Introduction to Digital Libraries

Recent developments in ICT, especially the web, have led to the creation of a growing number of digital library projects in the UK, USA and elsewhere. This new phenomenon is designed to bring a paradigm shift in the ways we create, access and use information. The design and development of digital libraries depend on computer, communication and other technical skills, and the dream of successful digital libraries leading to a global digital environment can only be fulfilled when sufficient practitioners have the skills to design, build and manage them.

This book presents a holistic view of the new digital library scene. Supported by a wealth of international examples, it is an essential guide to good digital practice and techniques. The authors have experience both in teaching courses on digital libraries and in actively researching them, and the text is based on evidence provided by models of major digital library research projects around the globe. Key topics include:

digital libraries: definition and characteristicsfeatures of some digital librariesdigital library designdigital library researchcollection managementdigitizationinformation organizationinformation access and user interfaceinformation retrieval in digital librariesdigital archiving and preservationdigital library servicessocial, economic and legal issuesdigital library evaluationdigital libraries and the information professiontrends in digital library research and development. Readership: This invaluable textbook offers an all-round view of digital libraries and is a core text for students of digital librarianship and related courses at departments of information science and computer science. It is also essential reading for practitioners and researchers who need to get a good grasp of issues and developments in the field.