In the form of four foundational sections, this 13-chapter volume aims to present a critical analysis of digital libraries (DLs) in such a way as to assist faculty and practising librarians, present case studies displaying innovation and creative use of technology in libraries in the US and elsewhere, bring to the attention of scholars and practitioners some of the global perspectives on DLs represented in these practical case studies, and synthesize current approaches to the evaluation of DLs, from both user- and system-oriented approaches.
The three chapters in Section 1 concern the infrastructure and metadata in the context of DLs dealing with copious information resources. Section 2 (four chapters) begins with A Case Study of the Open University Malaysia, which views the DL from a services perspective and emphasizes issues and challenges of integrating DL services in blended learning environments. The remaining chapters report various experiences concerning how DLs can facilitate the identification and analysis of relevant information, how audio description for digital image collections can broaden the accessibility of such collections, and how digitizing a paleontology fossil collection can contribute to the preservation and accessibility of natural sciences heritage.
The three chapters in Section 3 discuss evaluation as one of the main pillars of information systems, especially DLs. The evaluation or performance appraisal of DLs is here examined in terms of evaluation constructs and criteria (Chapter 8), evaluation methods in DLs with a particular focus on cultural heritage collections (Chapter 9), and evaluating the usability of DLs based on an eight-phase Cognitive Task Analysis approach. Section 4 (three chapters), focusing on the social construction of DL technology, shows how DLs can cover a wider audience of individuals, communities and societies.
The clear structure of this book, which helps it serve both as textbook and guidebook, can be regarded as a good pattern for other authors and publishers. Through reporting several international cases, the volume presents a sound addition to DL theory, research and practice. Reading this collection, which takes a multidimensional approach to DLs, will provide us with useful insights for the world of practice and novel horizons for developing research topics. It is recommended for policy makers, IT managers, librarians, knowledge workers, academics and researchers.
