Background Information on Digital Libraries
Are you wondering what a digital library is, what they cover, and how to use them?
The resources here will help to illustrate these points for you.
- The Scope of the Digital Library - http://www.dlib.org/metrics/public/papers/dig-lib-scope.html
This article is from D-Lib Magazine by Barry Leiner. It is a good elementary background on digital libraries. I would suggest starting here.
Strength: This article offers a good, concise definition explaining what a digital library is.
Weakness: The full scope and range of digital libraries are not addressed.
- Digital Library - Wikipedia, the free enclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_library
Wikipedia offers a good foundation on the definition, nature, and structure of the digital library. There are links to further reading, and a list of all the current digital library projects.
Strength: Provides sources as to where the information came from. Is updated by users so the information provided and list of digital library projects is current. The general format of Wikipedia articles is easy for anyone to follow and is broken down in a pretty impressive way.
Weakness: The general problems of Wikipedia in general; anyone can access and change the information stored, making the information somewhat unreliable. Most of the subtopics are brief, as well, and are not helpful if you are looking for in-depth information.
- Definition and Purposes of a Digital Library. Association of Research Libraries. October 23, 1995. - http://www.ifla.org/documents/libraries/net/arl-dlib.txt
The source expands upon the first, explaining what purpose is for having this resource.
Strength: A quick easy read that has bulleted point with which to refer to.
Weakness: Further reading is required to gain a complete understanding of these points.
- Graham, Peter. Requirements for the Digital Research Library. College and Research Libraries, July, 1995, p. 331-339. - http://www.ifla.org/documents/libraries/net/drc.htm
What are the standards that a digital library should be held responsible for?
Strength: This article clearly states what is required for a Digital Library to be effective.
Weakness: This article is very technically written and based upon someone's opinion.
- The KYVL Kentuckiana Digital Library Project - http://www.dlib.org/dlib/june02/weig/06weig.html
From Eric Weig, this is the Background and Current Status of one digital library project in particular. This was published in D-Lib magazine.
Strength: I felt that I learned much more when I went through the process of one library in particular. It covers areas in the actual process that isn't covered in the articles/sites above, including the selection of resources.
Weakness: This article is not representative of every digital library project and cannot be taken as such. The individual nature of each project changes from place to place.
Publications on Digital Libraries
These printed resources provide up-to-date information
on what is going in the digital library world.
- D-Lib Magazine - http://www.dlib.org/
D-Lib is an electronic publication that primarily focuses on digital library research and development. D-Lib Magazine is produced by the Corporation For National Research Initiatives (CNRI). The magazine has been sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA).
Strength: Widely considered to be the best publication in Digital Library literature.
Weakness: Many organizations have interest in it, no doubt biasing what they publish.
- International Journal on Digital Libraries - Published by Springer Berlin / Heidelberg - http://www.springerlink.com/content/1432-1300/
This publication takes more of a computer science lens at looking at digital libraries.
Strength: It can be beneficial to look at digital libraries from a technological standpoint.
Weakness: Access needs to be bought or provided (and is for us at Simmons College).
- Digital Library Federation Publicationshttp://www.diglib.org/pubs/dlfpubs.htm
This publication is done by the Digital Library Federation (see 'Organizations' below). It is not filled with content, but does address contemporary concerns and has enough there to keep you busy for quite awhile.
Strength: Very thorough, it goes in descending order so that the first thing you see is the thing most recently published. All of the authors seem to be people who have sufficient industry experience with the digital setting.
Weakness: Not all of the site is for free; because it is part of an organization, it is encouraged that you join the organization and/or pay to get the publications in order to support it's continued existence.
- The National Digital Library Program. - http://www.loc.gov/ndl/per.html
This site, published by the Library of Congress, is made up of their own publications.
Strength: HTML or PDF options for downloading of files. Provides proper citations.
Weakness: The website is not only not attractive, but seems devoid of a lot of content.
- IEEE Computer Society Digital Library - http://www.computer.org/portal/site/csdl/
On-line access to 18 IEEE journals and to the proceedings of 150 conferences in computer science. Free access to abstracts and bibliography.
Strength: Very thorough, well designed. This is basically an example of a digital periodical index, relating to IT literature on digital libraries.
Weakness: Only relevant if you are looking for publications from this specific entity relating to computer science.
Digital Libraries Organizations
Spreading the Digital Library word.
- PADI: Preserving Access to Digital Information - http://www.nla.gov.au/padi/
PADI is a subject gateway to international digital preservation resources. It aims to provide mechanisms that will help to ensure that information in digital form is managed with appropriate consideration for preservation and future access.
Strength: Website is updated constantly, with an event calendar and ways to get involved. The website is user-friendly and easy to naviagte.
Weakness: While relevant to everyone, the organization is based in Austrailia and is geared specifically for Australians.
- Federal Records Center - http://www.archives.gov/frc/index.html
The Federal Records Center is supplied by the government. It is a directory / online component of the centers in located in several states in the US.
