Page 119 - DLIS408_INFORMATION_TECHNOLOGY-APPLICATIONSL SCIENCES

Information Technology and Application

Notes There are five hybrid library projects. The main features of each project are summarized as follows:
HyLiFe: (Hybrid Library of the Future) is concentrating on the design and evaluation of six different
hybrid library user interfaces. The six interfaces are being designed in different institutions for
different user groups. The project is being co-ordinated and evaluated by staff at Centre for Research
in Library and Information Management (CERLIM) at Manchester Metropolitan University, and the
Department of Information and Library Management at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle.
MALIBU: (Managing the hybrid Library for the Benefit of Users) has a subject area focus. It is
developing a number of hybrid library prototypes particularly in the area of the Humanities. It is
also investigating the organisational and managerial implications of the hybrid library. Once
again this is a multi-site project, the key sites being Kings College London, and the Universities of
Oxford and Southampton.
HeadLine: (Hybrid Electronic Access and Delivery in the Library Networked Environment) is
focused on Economics and Business Studies. It is based at the London School of Economics, London
Business School and the University of Hertfordshire. The project is building models of the hybrid
library including a wide variety of different formats of material.
BUILDER (Birmingham University Integrated Library Development and Electronic Resource) has
an institutional focus. It is based at a single site, the University of Birmingham, although partner
sites are involved in evaluation activities. The project is developing a model of an institutional
hybrid library incorporating various technologies.
AGORA is system led. It is an implementation of the MODELS Information Architecture which is
constructing a hybrid library management system. The system will include facilities for search,
locate, request and delivery services. The project is being led by the University of East Anglia in
partnership with the UK Office for Library Networking (UKOLN), CERLIM and Fretwell-Downing
Informatics.

Issues in Hybrid Library

Some of the issues facing the hybrid libraries are the digital divide, collection development,
ownership of electronic resources and preservation of digital media.
Any advancement in information technology will be useful only when you know how to use it.
The term digital divide is used to describe the gap between those with information technology
knowledge and those who do not.
Majority of the libraries in these days are hybrid libraries. The libraries own and subscribe to
different resources in different formats. Some of the common formats are ejournals, serials, print
monographs, CD and DVD. The main components of digital library framework are user interfaces,
repository, handles system, and search system. The handle system and search system are the major
components that should be designed with interoperability features to search across different
repositories owned by different vendors. The user interface should be designed in a generic way that
it helps library patrons develop a common knowledge to do advanced searches across all repositories.

Collection development
Collection development is another challenge facing the hybrid libraries. The process of collection
management in a hybrid library is similar to that of a traditional library. Hybrid libraries follow
the same policies and procedures followed in traditional library collection development.

Ownership of Electronic Resources

Ownership of electronic resources is another issue facing the hybrid libraries. Ownership of electronic
materials is virtual and not physical. There are no clear policies about the ownership of electronic
materials once the subscription is cancelled or expired. Libraries have to pay attention to the legal

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