Digital Library Initiatives in India

The South Asia sub-region is now in the forefront of the Open Access movement within developing countries in the world, with India being the most prominent partner in terms of its successful Open Access and Digital Library initiatives. Institutional and policy frameworks in India also facilitate innovative solutions for increasing international visibility and accessibility of scholarly literature and documentary heritage in this country. \nThis publication has its genesis in the recommendations and proceedings of UNESCO-supported international conferences and workshops including the 4th International Conference of Asian Digital Libraries (ICADL2001, Bangalore); the International Conferences on Digital Libraries (ICDL2004 & ICDL2006, New Delhi); and the International Workshop on Greenstone Digital Library Software (2006, Kozhikode), where many information professionals of this sub-region demonstrated their Digital Library and Open Access initiatives. This book describes successful digital library and open access initiatives in the South Asia sub-region that are available in the forms of open courseware, open access journals, metadata harvesting services, national-level open access repositories and institutional repositories. This book may be considered an authoritative Source-book on Open Access development in this sub-region.

The Digital Library – used here to connote a general category – aims to innovate the range of services offered to the public by ‘analogue libraries’ to a varied group of users. These services cross the multifaceted cases of public reading libraries (and a large and generalist pool of users), of university libraries (and an equally large pool of users made up of students, undergraduates, faculty, and researchers), and also extend to the world of conservation libraries, which attract a specialized niche audience, very often of international origin. The digitization of precious, ancient, books – both manuscript and printed – represents a great and complex challenge from many points of view (conceptual, design, implementation, logistics, economic, personnel management, etc.), but also the most intuitive way we have now to expand the services offered to users in digital form. In the (recent) past, many digital library initiatives have been carried out in this sense by individual library institutions, as well as by individual private programs or government projects, with variable results in terms of objectives actually achieved, sustainable permanence online, and their ability to effectively counteract the so-called ‘digital obsolescence’ by updating the entire technological infrastructure of the project itself, as well as the individual digital contents, to guarantee their survival. Nowadays, web- based technologies have evolved, increased, and standardized to such an extent that a new approach is possible for digital libraries in terms of usability, visualization, and multi-platform replication of digital content.

How users meet infrastructure is a key practical, methodological challenge for digital library design. This article presents research conducted by the Social Science Team of the federally funded Digital Libraries Initiative (DLI) project at the University of Illinois. Data were collected from potential and actual users of the DLI testbed—containing the full text of journal articles—through focus groups, interviews and observations, usability testing, user registration and transaction logging, and user surveys. Basic results on nature and extent of testbed use are presented, followed by a discussion of three analytical foci relating to digital library use as a process of assemblage: document disaggregation and reaggregation; information convergence; and the manner in which users confront new genres and technical barriers in information systems. The article also highlights several important methodological and conceptual issues that frame research on social aspects of digital library use.

