7 - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

NextGen Digital Resource Centre: Online Information Gateway
Manoj Singh, Vijai Kumar, Sanu Mathew and Leena Kanal
Abstract
Online solution with high degree of accessibility, scalability, manageability and
security is a better approach to access networked information resources in a digital
library. This paper presents a case study of online resources made available through
an indigenously developed online information gateway at BARC Library. Technical
aspects including merits & demerits are also discussed in detail. Some available
technologies and in-the-box-applications for online information models are also
discussed.
1. Introduction
Information is highly valuable resource that is being created, produced on a mass scale and
disseminated to end-user using various types of methods and technologies. With the
introduction of portable storage media right from the floppy to CD-ROM and to the stateof-the-art
technology of DVD, the development of information publishing and its access
has changed multi-fold.
The World Wide Web has played a major role to change the attitude of the so-called
information society and continues shading its IT color to rest of the word. The fast
changing technologies in IT also raises the expectations from a resource centre to provide
the seamless access to information resources as fast as possible.
The role of a Digital Resource Manager for libraries in dissemination of digital resources
varies with regard to technological infrastructure, collection development, financial
outlays and manpower among others.
2. Digital Resources
With the emergence of new technologies, its services and latest formats of digital
information, the current-generation libraries are being pushed to the outskirts of the nondigital
era. However, the real utility of the next-generation libraries will be realized over
time, as innovative technologies develop rapidly to get the standardisations. To fulfill the
demand of the digital savy users for in time access of today’s new services and
applications, deployment of digital resources across the net and its smooth access raise
new technical challenges to digital managers. The responsibilities, the technical
specialisations and problems of digital resources compound the challenges to digital
managers in terms of the factors shown in Fig 1.
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Scientific Information Resource Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 4000 85,
India
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