The Digital library plays an important role in promoting the use of information. Digital libraries give solutions to main challenges to traditional libraries such as storage. This paper discusses the concept of digital library and how it helps in conserving manuscripts and what type of equipments or software are required in this work. We want digital information in every field so that every library should be a digital library. It highlights the Necessity, Challenges and issues in creating digital library, there are certain issues which should be taken care like copyright and Intellectual Property Right. This article also explores successful digital library project set up in India and what is the future of digital library in Indian scenario.
Top2. Digital Library
The “Digital” word means that all knowledge is divided into two digits the binary string of 0s and 1s that make up the genetic code of data. Libraries store materials in electronic format and access the same format. The concept of digital libraries has appeared ‘libraries without wall’ (Dabas, 2008).
A definition of digital libraries is from Digital Library Federation (1999) “Digital Libraries are organizations that provide the resources, including the specialized staff to select, structure, offer intellectual access to interpret, distribute preserve the integrity of and ensure works so that they are readily and economically available for use by a defined community or set of communities.”
According to NSF/ARPA/NASA Digital library initiatives, (FY 1994) states, “Information sources accessed via the internet are ingredients of a digital library. Today, the network connects some information sources that are a mixture of publicly available (with or without change) information and private information shared by collaborators. They include reference volumes, books, journals, newspapers, national phone directories, sound and voice recordings, images, video clips, scientific data (raw data streams from instruments and processed information), and private information services such as stock market report and private newsletters. These information sources, when connected electronically through a network, represent important components of an emerging universally accessible, digital library.”
According to Duguid, Paul, (1997) “The concept of a digital library is not merely equivalent to a digitized collection with information management tools. It is rather an environment to bring together collections, services and people in support of the full life cycle of creation, dissemination, use and preservation of data, information and knowledge.”
According to Gladney, H.M., et.al (1994) “A digital library service is an assemblage of digital computing, storage and communications machinery together with the software needed to reproduce emulates and extend the services provided by conventional libraries based on paper and other material means of collecting, storing, cataloguing, finding and disseminating information.”