Co-authorship networks in the digital library research community

The proliferation of computer technology and digital image‐acquisition hardware has led to the widespread use of image data across a variety of applications including astronomy, art, natural resources, engineering design, military, business operation, medicine, education, etc. Major research activities in the digital image databases surged after the U.S. government's Digital Library Initiative (DLI) from 1994 to 1998. The DLI research team at the University of California at Berkeley developed a work‐centered digital information system that contains 450 digital text documents, 200 air photos, and over 11,000 ground photographs. The system allowed a user or a working group to access its own collections of varying data types, and to generate new materials to be added to the collection. The DLI project at the University of California (UC) at Santa Barbara focused on the development of digital databases that contain geographically referenced materials such as maps and aerial photos. The research team developed a number of tools for browsing and retrieving map images at multiple resolution. Two other major efforts in developing digital image databases were at The National Library of Medicine (NLM), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and at Time Warner. More recently, research scientists at the University of California at Berkeley and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco successfully launched on the Internet the largest art image database in the world, the Thinker ImageBase.Automatic image indexing and retrieving technology is fundamental in digital image databases. There are two general strategies in image retrieval, browsing and searching. Browsing is an information retrieval strategy in which a user navigates through an ordered arrangement of images by making selections from the progressive levels of a hierarchy into which the available images have been logically grouped. Image browsing relies on the user's cognitive abilities to recognize images of interest without having to formulate a specific query. Searching is an information retrieval strategy in which the user communicates with an information retrieval system by an interface that requires the user to input a search query.Images can be indexed and retrieved by text‐tag information and/or by image content. Conventionally, images are indexed using text‐tag information, such as title, key words, date of the work, artist, author, photographer, legend, captions, etc. Images are often subject to a wide range of interpretations, and textual descriptions can only begin to capture the richness and complexity of the semantic content of a visual image. In many applications, the complexity of the information embedded in image content such as types of objects, object attributes, and spatial relationship of objects, etc, cannot be synthesized in a few key words. It has been reported that users querying an image collection tend to be much more specific in their requests and information needs than when querying a text database. Furthermore, text indexing requires large human effort in creating the meta‐data that enables visual queries and is language dependent. Large databases containing thousands and millions of digital images that can occupy gigabytes of space are almost impossible for manual indexing and searching. The demand for systems using pictorial information combined with textual description in image retrieval is growing and automatic indexing and retrieval based on image content has become the most promising techniques for large image databases and digital image libraries. This article describes the techniques developed for content‐based retrieval.

Information seekers are generally on their own to discover and use a research library's growing array of digital collections, and coordination of these collections' development and maintenance is often not optimal. The frequent lack of a conscious design for how collections fit together is of equal concern because it means that research libraries are not making the most of the substantial investments they are making in digital initiatives. This paper proposes a framework for a research library's digital collections that offers integrated discovery and a set of best practices to underpin collection building, federated access, and sustainability. The framework's purpose is to give information seekers a powerful and easy way to search across existing and future collections and to retrieve integrated sets of results. The paper and its recommendations are based upon research undertaken by the author and a team of librarians and technologists at Cornell University Library. The team conducted structured interviews of forty-five library staff members involved in digital collection building at Cornell, studied an inventory of the library's more than fifty digital collections, and evaluated seven existing Open Archives Initiative (OAI) and federated search production or prototype systems. The author will discuss her team's research and the rationale for their recommendations to: present a cohesive view of the library's digital collections for both browsing and searching at the object level; take a programmatic (rather than project-based) approach to digital collection building; require that all new digital collections conform to library-developed and agreed-upon OAI best practices for data providers; and implement organizational structures to sustain the library's digital collections over the long term.

Information seekers are generally on their own to discover and use a research library's growing array of digital collections, and coordination of these collections' development and maintenance is often not optimal. The frequent lack of a conscious design for how collections fit together is of equal concern because it means that research libraries are not making the most of the substantial investments they are making in digital initiatives. This paper proposes a framework for a research library's digital collections that offers integrated discovery and a set of best practices to underpin collection building, federated access, and sustainability. The framework's purpose is to give information seekers a powerful and easy way to search across existing and future collections and to retrieve integrated sets of results. The paper and its recommendations are based upon research undertaken by the author and a team of librarians and technologists at Cornell University Library. The team conducted structured interviews of forty-five library staff members involved in digital collection building at Cornell, studied an inventory of the library's more than fifty digital collections, and evaluated seven existing Open Archives Initiative (OAI) and federated search production or prototype systems. The author will discuss her team's research and the rationale for their recommendations to: present a cohesive view of the library's digital collections for both browsing and searching at the object level; take a programmatic (rather than project-based) approach to digital collection building; require that all new digital collections conform to library-developed and agreed-upon OAI best practices for data providers; and implement organizational structures to sustain the library's digital collections over the long term.

