[15388] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: DIGITAL LIBRARY
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Eric Lease Morgan)
Wed May 26 20:00:32 2004
Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 07:18:19 -0500
From: Eric Lease Morgan <emorgan@ND.EDU>
In-reply-to: <200405250508.i4P58V6d003046@osgood.cc.nd.edu>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-to: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
Message-id: <9BCF80DE-AE45-11D8-BD1D-000393875D4E@nd.edu>
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On May 25, 2004, at 12:07 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:
> As an emerging system of libraries digital libraries may become an
> option for many big libraries. However, the concept of the Digital
> Library seems not very clear. While discussing with many professionals
> I've got many different responses. I'm still looking for a workable
> definition of the term "Digital Library." Could anyone provide me with
> a precise definition of "digital Library"?
Hmmm... How about this? "A digital library is a set of collections and
services implementing the principles and practices of librarianship
through electronic means." Unfortunately such a definition: 1) is
rather tautological, 2) begs the question about the definition of
librarianship.
This is know for sure. Digital libraries are about collections and
services. They are about the processes of collecting, organizing,
archiving, disseminating, and sometimes evaluating data, information,
and knowledge that is electronic. Digital librarianship is not only
about creating digital surrogates of physical and/or analog materials,
but providing services electronically too. Things such as "chat
reference", electronic document delivery, the searching for information
through the use of electronic indexes all fall within the realm of
digital library activities. If someone were to create an artificial
intelligence application facilitating the reference interview, then
that person would be practicing digital librarianship just as much as
the person who marks up a version of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
in TEI or scans sets of sheet music.
--
Eric Lease Morgan
Head, Digital Access and Information Architecture Department
University Libraries of Notre Dame
(574) 631-8604
