7 - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

It is surprising, yet true, that there is no single universally accepted definition of the term
‘Digital Library’. Different persons have defined the term Digital Library differently as
under:
According to E.A.Fox, The Digital Library may be defined as “New way of carrying out
the functions of libraries encompassing new types of information resources, new
approaches to acquisition, new methods of storage and preservation, new approaches to
classification and cataloguing, intensive use of electronic systems and networks and
dramatic shifts in intellectual, organizational and electronic practices”.
Ray R Larson defined “Digital Library is a global virtual library- the library of thousands
of networked electronic libraries”
Based on the view of different persons, a Digital Library may be referred to as
combination of library system with computer network technologies or computerized
network system where all the library information is stored in electronic format, which can
be accessed and transmitted through networks enabling retrieval of required information
by a large number of users. Users may access to desired information using a computer
terminal at their pace of work.
2. Objectives
The primary objectives of Digital Library include:
• to collect, store, organize and access information in digital form.
• to meet the requirements of patrons by providing better services.
• to provide personalized and retrospective services in an efficient way.
• to have large digitized database accessible to multiple users at the same
time.
• to save time of library staff by avoiding routine jobs.
• to provide a coherent view of all information in any format.
• to serve widely dispersed communities throughout the network.
• To minimize massive storage and space problems of large libraries.
• To reduce cost involved in various library activities.
Digital library is a combination of traditional and media collections, so they
encompass both paper and electronic materials. The three main features of
digital library are the storage of information in digital form, usage of
communication networks, and copying by either downloading or on-line/ off
line printing from a master file.
Digital Information Users
The users of digitized information may be broadly divided into four groups as given
below:
(i) Those who have started using latest technology and digitized information.
(ii) Those who have been using these technologies and digitized information
and are expanding it rapidly.
(iii) Those who have the fear of using new technologies for information.
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