Specialists working in the global information space, as organizers and participants in information processes, become witnesses to the problems that arise in this space. The user has difficulty making the right decisions, especially in the event of a conflict of interest in the information space. In some cases, a “conflict of interest” leaves the consumer with a choice. Such cases are more common on social networks. The consumer of information sometimes participates in this information space as a distributor of information. In some cases, the user becomes a disseminator of disinformation because the reliability of the information is “in doubt”. In some cases, disinformation is more interesting because of its attractiveness. We also see an increase in the number of “products of disinformation” in the global information space. The article discusses a project aimed at resolving conflicts of interest in the global information space. Conflict of interest is a widespread problem in the global information space. Between “information monopolists” and the state, between sellers and consumers, between sources of information and consumers of information, etc. As a result of systematic discussions, it can be assumed that new approaches to the problem of conflicts of interest may appear that can contribute to “accelerating progress.” In this regard, the idea that libraries are a reliable source of information, especially on global networks, is supported and encouraged. The purpose of the article is to analyze the features of a project aimed at solving the problem of conflict of interest, based on modeling within an integrated system and finding optimal solutions in the context of various corporate interests. This will exclude the manipulation of conflicts in the global network. The abundance and dynamics of information growth, the problem of the reliability of information products and attempts to manipulate the growing information products show that the problem of information reliability will remain relevant in the next 10–20 years. We believe that at present the project's orientation towards “library and information” sources in the field of information reliability may be the best choice in this direction, and this may partially solve the problem of data reliability.

Since the closure of libraries, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, further endeavors have been given to advance computerized libraries and their management as clearly visible and dynamic libraries. This study has been undertaken to determine students' use of digital library resources. This study has tried to determine the information in the graduate-level students and freshman students' awareness about library resources and services made available to them. Furthermore, their experience with the assets and innovation of digital libraries creates self-viability. As reflected by digital library initiatives, the method for computer-aided library study is set commencing from the top, even though with some conferences with a few, generally software engineering, bodies electorate. Advanced library practice is prospering because of the prodigious bearing of assets to improvement and activities.

The Internet has brought libraries to a crossroads. The nature of collection , service , and information organization is changing rapidly. There is considerable anxiety about changing roles and responsibilities in this new digital environment . While a great deal of research and development is occurring in both collection development (such as NSFs Digital Library Initiatives) and information organization (metadata), little attention has been paid to how reference and user services will function in this new digital environment. This article outlines some of the thinking in this area as it relates to K-12 digital reference services. These services answer thousands of questions every week and have addressed many issues involved in providing human-intermediated information and referral services via the Internet.

The purpose of this paper is to study the initiatives on digital collection and development in engineering college libraries in the Rayalaseema Region of Andhra Pradesh. Eighty-one engineering college libraries in Rayalaseema Region have been surveyed to assess the initiatives taken on digital collection and development. This paper highlights opinions of librarians on most preferred digital materials and various digital resources acquainted with their library. The digital library initiatives cover a variety of activities starting from the digital collection building, digitization, digital collection, maintenance, and digital preservation. It is found that 34.57% of libraries are in the process of building digital collections, which is an encouraging trend among Engineering Educational Institutions in Rayalaseema Region.

PurposeA significant amount of digital repository research and development activity is taking place worldwide, which calls for the investigation of issues identified as critical to the development, management and sustainability of these repositories. The purpose of this paper is to establish a comprehensive set of critical success factors (CSFs) that would enable successful digital libraries implementation.Design/methodology/approachThe design of this study is exploratory in nature due to lack of previous research about CSFs in digital library projects. The paper builds the research framework to find CSFs for digital libraries initiatives by collecting possible factors from literature on CSFs of information systems; and feedback from ten experts who have had experience in digital library research and development as well as implementation, through e‐mail interviews. Six dimensions in the enterprise architecture framework (namely motivation, resource, people, process, location and time) needed to create the environment in which digital delivery can be effective and sustained, are mapped with the CSF established from the literature.FindingsThe results revealed six dimensions of CSFs and 36 potential success factor statements contributed by the study participants. Based on these findings, this paper postulates that successful deployment of a digital library implementation may depend on this set of success factors. The identification of these factors has important implications on digital library development.Originality/valueThere has been no comprehensive study on the success factors of digital libraries in the library and information science context, as such, no investigation of the factors in some real‐life contexts of digital library activities. It may help digital library start‐ups to understand what sources and services they need to develop to make their applications successful in an already very populated network. Both researchers and practitioners in the field of digital libraries may value the novelty and results of this study.