Strength: Backed by a reliable institution, the quality and importance of the records here is important. There are centers located in areas all over the United States and a full list is available.
Weakness: Part of Archives.gov, the website is treated as part of the Archives. It is somewhat confusing to naviagte the page because it is set up like a home page, but is actually linked off another. It takes you awhile to actually find any information, there is a lack of a sitemap.
- UPF: Universal Preservation Format - http://info.wgbh.org/upf/
The UPF disseminates information about the proposed Universal Preservation Format for the archiving of media assets. There are many documents and forms which you can print out that discuss these standards in depth.
Strength: The PDF format is nice for those that like it and it's relatively quick to go through the website.
Weakness: The site seems very stripped down and bare, with not that much content. The design of it is also very simplistic, so the forms located there do not have an "official" feel.
- Digital Library Federation - http://www.diglib.org/
The DLF operates through a professional director with a small staff and a Board of Trustees on which each member institution is represented. Drawing on its members and others in the scholarly, library, and computing communities, the DLF brings together experts needed for each DLF initiative, and awards Distinguished Fellowships for special projects. The Council on Library and Information Resources houses the staff, provides administrative support, and collaborates on publications. Funding comes from members and grants.
Strength: Provides an extensive list of it's partners; seems to be the premier organization to join in order to get into the know about digital libraries.
Weakness: I have very little criticism having to do with the website, web resources, and the organization itself. They seem very well organized, well researched, with a user friendly site that is both informative and fun to look at.
- European Commission on Preservation and Access - http://www.knaw.nl/ecpa/
The European Commission on Preservation and Access (ECPA) was established in 1994 to promote activities aimed at keeping collections in European archives and libraries accessible over time. Books, documents, photographs, films, tapes and disks are all subject to decay. The digital revolution has introduced new problems of obsolescence of soft- and hardware. In order to keep our documentary heritage available for future generations of users, large-scale programmes must be developed for its preservation.
Strength: Up-to-date resources on getting involved and what is going on with digital libraries currently; does a good job of stressing the importance of digital information.
Weakness: Similar to DLF, I was quite satisfied with this site and the organizations goals. This is basically the European version of the DLF. They have a pretty interactive site, too (I like the clickable tabs ont he frontpage).
Examples of Digital Libraries
Now that you know what a digital library is and what it does,
See some digital libraries in action.
- California Digital Library - http://www.cdlib.org/
Their mission statement: "Harnessing technology and innovation, and leveraging the intellectual and cultural resources of the UC, the CDL supports the assembly and creative use of the world's scholarship and knowledge for the UC libraries and the communities they serve."
Strength: This site is probably the best example I've found of an online digital library.
Weakness: The resources listed here are vast, and it would be very easy to get lost.
- International Children's Digital Library - http://www.icdlbooks.org/
Their mission statement: "The mission of the International Children's Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is to support the world's children in becoming effective members of the global community - who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas -- by making the best in children's literature available online free of charge. The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children's books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children."
Strength: The best source for finding online resources for children and educators.
Weakness: Subject specific, if children'ss books are not your desired end, then it is irrelevant.
- The Peruses Digital Library - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/
Their mission statement: Peruses is an evolving digital library, engineering interactions through time, space, and language. Our primary goal is to bring a wide range of source materials to as large an audience as possible. We anticipate that greater accessibility to the sources for the study of the humanities will strengthen the quality of questions, lead to new avenues of research, and connect more people through the connection of ideas.
Strength: Backed by Tufts University, goal is to evolve collections on the ancient world.
Weakness: Probably the weakest Digital Library I found, the website is not user-friendly.
- Templeton, Charles. Ragtime Music - http://library.msstate.edu/ragtime/
Except from the website: "In the spirit of Templeton's gift to the University, the Library has undertaken the digitization of the sheet music contained within the collection. Since a large portion of these works was published prior to 1923, their copyrights are considered to be in the public domain. In 2000, the Library developed the Charles H. Templeton, Sr. Sheet Music Collection web site and unveiled the project to the world. Since the project began, over 2,000 pieces of music have been scanned and made available on the Internet for scholars, musicologists, and music lovers. The collection has received worldwide recognition. This smaller, popular culture inspired digital library shows that these resources are fun."
Strength: The website is beautiful, easy to navigate, and is designed like a museum site.
Weakness: If you do not have interest in music, especially this specific music, the site is boring.
- Build your own digital library using the
Storage Resource Broker.
http://www.nirvanastorage.com/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=1
When I clicked it I was promised, “A resource that helps you to build a digital library”
Strength: The idea sounds fun, but after clicking on it, it's more for organizations in an official capacity. Not meant for the everyday user, sadly.
Weakness: I had major problems navigating the site early on, it's more work than fun. How do you even do it? It seems like a fun-do-it-yourself site when you first get there, but it's not.
