Role of Librarians and Libraries in Managing Digital Information
Digital libraries are an emerging concept, as today's libraries routinely provide information and services in digital form. As the nature and role of libraries have changed in response to the new digital environment, new applications and services have been developed. Many practitioners have reported on these changes in the digital workplace (Association of Research Libraries, 2000; Croneis and Henderson, 2002; Stoffle, et al., 2003).
From the conventional role as static storehouse of information, the library has matured into a proactive model of information generation and effective dissemination. The revolution in computer, information and telecommunication technology is bringing about significant changes in all types of libraries. Availability of powerful computers at affordable cost, spread of telecommunications networks to even remote areas, advent of internet, increasing interest in creating digital content are some of the significant forces accelerating the pace of changes in functioning of our libraries.
Licklider (1965) refer to a digital library “Library of the future” referring to a fully computerized library. Later, Lancaster, F W (1978) termed digital library as “Paperless Society”. Presently many synonymous terms like “Electronic Library”; “Virtual library”, “Library without walls”, “Paperless library” are used. The three main characteristics of digital library are the storage of information in digital form, usage of communication networks to access and obtain information and copying by either downloading or online/offline printing.
From the conventional role as static storehouse of information, the library has matured into a proactive model of information generation and effective dissemination. The revolution in computer, information and telecommunication technology is bringing about significant changes in all types of libraries. Availability of powerful computers at affordable cost, spread of telecommunications networks to even remote areas, advent of internet, increasing interest in creating digital content are some of the significant forces accelerating the pace of changes in functioning of our libraries.
Licklider (1965) refer to a digital library “Library of the future” referring to a fully computerized library. Later, Lancaster, F W (1978) termed digital library as “Paperless Society”. Presently many synonymous terms like “Electronic Library”; “Virtual library”, “Library without walls”, “Paperless library” are used. The three main characteristics of digital library are the storage of information in digital form, usage of communication networks to access and obtain information and copying by either downloading or online/offline printing.
Digital Information
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete (discontinuous) values.
By contrast, non-digital (or analog) systems use a continuous range of values to represent information. Although digital representations are discrete, the information represented can be either discrete, such as numbers, letters or icons, or continuous, such as sounds, images, and other measurements of continuous systems.
The word digital comes from the same source as the word digit and digitus (the Latin word for finger), as fingers are used for discrete counting. It is most commonly used in computing and electronics, especially where real-world information is converted to binary numeric form as in digital audio and digital photography.
Role of Librarians
* To acquire, give access to, and safeguard carries of knowldge and information in all forms and to provide instruction and assistance in the use of the collections to which their users have access.
a) To provide intellectual access to information in any format
b) To evaluate available sources of information
c) To organise and structure information
d) To ensure the preservation of information
e) To provide specialised staff to offer instruction and assistance interpreting resources and access to resources.
Librarians in the virtual library environment are related to the new technologies making digital libraries possible, and the techniques necessary to deliver new forms of information resources and services. In providing access to information, the librarian in the virtual library environment must consider the requirements of any digital resources - any hardware or software necessary, the most effective way to refer patrons to the resource, and whether availability is limited to a defined user group. Young (1998) called this the 'knowledge navigator' role. In navigating access to knowledge, librarians in the virtual library are confronted with the repercussions of the shift from 'ownership to access', and the resulting rights to access considerations which must be specified and negotiated in contracts and licenses.
The virtual library environment requires a new technical set of competencies for librarians which were not previously required. Skills such as creating web pages, building and maintaining computer networks, designing search interfaces are sought after in today's library employment market. Indeed, Schuyler (1999) advises, 'the next librarian you hire should have significant web skills'. The level of technical sophistication required by librarians in the virtual library environment is already leading to a blurring of distinctions with computing professionals. As the virtual library environment continues to develop there may be an even greater demand for professional staff with either computing or librarian qualifications
Libraries
* About preservation, dissemination, and use of recorded knowledge in whatever from it may come. The role of libraries in the electronic age has gained widespread acceptance.
Libraries and Digital Libraries :
¢to provide open access to institutional research and support research and learning .
¢To enable the library collection to stored, managed and used more systematic.
¢to store and preserve other institutional digital assets, including unpublished or otherwise
easily lost
¢to create global visibility for an institution's scholarly research.
¢to collect content in a single location.
Digital Library
Digital libraries basically store materials in electronic format and manipulate large collections of those materials effectively. Research into digital libraries is research into network information systems, concentrating on how to develop the necessary infrastructure to effectively mass-manipulate the information on the Net. The key technological issues are how to search and display desired selections from and across large collections.
