The modern knowledge economy has transformed library and information organizations to adopt and embrace digital social media platforms. Proliferation and growth of social media and social networking technologies continue to play pivotal roles in establishment and operation of digital library and information systems in organizations. The purpose of the chapter is to examine the extent to which information professionals and practitioners understand the impact of social media and social networking technologies on digital library and information systems. The author also analyzes how information professionals manage and promote the adherence to copyright and intellectual property laws in digital library contexts. This chapter specifically discusses the rationale for social media and social networking in digital library and information systems; emerging social media platforms and their applications; legal aspects of social media, copyright and intellectual property protection, and risk management; as well as professional ethics and guidance on social media.
TopIntroduction
Evolution and revolution of digital information systems has influenced modern information organizations and professionals. New Internet platforms such as social media and social networking sites have become fundamental tools that enhance interpersonal communication. Social media and social networking technologies are powerful business tools used to provide, manage and support information and knowledge in digital libraries. An analysis of the modern technological trends in digital libraries reveal a greater adoption and use of different types of social media and social networking systems that also need copyright and intellectual property protection. Digital libraries provide different types of social media and social networking technologies that manage data, information and knowledge in organizations. Information and knowledge management in digital libraries depend upon social media synergies that connect staff, clients and supplies. The predominant goal of digital library systems is to develop and facilitate access to new information and knowledge. Information professionals and practitioners need to understand and appreciate the fundamental benefits of social media and social networking technologies in digital libraries.
Social media and social networking technologies are widely applied in the political, social and economic aspects of human life. Business, industrial and information organizations in equal measure utilize social media platforms for regular operations and the delivery of services. Fundamental aspects of analysis and discussion include modern social media and social networking technologies plus management of copyright and intellectual property protection in digital libraries. This chapter examines modern social media technologies and copyright protection laws applied in digital libraries. Objectives of the chapter are to:
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Understand the significance of social media and social networking technologies in digital libraries;
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Examine emerging social media technologies and their applications in digital libraries;
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Examine social media platform optimization strategies in relation to digital library and information systems;
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Explore legal requirements governing use of social media technologies in digital libraries;
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Evaluate copyright and intellectual property protection practices and strategies in digital libraries.
TopBackground
Historically, the development of digital libraries began in the first decade of the 21st Century with many varied names and concepts used to describe the entities such as virtual library, electronic library and library without walls. The digital library is the collection, organization, preservation and management of information services and objects (Mishra, 2016). Similarly, a digital library may be considered as a potentially virtual organization that comprehensively collects, manages and preserves for the long length of time rich digital content, and offers it to its targeted user communities (Candela et al., 2011). Digital library encompasses professionals from different fields such as data science, information sciences, information systems, human computer interaction and digital curation. Digital libraries are organizations that provide and manage electronic information and knowledge. Simply means modern digital libraries or computerization of traditional libraries.
Digital libraries provide endless access and unlimited opportunities to information and knowledge. In the digital library environment, social computing and technological systems are used to manage and support information resources such as electronic books and journals (e-books and e-journals), bibliographic databases, websites, reference and citation management tools as well as digital theses and dissertations. The digital library is a geopolitical organization (borderless and boundary-less) with highly advanced technologies, hyper-connectivity and Internet-based platforms that provide diverse information services and resources. This is the library that applies technological systems and solutions to provide electronic information products and services beyond the physical borders and boundaries of the institution and organization. The digital library (also known as electronic or virtual library) is the multifunctional enterprise information system that provides and manages information products and services.