A Virtual/Digital Library Review

You're exploration of web apps has been an awarding/challenging experience. You've puttered around, become familiar, and think you have everything finally under control in this apps learning process. Than the Internet throws you another curve ball. Enter virtual/digital libraries.

Changing Times
I know how you feel. My initial confusion when I first was introduced to virtual/digital libraries was quite apparent. Where to start? Where to look? How to evaluate for quality and accountability? In the library profession, these are everyday questions when exploring virtual libraries. Librarians, in pursuit of the issue, have discovered that there is more that meets the eye when it comes to online libraries. You may not know this, but librarians are constantly challenging the idea of what a library is in these modern times.

The Traditional Library
The traditional concept of a library is that it is contained by four walls. This view probably came about when the possibility to digitize everything within library resources started becoming a reality. Another idea that started being discussed was that the usefulness of the physical library fading into oblivion. Yet in the here and now, librarians are starting to argue the importance of the physical library space. One point of view that Alan Barney argues in his article, The Impact of Technology on Library Space Requirements is that more space is required as "digitization is beginning to replace microforms, audio/visual resources are evolving into multimedia/hypermedia formats, and computer equipment is pervasive throughout the modern academic library." Rather than arguing that technology will do away with the physical space of the library, he simply points out that it will only redefine that physical space.

Glenn Remelts in his article,Where Research Will Happen: The Traditional Library, considers that the traditional four-wall library may disappear in the public, special and school sector but is convinced that academic schools will never do away with their libraries just for the simple fact that libraries provide a physical haven for researchers. He acknowledges that digital libraries are becoming a part of everyday life and that together, both traditional and digital libraries will grow and coexist.

Or let's ponder on Maija Berndtson's review of the conference held by the Helsinki Library with their theme A Space for the Future- Library Buildings in the 21st Century, where other libraries were invited to share their own experiences in reinventing the library space. 10 different European countries were toured with an involvement of 170 participants from 30 different countries. Berndtson's states that the conference "confirmed our belief that the physical library, library space, will remain by the side of the virtual library." She goes on to write that the challenge that is presented now is to change the image of traditional libraries as well as utilize the space to meet the needs of the customers (patrons, users).

The Digital Library
Digital or Virtual? Does it really matter which word takes president over this online resource? By Wikipedia standards, when users types in "virtual library" they are automatically directed to digital library instead. The basis of the digital library is with the advance of technology in the world today. Information is either switched to the latest formats or new information is simply stored in the current formats. Lori Bell, Tom Peters, and Kitty Pope write in their chapter, "Library 2.0 and Virtual Worlds = Innovation + Exploration," write that "customer service trends in libraries show that more and more self-services are desired by library users, from self-check out machines to more services on the web, such as virtual reference, and collections, such as ebooks and audio books."

The Library (Digital) Environment: After 10 Years explores past and present development of the digital library. What is interesting to note is that 10 years ago, the goal of digital libraries was connecting with the web. Today, it is more than a matter of connecting but exploring the communicating applications that are available and using them to connect to a bigger audience. For further exploration of digital libraries go to: Library Issues: Digital Libraries.

The Hybrid Library
Now you're really lost. A hybrid what? Wikipedia best describes the hybrid library as a term librarians use to describe libraries that have a mix of the print library resources as well as electronic library resources. But Realizing the Hybrid Library towards its full potential of bringing together electronic and print resources and blending them to create a harmonious service is the goal of the hybrid library. Hybrid library also goes by "gateway library," and shares similiar concept of the hybrid library in that one medium of information does not replace the other. Although the goal of the hybrid library is to create a seamless coexistence between print and electronic, this is easier said than done. Such issues that need to be dealt with in the continuos pursuit of balance is digital divide, interoperability and collection management, to name a few.

A little byte of History
Roy Tennant in his article, Of Real and Digital Libraries opens the article with a brief history of the digital library. He writes, “without real libraries, digital ones are nothing but a bunch of bits”. He realizes this thought as a reoccurring theme in the library profession, yet pauses to reflect that libraries went digital when in the early 1990s the computer science community shifted eyes their way. Digital libraries were but babes in arms during this time, but apparently the U.S. government concluded that this library area was worth sinking millions of dollars of research into. With a swerving Sauron eye swiftness, “computer science researchers also suddenly become interested in digital library issues”.

But to these computer geeks, all library information lingo was a “pile of content” and when placed together created a library unto itself. The library community was not sure where this outside interest would take them but “humored the researchers” and soon “unexpected” results were showing up. Stepping forward onto this platform were graduate students Sergey Brin and Larry Page, who, although did not create a digital library, created Google, a web application that made finding much easier to the Internet user.

Library 2.0 and Second Life
I remember when I first heard of Second Life. I was new to the library profession, in my first term of my LIS program and just about every class I was in mentioned Second Life. You may or may not have heard of it, but by some standards it is a rather significant matter in the Web 2.0 sphere. Bell, Peters and Pope's definition of Second Life is "a virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents, who often are called "avatars." In this world people through their avatars can explore this virtual world. There is much to discover. People can buy land, a home or business. There's even money, called Linden currancy. So where does the library aspect come in?

Two librarians, Lori Bell and Kitty Pope, seeing possibilities, began a library venture into Second Life. Along the way, library volunteers joined the team, and the search was on to see if residents in the Second Life wanted or needed a library. The challenges that presented the team as they went about building their Second Life library was the difference between real time and virtual time. Learning how to use their avatars with sufficient grace while they navigated this virtual world also proved a challenge. Since Second Life librarians were also neebies to this environment, they couldn't really give much information on the culture within Second Life.

A Review
World Digital Library is a must see. A digital library based out of several institutions and supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, contains maps, manuscripts, books, photos, and paintings. I believe the list goes on, but exploration of the site is quite an adventure. The homepage is set out like a map, and so subjects are categorized by continents. Once clicking on a continent, you begin exploring. If you click on a book, you are taken to a page that contains a photograph of the cover, and a brief history of the book on the right hand side. Click on the picture and the book is opened to you for exploration. Zoom in or move about by clicking on a page. I could literally spend hours running around the site.

IDRC Digital Library is an open access repository of research results and documents generated by IDRC-funded projects, IDRC funding recipients, and IDRC staff. This repository is free and is a good place for research on international issues.

The National Science Digital Library is another great website to explore. User friendly, easy to navigate, and lots of great science based information. Everything from simple to complex science can be found.

International Digital Children's Library is a kid's book-loving paradise. The goal of this website is to reach children around the world, wherever they are or wherever they go. You can search by words or search by bookcover. You can search by color and/or language. You limit search by age. When you get to the book, you can enlarge the text or the picture. The possibilities on this site are astounding. Read A Duck in the Gun as a sample. Membership is free.

Last Thoughts
So is the way of the future virtually all digital? Everybody has an option on the matter, but it really comes down to each individual library and library staff. There is a recognition to be connected globally as new technology creates a even acuter awareness of the larger audience at hand. As for myself, I am not entirely sure where I stand in the matter until I am in the classroom teaching or at the reference desk helping, but as for yourself, where do you stand?

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Sources: Courtney, Nancy. "Library 2.0 and Beyond." Wesport, Connecticut; Libraries Unlimited, 2007.