The Future of Digital Libraries

The Future of Digital Libraries

Introduction:

            The concept of digital libraries is a very interesting one, it refers to an electronic collection of various materials such as historic artifacts, photographs, scholarly works, article databases, electronic books (e-books), and other forms of media content (Besser, 2002; Lynch, 2005).

As mentioned by Lynch (2005), the progression towards digital collections had been predicted early in the 20^th century, actual funding and research efforts began in 1994, and many sources do point out that the concept was being considered in the early 1990’s (Besser, 2002; Lynch, 2005).

            The future of digital libraries has been an issue of constant debate, with many questions such as: Will there be a future where libraries become solely digital with no print material? Will the idea of reading physical books and flipping through pages become obsolete? Will we be forced to read on all manner of electronic devices?

            The questions are endless as we navigate through the constant influx of new technology and the inevitable shift towards digital collections. While many libraries and library systems are toying with the idea of digital collections by providing online public access catalogs, e-book services, overdrive, online resources, and access to online article databases. However the concept of digital collections appear have so many advantages that will surely benefit many libraries and while this is a plus, the issue of maintenance and the cost of developing a digital collection is something that many libraries will have to consider.

Literature Review:

            Current literature and research suggests that there is indeed a shift towards solely digital collections and the introduction of some digital only libraries in the United States support this trend. There is a large scale movement towards mass digitization of various forms of materials and media, and this is as a result of the gradual shift towards a more digital collection.

            The literature suggests that academic libraries are well ahead of public libraries in the adoption of various technologies supporting digital collections and they are predicted to become fully digital in the future. As mentioned by Joint (2009) the introduction of Institutional Repositories in many institutions, is especially important because it illustrates the onward progression of academic institutions towards becoming fully digital libraries (Joint, 2009).

            According to Breeding (2012), there is clearly a progression towards a digital libraries, with current technologies supporting this trend. He also points out that academic libraries are moving steadily towards building a bigger digital collections and are well on the way to becoming fully digital libraries in the future (Breeding, 2012).

            There is still more literature needed on the subject especially in a public library setting, though available literature does suggest that public libraries are behind academic libraries in the shift to digital collections, and because they serve a very diverse population the transition to a fully digital collection will not be as anticipated and embraced as it is in the academic setting.

Current Use/Application in Libraries:

            Many public libraries have some digital collections such as e-books, online learning resources and databases, online article databases, among others. Most public libraries also have online public access catalogs (OPACs) which makes it easy for virtually anyone to access their collection and see what they have available.

            There are a few digital only libraries in the United States, and the launching of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) in April 2013, is quite a big milestone in the quest to implement a digital only library collection. The DPLA has a large collection of material from various sources and in various languages and is funded by various organizations (Digital Public Library of America, 2014).

            Another example of a fully digital library is in the Bexar County of Texas, with San Antonio as the major city. This library was opened in September 2013, and features state of the art technology and equipment without a single book onsite. The name of this library is BiblioTech, which is adapted from the Spanish word “biblioteca” which means library. This was the brainchild of the county judge who used county funds, private donations and other funds from organizations to finance this project (Hays, 2014).

            Currently many academic libraries are developing institutional repositories which are mainly intended to house various scholarly works, research papers and projects, and other papers related to the various academic disciplines offered at the institution. These institutional repositories have the potential to be expanded into a much greater collection featuring more than just academic material and content, these could be easily house various historical artifacts significant to the institution (Joint, 2009).

            The advantages of a digital library are many and when compared to an actual brick and mortar library, the advantages of digital libraries far outweigh those of a traditional brick and mortar facility. One major advantage of a digital library is the ease of access to its collections, since it is an online based collection, patrons only need an internet connection to gain access to the library’s connection. This a big advantage for digital libraries because the patrons are not restricted by location or hours and so the collection is always available from any location and at any time (Trivedi, 2010).

