Digital libraries have several advantages over traditional libraries: 1. They allow for easier acquisition and selection of resources as digital content can be acquired more quickly and inexpensively. 2. Maintenance and organization of digital collections is simpler than print materials as there is less risk of damage, loss, or misplacement of resources. 3. Accessibility is greatly improved as users can access digital library resources remotely from any internet-connected device at any time, while traditional libraries have physical access limitations.

1. SEMESTER-I
DL02 - Foundations of Digital Libraries
ASSIGNMENT – B2
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES OVER
TRADITIONAL LIBRARIES? DISCUSS
By Shweta Ravindra Bhavsar
Roll No - (2019PGDLIM020)
(2019-2020)
Centre for Library and Information Management Studies
Sir Dorabji Tata Memorial Library
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

2. TABLE OF CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 3
2. DEFINITION ............................................................................................................................................ 4
3. ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES OVER TRADITIONAL LIBRARIES.......................... 4
3.1 Acquisition and Selection of Resources ..................................................................................... 4
3.2 Maintenance and infrastructure..................................................................................................... 4
3.3 Accessibility........................................................................................................................................ 5
3.4 Services................................................................................................................................................ 5
3.5 Preservation and conservation...................................................................................................... 6
3.6 Policy and copyrights....................................................................................................................... 7
3.7 Staff development.............................................................................................................................. 7
3.8 e-learning ............................................................................................................................................. 7
3.9 User’s perspective............................................................................................................................. 8
4.0 CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................... 8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................ 9

3. 1. What are the advantages of digital libraries over traditional libraries? Discuss.
2. What are the challenges and concerns for digital library in the context of research
and academic perspectives? Explain
1. What are the advantages of digital libraries over traditional libraries? Discuss.
Answer
1. INTRODUCTION
The library and information science community treat digital libraries as “logical
extension and augmentation of physical libraries in the electronic information society”
(Marchionini, 1998). ICT revolution has changed the concept of information sharing from
last five decades. The current technology offers many tools, easy and convenient user-
centric services and inexpensive access to high speed internet services which is resulted
into evolution of traditional libraries in digital libraries. In the age of information society,
digital libraries have become integral part to store and access electronic information.
Digital libraries are nothing but the software systems which contains digital collection.
Nowadays traditional libraries are moving towards digitization of resources to make
resources available to user community. For digitization many initiatives are taken by
government and private bodies. Digital libraries give access to both digitized(print) as
well as born-digital information. Digital libraries are maintaining the resources by using
different software like DSpace, Fedora, Eprints, Greenstone, etc.
Various traditional and digital library resources

4. 2. DEFINITION
Digital Library
About digital technology, (Oppenheim and Smithson,1999) define digital library as “an
information service in which all the information resources are available in computer
processible form and functions of acquisitions, storage, preservation, retrieval, access and
display are carried out through the use of digital technologies”.
Traditional Library
(Kaur, 2015) “Traditional Libraries gives emphasis on storage and preservation of physical
items, particularly books and periodicals those in which librarian were a custodian of the
library. Information is physically assembled in one place; users must travel to the library to
learn what is there and make use of it”.
3. ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES OVER TRADITIONAL
LIBRARIES
3.1 Acquisition and Selection of Resources
The emergence of ICT and globalization has positively influenced the acquiring of digital
resources and forming digital libraries rather than acquiring print resources in libraries.
Digital libraries helping to acquire updated and current information sources in the
library, unlike traditional libraries where resources used to come to the library after few
days of publishing. Digital libraries also get the more discount through consortium
subscription. Collection development in digital libraries is easier and faster in digital
libraries than traditional libraries. Digital libraries encouraging publishers to publish more
e-resources and also provide different subscription choices like only online, print + online
which gives librarian option to acquire resources without stressing on budget. Also digital
library acquires digitized resources.
3.2 Maintenance and infrastructure
To keep a proper track and maintenance of the physical collection of the library, after a
particular time library has to do “stock verification process” and rectification for easy
retrieval of resources. Because the chances of book lost, damaged, misplaced are high in
traditional library. In digital library organization of digital objects is required only once
because there is less or no chance of misplacing, damaging and loss of resources. Also,
digital libraries do not need to look after for the maintenance of day to day physical
facilities. Digital libraries are easier to organize and reorganize than traditional libraries.

5. (Sun & Yuan, 2012) In theory, collection maintenance cost of digital libraries is less than
traditional libraries. Required physical storage space for digital content is less
comparatively physical collection.
3.3 Accessibility
User can access digital library resources from anywhere in the world, users do not need
to visit the library physically. In comparison with tradition library where users need to go to
the library physically for accessing the physical resources available in the library. Also, user
can access the e-resources around the clock. Unlike traditional libraries, where users need
to follow the library timings which restrict the use of resources. In digital libraries multiple
users can access single resource at one time which is not possible in traditional libraries.
The resources of digital libraries are easily accessible on any device in other words
portable than traditional library’s resources.
3.4 Services
Clearly digital libraries are superior than traditional libraries at dissemination, sharing,
linking, storing of information. Digital libraries provide access to the multimedia resources
on single platform which is not possible in traditional library. Digital libraries provide more
personalized and retrospective services. Searching and retrieving of information in digital
library is easy, fast and convenient than traditional library mostly because of
ANSI/NISO standard Z39.50 and other web services. Remote access to e-resources is
possible because of Proxy services. Digital libraries give access to open access as well
as commercial electronic collection. Digital libraries provide access to much richer
content in more structured manner.
Also, simple and advanced search features like Boolean operators, natural language
queries help to retrieve the information more accurately. Digital libraries services are easier
to add. The most important digital library service is WebOPAC which allows users to get
rich information. WebOPAC not only gives information about physical and online resources
available in the library but also provide many services like suggesting books, circulation
Status, membership status, provide hyperlinks to the e-resources. Whereas card
catalogue in traditional libraries provide only basic bibliographic information about the
available resources in the library.
Traditional reference services were restricted to telephonic, post and face-to-face
interview. Now in digital library, synchronous and asynchronous communication like