Presentation of information resources of the Russian archives in global information networks is an actual task of the current stage of archives management development. This task is a part of the Program of archives management informatization in the Russian Federation. The report highlights results of a project on creating an information portal „Archives of Russia“. Infrastructure of the portal, its main aims, formation of information resources are considered in it. Basic methodical approaches to the portal’s structure, forms and methods of work on filling the resource and support it in a working order are also reflected in this report. The main purpose of the portal is to give users additional opportunities to get access to archives, finding aids, specific records and their collections based on modern information technologies. The author describes principal methods for enhanced interaction of archives and their users in the process of obtaining necessary new information, legal basis for such cooperation, fulfillment of social and legal, and case requests of users. Major forms of archival records’ usage: central fund catalogue, state register of unique records of the Russian Federation Archival fund, guides to the Russian archives, electronic inventories of federal archives, online - projects exhibitions, electronic library, services to users in electronic form are mentioned in the report. Portal „Archives of Russia“ gives an opportunity to provide direct access to 85 regional archival resources and allows for a possibility of its expansion and additions. The author also presents a related project for creation of a virtual reading room in federal archives. As a part of this project it is expected to provide online - user access to archival records, including possibility of copying them. These projects will greatly enlarge the abilities of users to archives’ access by using modern information technologies and enable greater participation of the Russian archives in the world information space.

<p>Research problem: The concept of ‘place’ has a clear presence in New Zealand’s digital heritage collections. However, some theorists suggest there is gap between place as a concept relevant to cultural heritage concerns and place as represented by digital technology. This research explores how geospatial and digital technology deployed in New Zealand’s digital collections engage with and conceptualise qualities usually associated with place: social bonds, emotional attachment and subjectivity. Methodology: This two-stage, mixed-methods study has a qualitative weighting. Web Content analysis (WebCA) gathered data from digital collections that demonstrate place inclusive features. An anonymous survey gathered opinions from practitioners who create place-inclusive digital collections. Descriptive statistics developed during quantitative analysis triangulated findings developed during thematic qualitative analysis. Results: New Zealand’s digital collections generate a sense-of-place using strategies that mimic subjective and experience-based understanding of the world. Some collections also engage with place in its ‘common-sense wrapper’ by using the deploying the place in a metadata context or as an overarching thematic structure. New Zealand’s cultural heritage practitioners are very practice-oriented in their consideration of place, and place-inclusive collections are most often impacted by resourcing issues. Implications: This project contributes to the growing ‘body of sustained critical thinking’ focusing on the implications of digital technology for cultural heritage concerns. It suggests place has considerable value and multiple functions within digital heritage collections. When conducting projects using geospatial technology, heritage practitioners can consider supplementing geospatial technology with user-contribution features, content variety, and an emphasis on storytelling to effectively reflect the subjective components of place.</p>

Although the quantity of sources of foreign and international law available on the World Wide Web is rapidly growing, users quickly discover that everything is not available, and the quality of much of what exists is suspect. Driven by its mission to collect, preserve and provide access to reliable legal information from around the world, the Law Library of Congress is developing the Global Legal Information Network (GLIN), a database containing statutes, regulations and related legal materials from countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. This article describes the history of this effort; the future plans for development; standards for quality, and the organizational structure of the GLIN network. The article concludes that although the creation of a comprehensive digital law library is a mammoth undertaking, the need for GLIN is obvious.