Page 114 - DLIS408_INFORMATION_TECHNOLOGY-APPLICATIONSL SCIENCES

Unit 10: Classification of Libraries

With several digital library initiatives reported, it will be useful to have a survey of the digital Notes
libraries in India to understand the present status of the digital library initiatives. This assumes
importance because the few studies on Indian digital library initiatives are primarily based on
information available on websites or from other published sources. A survey would help not
only in understanding the present situation but will help in drawing up an action plan for
focused digital library development in India. Further, use and user studies of digital libraries in
India are lacking. This area is also of paramount importance for assessing the existing digital
libraries and creating highly user-centric digital libraries in India.

Task Discuss digital library is a type of information retrival system.

10.2 Construction and Organization of Digital Library

Software

There are a number of software packages for use in general digital libraries. Institutional repository
software, which focuses primarily on ingest, preservation and access of locally produced documents,
particularly locally produced academic outputs, can be found in Institutional repository software.

Digitization

In the past few years, procedures for digitizing books at high speed and comparatively low cost
have improved considerably with the result that it is now possible to plan the digitization of
millions of books per year for creating digital libraries.

Advantages
The advantages of digital libraries are by means of easily and rapidly accessing books, archives
and images of various types are now widely recognized by commercial interests and public
bodies alike.

Notes Traditional libraries are limited by storage space; digital libraries have the potential
to store much more information, simply because digital information requires very
little physical space to contain it. As such, the cost of maintaining a digital library is
much lower than that of a traditional library.

A traditional library must spend large sums of money paying for staff, book maintenance, rent,
and additional books. Digital libraries may reduce or, in some instances, do away with these fees.
Both types of library require cataloguing input to allow users to locate and retrieve material.
Digital libraries may be more willing to adopt innovations in technology providing users with
improvements in electronic and audio book technology as well as presenting new forms of
communication such as wikis and blogs; conventional libraries may consider that providing
online access to their OPAC catalogue is sufficient. An important advantage to digital conversion
is increased accessibility to users. They also increase availability to individuals who may not be
traditional patrons of a library, due to geographic location or organizational affiliation.
No physical boundary. The user of a digital library need not go to the library physically;
people from all over the world can gain access to the same information, as long as an
Internet connection is available.
Round the clock availability. A major advantage of digital libraries is that people can gain
access 24/7 to the information.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 109