Application of Cloud Computing in Library Information Service Sector

Abstract

Cloud computing is a process that provides services on virtual machines. Through the Cloud the information can be stored permanently on the Cloud servers which can be accessed by the Internet. The main aim of Cloud computing is to bring scalability in the system, due to which CPU and memory will be fully utilized. It is up to a customer that one can increase or decrease the resources in the Cloud according to his need. Cloud computing provides a fascinating possibility for libraries that helps to increase data storage capacity, reliability, performance, and reduce technology cost. This chapter elaborates how libraries and information centers can enhance their resources infrastructure with minimum cost, make effective systems, and provide better services to the user community at minimum cost and time. The aim of this chapter is to explain how librarian, information and computer science professionals and knowledge workers apply Cloud computing in the libraries and information center management. Chapter begins with the Cloud computing introduction in the context of Libraries which is called Cloud libraries. How libraries are using Cloud services today and what can the Cloud computing solutions do for the libraries are presented in detail. The chapter describes the potential role of Cloud computing to serve library needs. At the end of the chapter some live examples, where Libraries are adopting Cloud Computing, like Dura Space, OCLC, Library Thing, Library Cloud and Seer Suite are discussed.