            Digital libraries also do not require much physical space as compared to an actual library branch with a big collection, so there is no need for maintaining a large facility. This is an advantage because the cost of maintaining a library facility, organizing the collection and maintaining a staff to accommodate the needs of patrons for a large facility is greatly reduced (Trivedi, 2010).

            Finally, the use of digital library material makes it very easy for digital libraries to maintain and preserve their collection. This mainly due to the fact that they do not have to mend or repair damaged physical copies of library material, they do not have to replace lost or damaged library material, and additional copies of material are easy to reproduce and are not costly (Trivedi, 2010).

Challenges/Issues:

While a digital library has several benefits and advantages, it also has its disadvantages which may affect its effectiveness.

            First of all is the cost involved in transitioning from a physical collection to an entirely digital one would be quite a significant one. This is would be an expense that many public libraries with strained budgets cannot afford, especially with constant maintenance and required updates to enhance and preserve the collection (Trivedi, 2010).

            Secondly, digital libraries would only widen the digital divide for patrons who are not technologically inclined and do not have adequate computer skills to properly utilize a digital library (Lynch, 1999; Lynch, 2000). This automatically alienates library patrons who fall under that category, and that is certainly not the goal of libraries.

            Also, the shift to a digital library would mean that public libraries serving communities as a communal center, where the community can come together, would no longer be in existence (Besser, 2002). This would lessen social contact and human interaction in the community, and this could be seen as a result of technological advancement.

            Lastly, a fully digital library would mean that physical collections and books would be obsolete (Lynch, 1999; Lynch, 2000), forcing patrons to have to read library material on some sort of electronic device. This would be uncomfortable and inconvenient for individuals who prefer to read physical copies of material, and not to mention the strain on one’s eyesight from constantly staring at a screen while reading.

Conclusion:

            As we continue to move forward in this era of modern technology with constantly changing features, the popularity and convenience of digital collections is favoring the gradual shift towards solely digital libraries with the many advantages digital collections have to offer. Though conditions may be favorable for this, many libraries, especially public libraries, who are faced with issues such as costs, proper maintenance, and patrons who may not be too keen on the idea of a solely digital collection, may be left behind in the process.

            While there is the fear that this gradual shift would drastically affect employment in the field of Library Science and possibly make render the profession obsolete. I find this notion is a bit far-fetched because I see the Library and Information Science field to be very dynamic, and it can be quite easy to shift towards incorporating new technologies to enhance the field. Also, instead of constantly dreading new technologies and seeing only their negative aspects to the field of Library and Information Science, we can embracing the shift to digital libraries and adapt accordingly.

            In conclusion, times are changing and will continue to change but I believe that as these changes occur, we will be able to adapt and evolve to accommodate these changes and also use it to our benefit. As professionals in the field, we must be able to accept change and make sure that our main goal is to serve our patrons and the community as a whole, and as such we must put their interests before ours when considering the benefits of new technology.

References

Besser, H. (2002). The next stage: moving from isolated digital collections to interoperable digital libraries. First Monday, 7(6)

Hays, A. (2014). The Nation's First Fully Digital Public Library. Public Libraries, 53(2), 46-50

Joint, N. (2009). Practical digital asset management and the university library. Library Review, 58(2), 89-96. Doi:10.1108/00242530910936907

Lynch, C. (1999). Electrifying the Book. Library Journal, 124(17), 3

Lynch, C. (2000). Electrifying the Book, Part 2. Library Journal, 125(1), 24

Lynch, C. (2005, Jul. - Aug.). Where Do We Go From Here? D-Lib, 11. Retrieved June 6, 2014, from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july05/lynch/07lynch

Trivedi, M. (2010). Digital Libraries: Functionality, Usability, and Accessibility. Library Philosophy and Practice. Retrieved June 6, 2014, from http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~mbolin/trivedi-diglib.html

Welcome · Digital Public Library of America. (n.d.). Welcome · Digital Public Library of America. Retrieved June 6, 2014, from http://dp.la/