The E-library system has become a common phenomenon as it provides a relatively convenient means of data and information access (Rowley, 1998). Digital libraries utilize the internet as a means of exchange and connectivity among the numerous clients all over the world who utilize the library resources (Cline, 1992). Digital libraries have enabled sharing of a variety of digital collections over a platform that can be accessed on a platform that is international. This paper discusses the Electronic library systems and the impact that they have on the organizations that implement them. The electronic library systems, creation implementation as well as the challenges of such implementation are extensively discussed. The advantages of such implementation from the physical; archives to come up with a digitized system are also discussed. The methodology of implementation as well as the challenges that are experienced in the execution of these processes are considered and discussed as well.
Electronic library literature review, impact and effects of implementation
A digital library refers to a library that has a collection of information that is stored in electronic digital form. The main mode of access to the digital library is the computer. The information stored in the libraries can be accessed in a variety of ways(Christian, 1978 ). There is the direct access from the local computer that hosts the information, while there could also be retrieved online via a network. It basically works as a means of retrieval system. A variety of academic digital libraries are into the construction of the repositories of the institution. These include the books, the theses written as well as the papers of the institution. There are several differences that exist between the digitized information in electronic libraries and physical archives that exist in libraries (Dowlin, 1984). Digitized libraries have been contained as an organized rather than being set as an individual set of items. Additionally, they also have contents that are unique and special. The digitization of the organization’s information into a single collection leads to a convenient mode of access of data and information as it is classified in an easy to access and retrieve mode.
Impact of implementation of a digital library
The implementation of a digital library within an organization has a variety of impacts both positive and negative. To begin with, the electronic library will be able to enhance access to information without having limitation. This is because it eliminates the physical boundaries that exist in manual archives and libraries. The person using the electronic library needs not to attend a physical library to access the data or information that is required. They only need to have a computer that is connected to internet. Additionally, an electronic library provides multiple users with multiple accesses to the system resources. For instance, more than one user can utilize the same resource simultaneously. This eliminates the option of running out of a particular resource such as a particular book running out of stock. It also gives a round the clock access to the resources within the library. In this context, all the users of the library can always access the resources at all times (Fakultet,1998).
The retrieval of information from the library is made efficient and fast by use of key search terms. Consequently, the retrieval of information is made much easier as well as more efficient in the search. This is due to the user friendly interfaces such as the access to resources that are accessed through clickable options.
On the other hand, the digital library system offers some challenges that are setbacks in its utilization. These are expected as they come along with the system use and implementation (Schlembach, 2001).
The creation and setting up of the electronic system is usually expensive and cost intensive (Verheul, 2006). This will always weigh in on the budget of the organization. Additionally, it requires a huge labor force that is well versed with the digitizing process . this comes in as a fundamental set back as the system needs constant maintenance from the digitizers. Additionally, the system faces the threats that come along with systems that are connected on supported on an internet platform. These include cyber targeted attacks that may cause the entire system to crush or even lead to loss of valuable and sensitive information (Batin, 1984).
There are a variety of tools that are incorporated into an electronic library. These include. These include the search tool. This provides the library user with the capability to look for search items within the resource center as required. This simplifies the option of having to know the exact author of a particular book in order to be able to utilize their material. Digital libraries are classified as music libraries, video libraries as well as academic research libraries, depending on the institution utilizing it. The classification is based on the production of metadata from the systems. These data can be produced either manually or automatically. The electronic library is supposed to be accessible to all regardless of whether the user is disabled, is language deficient or even culturally challenged within the society using the digitized electronic library. The usability of the electronic library should always be put into consideration as it determines the functionality of the system and its acceptance by the users.
The methodologies put forward in the setting up of a digital library revolve around certain approaches. These are; the approach that is centered on the usability of the electronic library system. This assesses all the functional features such as the portals that are used by the users in accessing the system. This approach considers the interface that connects the system to the human aspect of the system. There is also the approach which provides a methodology that considers the ethnographic aspect of the system (Pitkin, 1996). This approach provides a scenario by which the ways of life of the users of the electronic library is studied and analysis is made over the most appropriate means of implementation of the new system. There is also the sociological approach which assesses the action and its effect on the implementation of an electronic , digitized library on the public as well as the general users of this system. As is observed, digital libraries are complex in nature. And hence many methods are approached and utilized in ensuring its success. Evaluation studies that are carried out on these methods suggest several aspects of the electronic library system that can be measured as a means of capturing the capacity as well as the ability of the digitized library system to be utilized in an organization (Kovacs, 2009).
