About Digital Information, Libraries and Librarians.
It’s a coincidence that I’m also taking the “Digital Libraries” course this semester which complements “Technologies for Information Management” course, thereby enriching my understanding of how libraries and librarians’ roles are affected in this digital information age. Together with two other course-mates, we’ve had the opportunity and adventure of doing a project building a digital library using DSpace, an open-source software for digital repositories which is customizable to suit any organization’s needs (DSpace). We’ve had the option to use either Greenstone or DSpace but opted for DSpace instead because of the purpose of digital collection. Below are two screenshots of the said project:
Libraries and Librarians can have various options in selecting the software to use for digital libraries and at the same time ensuring correct submission and findable items. Although the software is free, it requires technical skills and expertise to customize the software.
About Library Automation, ILS and Open Source ILS
Now that I’m aware of the various ILS products available and the steps required in selecting a suitable ILS for the library, whether proprietary or free software, this will indeed help me in making proposals for a better ILS in the event that my library would want a change of system used.
Open Source Social Software Applications and Open Access
Libraries and the information society are adopting open source and open access. Social software such as blogs, facebook, twitter, YouTube and delicious, just to name a few are becoming the trend. Libraries have to move with the society or community they serve. People are communicating through facebook, blogs, twitter, delicious, etc. and so libraries and librarians’ roles must evolve with the society. Social software and open access resources can be exploited for the advantage of libraries and librarians and to their users as well. I shall be exploring and exploiting them for the benefit of the library and the community, and I'm excited of the advantages they would bring.
Reference:
DSpace. http://www.dspace.org/introducing (accessed April 17, 2011).
