CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
The design and implementation
of digital libraries in our educational institutions will ease accessibility
and reduce the physical contact library users make with library resources when
sourcing information.
The world has
become global village, due to the emergence of the internet, which have
impacted on virtually all spheres of human endeavor ranging from banking,
medicine, law, engineering Okeke,(1999).Digital library has the capacity to
take over the traditional libraries.
The Oxford English
dictionary (eight edition) defines library as the building in which collection of
books, tapes, newspaper, etc are kept for user consultation (uni. press, 2015). Similarly,
Webster’s twentieth century dictionary also defines a library as; a room or
private institution in charge of the care and circulation of such a collection;
and a collection of books especially a large systematically arranged collection
for reading, studying and referencing Websiterter,(2015)
Ugwanyi ,(1997)
states that a library is “a collection of written printed or other graphic
materials including films, slides, phonographic records and tapes housed organized
and interpreted to meet broad and varying needs of people for information
knowledge recreation and aesthetic enjoyment”.
Library is a place
meant for acquisition of knowledge through the reading of textbooks, journals
magazines and other resources materials within a time frame. This makes library
an important aspect of life, especially for those in the academics such as students,
lectures, and information seek in general.
However in recent
times, the need has risen for libraries to go online; by this many libraries
management have found it imperative for their resources to be made available to
the entire world through web-based system.
Digital Library System (DLS) extends and integrate approaches adopted in
traditional libraries as well as in distributed information systems, to yield
high-end information systems, services and institutions. In the course of this research, parts or components
of digital libraries are discussed and
utilized.
1.1 Theoretical Background
Since the emergence of the internet,
information acquisition /sharing all over the world have become relatively easy.
Libraries can be accessed from any part of the globe via the internet, books
and other materials download in real time.
A web based library
is also known as digital library or electronic library. It is a library in
which collections or book resources are stored in a digital format as could be
printed, downloaded, and accessible by computer via the internet network
(Greenstein et al, 2002). A digital library
can also be seen as a potentially virtual organization that comprehensively collects,
manages, and preserves for the long depth of time rich digital content, and
offers to its targeted user communities specialized functionality on that
content of defined quality and according to comprehensive codified policies
Canadela. et al, (2011). Web based
library is a remarkable concept in that no matter the location of registered
individuals, books can be accessed or read online. The books in the context of
web based library system refer to e-book (electronic books) that exists in
format such as document (doc), portable document format (Pdf) etc.
Information is arguably
the most valuable resource in the World, hence it is important to make it
available when needed. The internet has facilitated the sharing of information
all over the globe, thereby enhancing accessing and sharing of library collections
or resources.
The terms digital
library and electronic library are used interchangeably and synonymously. The
term “virtual library” or library without wall usually refer to the meta
resource subject portals that extends virtual accessibility of digital
collection from several diverse sources without the user even knowing where the
resource actually resides. A virtual library would potentially be enormous,
linking, huge collection from all around the globe, or it could be very small
consisting of few hundred links to digital resources maintained by an
individual. However digital library has a web-enabled computerized catalogue
which is accessible through the internet and must of the in house services
acquisition, book processing and circulation are computerized .A digital
library has a strong presence in the internet with a home page for the library
providing an integrated access interface not only to digital collection
available locally but also to be other commercial and non-commercial web-based
digitalized collection across the world.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
The present state
of our learning library does not support our modern state of learning due to its
lack of support for multiple users at a particular time, time inefficiency and
need for physical presence by user.
1.3 Aims and
Objectives of the study
The specific aim of
this research work is to design and implement a digital library system with the
following features:
(i)
To create a user friendly
interface system for the library users to enhance their efficiency in the use
of the library.
(ii)
To create variety of
access services for searching, browsing and discovering resources.
(iii)
To organize library
resources by indexing, cataloging, and use of finding aids (search aids).
(iv)
To eliminate loaning and
acquisition of the library resources through the use of digital l
(v)
Reduce the cost of
maintaining a traditional library.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The
work, when completed will be mostly beneficial to the library users who wish to
access the library resources from distant places. It will be beneficial to the
librarians as it enhances the management of the library resources. It will create awareness on the need of web
based library system to those who still adopt manual method of sharing library
resources. It will serve as a guide to the members of public who may want to
research further in this area.
Furthermore, research work will provide
security for library resources through the development of a comprehensive
database that will be used to house the library resources. The system will also eliminate some of the
routine manual work prevalent in a traditional library.
1.5
Scope of the Study
The
scope of this research work is to create a digital library System that will have
the following features of an e-library system.
Information indexing/cataloguing,
Classification
of library resource,
Searching
and retrieval (downloading),
Registration
of books/uploading of digital resources,
Registration
of users,
Database
management,
1.6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This research work does not
incorporate audio files. It also does not have a provision for online payment
for library resources.
1.7
Organization of the Research
The work is arranged in five chapters,
chapter one introduces the work, states the theoretical background, statement
of the problems, define the aim and objectives of the study, significance of
the study, scope of the study’ limitation of the study, and organization of the
research. Chapter two gives the review of related literature. Chapter three
shows the analysis and design of the system while chapter four is on the
development and implementation of the system developed. Chapter provides summary,
conclusion, and recommendations of the entire research work.
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