Electronic libraries have not been fully inculcated into many organizations and consequently, there have been minimal efforts of evaluation on the functionality of these libraries. It has been found that the implementation of many information technology processes usually fail or pose a great challenge. This is usually due to the lack of adherence to the set methodologies of project management. This is the same bottleneck that faces the implementation of electronic libraries within institutions that may have the desire to implement digital documentation of its academic resources. The methodology of a project management includes all the office tasks projects which include, changing the management, the human resources involved, the management of the documents as well as managing the financial aspect of the project of implementing a digital library. Additionally, the process of deciding the technology architecture means of documenting, data migration, means of implementation, the procedures of the migration, including making schedules, testing the system as well as reviewing it and whether it meets the set objectives. Consequently, for there to be a successful implementation of a digital library system, governance on information technology should be well structured. It should be able to identify the institutions requirements to the full.
According to these methodologies of implementation, it was discovered that the users normally were compromised in their utilization. These include the lack of knowledge and hence they do not understand how to use the libraries. This calls for the training of the users, a cost consuming expense that is incurred in order to make the resource available and useful to the intended group of users. There is also the fact that the users normally hold a different perspective about the digital library compared to the operators as well as the designers of such systems (Grosch, (1985). Consequently, due to the variation in intention, the libraries normally end up being underutilized. For instance a scenario in which the designers include sections of the library with restricted access or those that require some form of subscription in order to be accessed. This does not usually go down well with the users and many often choose to not use the system at all.
Studies have shown that various reasons can be attributed to the less extent of the evaluation of digital libraries. These include the fact that they are quite complex. Digital libraries are more complex systems that include high levels of sophistication in their operations. The evaluation of a complex system is quite taxing and difficult process. Consequently not many professionals have the knack to try such an evaluation. There is also the argument that, digital libraries are still in their early stages of evolution. Consequently, this school of thought argues that, it is still quite premature to make any conclusive evaluations on digital libraries as they still show much promise in their evolution process. There is also the bottleneck presented by lack of interest in the evaluation of digitized libraries. This is because; the most interest channeled towards digital libraries is towards, the building of the digital libraries, the discovery of new techniques as operation of the new systems. This gives little room to evaluation processes of the electronic library system. There is also very minimal funding that is channeled towards the implementation of the evaluation processes of the electronic libraries. This is in consideration of the fact that carrying out the evaluation processes is time consuming as well as expensive. The culture of the electronic system users is also one that is not normally involved in the operations of a library. As such the evaluation is considered below the radar of library evaluations and hence not given the importance that it deserves (Budd, 2005).
There are several characteristics that define an electronic library. These are discussed as follows; a digital library has a wide range of resources that offer different digital information, they eliminate the need for physical space in its utilization, additionally, the electronic libraries can accommodate remote users sharing the same resources. Additionally, the electronic libraries provide the users with the capability of building their own personalized collections by the numerous tools that are provided by the digital libraries. The libraries also have the capability of handling a variety of languages and are multilingual in nature. This characteristic makes it available and accessible to a wide range of users the world over.
In the construction of a digital library, there are several bottlenecks or challenges that may be encountered. First there are challenges that face the building of the electronic library resources; there is the need to develop technology that can enhance the conversion of analog materials into digital content. This is because there is a huge volume of material that is in analog form that has to be converted in to digital format in order to be included in the digital system. There is the challenge of designing the search and retrieval tools. These are normally included in order to be able to replace and compensate for the cataloging details that are incomplete as well as the information that provides more descriptive details on the resource being utilized. There is also the challenge of interoperability between the digital libraries that are spread wide in different geographical locations (Dowler, 1997).Consequently; there is the need for the establishment of protocols as well as standards which will be used in the assembling of the various distributions of electronic libraries. There is also the challenge that is associated with the crediting of intellectual property that should be included in the digital libraries. Consequently, it is usually hectic and time consuming to address the problem that is associated with the process of attending to the legal concerns that come along with the distribution or even copying of copyrighted intellectual property. Additionally, there are problems associated with the access of the information in the digital libraries, which has to be effective and efficient enough. In order to curb this, there has to be integrated access to the physical resource as well as the digital content found within such libraries.
In the construction of the digital libraries, there raises the question of collection management. in collection management, the budget could be the fore bearing limitation but there needs to be careful consideration of the materials collected for inclusion into the digital libraries(Kovacs, 2009).. There are several criteria for the selection of the content that should be included in the digitization process. These include the quality of the content that is to be included, the requirements that are needed in terms of the hardware, network as well as the software requirements. The product version of the content is also considered in the sense that the library should always present the user with the most accurate and most updated version of the content. There is also the number of users that can use the system concurrently are also considered in the digitization process. The access into the system is also considered. Such questions as whether it will be an open resource or limited resource to subscribers is also a point to note. In this case, the designers and the operators will have to include a facility for the creation, verification and authentication of the system users. The licensing, price as well as copyright rules of the particular content (Schlembach & Mischo, 2001).
The digitization process entails several technological procedures. The first is the digital content that is born digital. These are done by the process of using such software as Word, DTP or even LaTex. This process by which the analog information is converted into digital form is called the ‘digitization’ process. Apart from the content being ‘born’ digital, the analog pages can be scanned to convert them into digital format.
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