6. Chat, discussion boards e-mail, FAQs, Ask-a-Librarian, video call, and many web-based
services helping librarians to easily providing reference services to the users and
connecting the more users to the library. Manual bibliographic services in traditional
libraries are time-consuming and tedious to search and only used to provide abstract and
indexing of the resources. but availability of online abstract and citation databases
directing users to full-text documents. Digital libraries can provide CAS and SDI services
more efficiently to the users than in traditional libraries. Electronic document delivery
service provides instant access to the needed information. Where, in traditional libraries
physical copy of the documents needed to send to the user which is time consuming. Digital
library promotes scholar communication. Also, subject gateways, Institutional repositories,
digital archives ETD facilitate user to get up-to-date and easy access to research material.
Digital library added the value to the services and give single click access to the e-resources
and also linked to the other similar resources. Evaluation of information is become
easier because of digital library services.
3.5 Preservation and conservation
Preservation and conservation of resources is important for future use. The deterioration of
physical library materials is possible because of biological, environmental, chemical and
mechanical factors. But e-resources hardly affect by any of these factors. While
reproducing the duplicate copies of physical material, it may get damage and can degrade
the quality but one can produce exact copy of original e-resource without damaging and
degrading the quality. In digital library, preservation durability of e-resources is high than
physical resources. Also, it is possible for e-resources to preserve and conserve in original
format but in physical materials sometimes need to change original format of material while
conserving and preserving. Digital libraries preserve digitized heritage of information.
Digital library’s data is stored on cloud computing and can restore lost data easily and
within less time. Where in traditional libraries preservation of physical material is time
consuming process. Many repositories which helps to preserve e-resources safely
because of that digital libraries provide one click access to very old e-archives also but in
case of traditional libraries getting access to the very old archives is little difficult.
Preservation of e-resource is affordable than physical materials. Digital libraries save the
conservation of e-resources.

7. 3.6 Policy and copyrights
Digital libraries are encouraging creators to publish more e-resources under the creative
commence licences in open access databases as well as in commercial databases.
Because of open access publishing, author can reach out to the wider users which was not
possible in physically publishing materials. The commercial e-resources in digital libraries is
secured by ID and Password or else using IP address. Availability of plagiarism check
software helps to protect copyright in digital era. Earlier, in print resources it was little difficult
to check the plagiarism. Even the digitized material is secure because for digitizing the
material library make policy and granted permission to the author.
3.7 Staff development
Role of librarian is changing with digital libraries. Earlier librarian was known as book
keeper/custodian of the library but now the role has been changed to knowledge manager,
information advisor. Digital libraries helping knowledge managers to keep themselves
upgraded and not limiting themselves to any particular area. Knowledge managers are
getting more opportunities to explore and develop them than one in traditional libraries.
Digital libraries helping them to acquire new skills. Mainly readily availability of information
on internet helping librarians to fulfil users need within no time. Definitely knowledge
mangers have more knowledge, skills and resources, tools and techniques than
traditional librarians.
3.8 e-learning
Earlier in traditional library environment, teaching was mostly restricted to classroom method
and only few teaching techniques and resources were available to teach students. The
digital library promotes formal and informal education environment. Due to the digital
libraries Open and distance learning is possible. Also, availability of e-resources
encouraging students for self-learning and allows teachers taking more interactive lectures
using e-resources and services. Multimedia formats of the digital resources encouraging
normal as well as disabled persons to study and grow. Also, allows students to choose
learning material and study at their own pace. They can relearn the concepts in which they
have doubt.

8. 3.9 User’s perspective
Users are the prime focus of libraries. Libraries are changing from traditional document-
oriented environment to electronic environment. Expectations of users are also changing
and they become more dependent upon e-resources. Due to many digital library services
users mostly prefer digital libraries over traditional libraries. Users are finding ease to
accessing the digital library collection than traditional library materials.
Apart from all the advantages there are some flaws of digital libraries. Traditional
publishers, librarians losing their jobs. Constant power supplies and internet facility is
required of smooth functioning. Also, expertise in technical knowledge is necessary for
digital librarian.
Digitization in Engineering College Libraries a Case Study on SITS, Central Library,
Khammam is focusing on the impact of technology and how technology is influencing
libraries and make them rise to the expectations of the users. (Reddy & Kumari, 2011). The
purpose of the digitization is to ensure protection of information enduring value for access
by present and future generation. The library uses VOLKS software package supports all in-
house operations. VOLKS-OPAC is providing access to bibliographic records of books. SITS
e-library providing access to DELNET consortium in which e-journal, e-books are available.
Provide access to NPTEL education platform offers online courses. Weblog is a library portal
providing access to e-resources. Study concluded that Implementation of digitization
programme in library help users use its services in any place as per their choice within no
time. Because of advance services the users are increasing day by day.
4.0 CONCLUSION
Globalization and ICT revolution increased the availability of e-resources and that
changed the role of library from traditional library to digital library. The shift from traditional
library to digital library is required to satisfy the changing need of Information and knowledge
society. Digital libraries are helping librarians to fulfil the demands and challenges which are
emerged due to the technological revolution. Over traditional libraries, digital libraries are
providing the required information to the user community at right time, right place and adding
values to the services more accurately. It is very clear that use of digital libraries is expected
to increase in future and digital libraries are boon in this information and knowledge society.

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