonstration and integration. They facilitate active learning rather than the more
passive learning associated with conventional open learning materials. The Virtual Library
aims to be subjecting neutral.

Further trials are needed to compare the reactions of students from less technology focussed
disciplines. The virtual seminars were not fully utilised by students although they believed
them to be a useful facility. Further investigation is necessary to establish whether students
found the virtual seminars useful for dissemination of information other than teaching material.
This might in part explain the students’ positive attitude but under-utilisation of the discussion
boards. Other trials will involve distance learning students. This allows testing of the hypothesis
that the use of virtual seminars is reduced when face-to-face problem classes are also provided
10.6.1 Design and Planning of a Virtual Library

The design of a comprehensive Virtual Library and its proper implementation, needs the
examination of the feasibility of how best to create, operate and expand, taking into account of
the availability of present infrastructure, etc. In this context, the issues mentioned below must
be addressed:

Institutions to be included

Example: Universities, other training institutions, libraries, etc.

Access modalities (institutional and/or individual);
Content themes

Example: Faculties and subjects to be covered in connection with higher and tertiary
level curricula

Content form (access to existing materials and the need to create new content in
English, and/or other national languages; content in the public domain; inclusion of
commercially available content);

192 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY