Invited Lecture on “Complementary nature of conventional and digital library in modern information dissemination system” on 22nd December at NIRJAFT, ICAR Kolkata Whether traditional libraries or digital library or a judicious combination of those two will stay in the years to come or not- it is not only difficult to answer but also paradoxical to our socio-economic and cultural priorities. But whatever form survives or whatever policy has made for their sustenance in the future it must be aimed at holistic societal progress and reflect the aspiration of the community they serve.

1. By 1984 Paper Libraries
Would Disappear, Except
at Museums
(Arthur Samuel, 1964)
We yet to have any…
Dr. Sabuj Kumar Chaudhuri, DLIS, University of Calcutta
Email- sabujkchaudhuri@gmail.com

2. Changing Face of Libraries: Human Memory to
Computer Memory
Human Memory
Manuscript
Printed Books
LIBRARY
eContent
eLIBRARY
Networked Access
DIGITAL LIBRARY
HYBRID LIBRARY
Interactivity
VIRTUAL LIBRARY

3. Evolution of Technologies

4. Alexandrian Principle & Conflict
“It is Librarian’s Duty to Increase
the Stock of His Library”
Library Should be->
“Bigger. And with Provision for
Further Expansion.”
Finally Farewell to Alexandrian
Principle...Search begun to Increase
the Stock of the Library without
Increasing the Physical Space

5. Information Explosion

6. Early Technodreamers
H. G. Wells (1936) World Brain

7. Contd...
Vannevar Bush (1945) Memex

8. J.C.R. Licklider (1960)

9. Digital Content or eContent
Born
Digital
Made
Digital

10. Benefits of eContent
eContent
Ease of
Reproduction

11. Why Digital Information Matters
• Access Is by Copying
• Cost-effective and Speed of Digital Reproduction
• Content Liberated from Medium
• It is plastic, easily searched , indexed, cross-indexed
and can be sent as packets through network

12. Development of Affordable Technologies
Digital Technology Web Technology

13. Evolution of eContent Storage

14. Evolution of Processor & Processing Speed
Moor’s Law : Computer Processing
Power Doubles in every 18 Months Computer Processor

15. Evolution of Network
PSTN to ISDN Wireless Generations

16. Natural Language Processing

17. Text Formatting and Scanning

18. Document Conversion & OCR

19. DL Standards & Controlled Vocabulary

20. Indexing & Database Technology

21. Search Technique & Information Retrieval

22. Digital Library-an Organized Collection of Digital Contents
• A focused collection of digital
objects including text, video, and
audio along with methods for
access and retrieval, and for
selection, organization, and
maintenance of the collection
(Prof. Ian H. Witten).
• Digital objects also include 3D
objects, simulations, dynamic
visualisations and virtual reality.

23. Benefits of Digital Library
• easy, fast, and convenient access
• effective storage and organization of massive amounts
contents
• greatly improved searching and browsing capabilities
• Interoperability enabling the cross-searching
• direct, instant delivery of information and data to multiple
users at the same time
• transformative improvements in support for R & D and
education globally
• significant cost savings over organization of contents

24. Mercury and CORE: early DL Projects

25. DL Architecture

26. Few Undeniable Facts
• Traditional or Conventional Library
is still existing
• Printed Book/Journals are still
there
• A2k (Access to Knowledge) is a
myth

27. Uncertainties and Skepticism
• Knowledge is caged
• Qualitative A2K is a distant dream
 Strong Copyright regime
 Strict enforcement by DRM (Digital Rights Management)
• Open Access movement has limited success
• Authenticity of Digital content
• Security of Digital content
• Lack of Universal Standard for interoperability
• Digital Preservation ???
• Technological Obsolescence ???
 File, formats & software
 Hardware & media

28. Ontogeny Recapitulates Phylogeny

29. Dilemma: Traditional or Digital or Both ?

30. Societal Determinants
• Many Threads Are
Intertwined: Technology, Law,
Economics, Psychology and
Sociology, socio-cultural
priority and Public Policy

31. Societal Determination for Accessing to Knowledge
Social Progress Aspiration