[15419] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: DIGITAL LIBRARY
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mentor Cana)
Mon Jun 7 20:12:54 2004
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2004 20:26:25 -0400
From: Mentor Cana <mentor@SCILS.RUTGERS.EDU>
In-reply-to: <Pine.GSO.4.58.0405241749260.22525@well.com>
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Reply-to: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
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Hi,
Borgman (1999) attempts to explicate the meaning and interpretation of the
phrase "digital library" through the analysis of various definitions
regarding "digital libraries" coined by various research and practice
communities claming to be somehow related to digital libraries, and to
assess and identify possible influences of those definitions in the
relevant communities. Borgman identifies two distinct senses in which
"digital library" has been used (p. 227). The technological definition
stating that "digital libraries are a set of electronic resources and
associated technical capabilities for creating, searching and using
information" (p. 234), is contrasted by the social view stating that
"digital libraries are constructed, collected and organized, by (and for) a
community of users, and their functional capabilities support the
information needs and uses of that community" (p. 234).
Another workbale and widely used desfinition is provided by Lesk (1997):
"Digital libraries are organized collections of digital information. They
combine the structuring and gathering of information, which libraries and
archives have always done, with the digital representation that computers
have made possible" (p. XIX).
References:
Borgman, C. L. (1999). What are digital libraries? Competing visions.
Information Processing & Management, 35 (3), 227-243.
Lesk, M. (1997). Practical digital libraries: Books, bytes and bucks. San
Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann
--
Mentor Cana, Ph.D. Student
Blog: http://www.kmentor.com/socio-tech-info
On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, at 15:41 -0700, Jack Kessler wrote:
>Digital Library definition: things digital calling themselves
>"libraries", plus things librarianly calling themselves "digital"...
>
>The lack of precise definition is no barrier to development,
>though. For many years some of the greatest and oldest
>"libraries" have contained a variety of objects, and offered a
>variety of services, far greater than offered by most.
>
>The British Library and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, for
>example, have had great collections of maps and globes and
>manuscripts and much "realia", etc., for centuries. Newer
>databanks, and databases, expand their offerings and services
>greatly now. Restricting any of these to precise definitions, too
>early in their development, would restrict that development.
>
>So we are stuck with imprecise definition. It is no more
>imprecise, however, than "libraries" always have had. Sometimes
>defining a thing freezes it in time, and makes it less useful. I
>would leave it a fluid and expanding concept, for now.
>
>
>Jack Kessler, kessler@well.com
>
>On Sun, 23 May 2004, Md Sirajul Islam wrote:
>
>> Hello Everyone,
>>
>> 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"?
>>
>> Thank you
>>
>>
>
>
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