7,774 research outputs found
Libraries and Museums in the Flat World: Are They Becoming Virtual Destinations?
In his recent book, “TheWorld is Flat”, Thomas L. Friedman reviews the impact of networks on globalization. The emergence of the Internet, web browsers, computer applications talking to each other through the Internet, and the open source software, among others, made the world flatter and created an opportunity for individuals to collaborate and compete globally. Friedman predicts that “connecting all the knowledge centers on the planet together into a single global network…could usher in an amazing era of prosperity and innovation”. Networking also is changing the ways by which libraries and museums provide access to information sources and services. In the flat world, libraries and museums are no longer a physical “place” only: they are becoming “virtual destinations”. This paper discusses the implications of this transformation for the digitization and preservation of, and access to, cultural heritage resources
Striking a Balance Between Physical and Digital Resources
In various configurations—be they academic, archival, county, juvenile, monastic, national, personal, public, reference, or research, the library has been a fixture in human affairs for a long time. Digital — meaning, content or communication that is delivered through the internet, is 20 years old (but younger in parts). Basically, both approaches to organizing serve to structure information for access. However, digital is multiplying very fast and libraries all-round contemplate an existential crisis; the more hopeful librarians fret about physical and digital space.
Yet, the crux of the matter is not about physical vs. digital: without doubt, the digital space of content or communication transmogrifies all walks of life and cannot be wished away; but, the physical space of libraries is time-tested, extremely valuable, and can surely offer more than currently meets the eye. Except for entirely virtual libraries, the symbiotic relationship between the physical and the digital is innately powerful: for superior outcomes, it must be recognized, nurtured, and leveraged; striking a balance between physical and digital resources can be accomplished. This paper examines the subject of delivering digital from macro, meso, and micro perspectives: it looks into complexity theory, digital strategy, and digitization
Albanian libraries in a changing society
This paper provides an overview of the Albanian library network
within the changing context of the past twenty-two years. The first
part traces the development of the library system in Albania by giving
a brief review of library legislation and library science education
and professional training. The second part provides background
information about the implementation of new technologies that
facilitated free access to information throughout the country. The
paper highlights the leadership role of the National Library of Albania
(NLA), which functions as the professional body that oversees all
libraries in the country, and its leading role nationwide. The NLA’s
engagement in various digitization projects that ensure access to
the Albanian national cultural heritage and treasures makes it an
important contributor to international projects as well.published or submitted for publicatio
Recommended from our members
Web 2.0: Redefining and Extending the Academic Library Service Imperative
No embarg
Information Outlook, October 2006
Volume 10, Issue 10https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_io_2006/1009/thumbnail.jp
DeWitt Wallace Library Biennial Report 2011-2013
Summary of library activities for 2011-201
Recommended from our members
Update on the Fishes of Texas Project
Poster presentation presented at the 2017 Texas Academy of Sciences annual meeting in Belton, Texas on March 4, 2017.The Fishes of Texas project (www.fishesoftexas.org), originating in 2006, remains the most reliable (quality
controlled) and data rich site for acquiring occurrence data for Texas fishes, holding over 124,000 records from
42 institutions. Among many discoveries, the project is responsible for detecting at least 3 freshwater species
not previously known from the state. We continue making improvements, but substantial updates so far have
been onerous for our developers for various reasons. A recent major update reduces coding redundancies,
points the website to a new massively restructured and more fully normalized PostgreSQL database (was
MySQL), and places the code in a versioning environment. These changes have little immediate effect on user
experience, but will greatly accelerate development. PostgreSQL allows for complex spatial queries which will
allow users to quickly map occurrence data alongside many more political/environmental layers than currently
possible. While our database/web designers have been implementing these changes and fixing bugs etc.,
we’ve been preparing resources for them to integrate into the website. Some highlights to expect: 1 new
updates to the state Species of Greatest Concern list; 2 expert opinion-determined nativity spatial layers for
all freshwater fishes displaying in our new mapping system; 3 dynamic statistical summaries; 4 new data types
from the literature (>14,900 records), citizen science (>4,300), anglers (>37,000), and agency databases
(>1,000,000); 5 new museum records, many derived from our gap sampling (~19,000, 4 museums); 6 more
specimen examinations (>400) and photographs (1000); 7 document archive with “smart” text search tools
(currently in beta testing using TPWD fisheries reports). So be patient and keep your eyes open for updates.University of Texas at Austin, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of the Interior,Integrative Biolog
- …