Digital Library Perspectives

Publisher:: Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Publication date:: 2021-02-01

ISBN:: 2059-5816

Issue Number

No. 41-1, January - January - January - December - December - December - October - October - October 2025

Latest documents

Editorial: “Redefining impact: digital libraries and their communities”
The impact of artificial intelligence on Sri Lanka libraries: an interview with Premila Gamage
Interweaving academic insights: advancing university knowledge management through a strategic data fabric framework
Purpose: Effective knowledge management in large academic institutions is crucial for fostering innovation and improving educational practices. However, these institutions often face challenges, such as data fragmentation, siloed information systems and the complexity of integrating different data sources from various departments with complex hierarchical structures. To address these problems, the authors proposed a data fabric strategic framework that improves and enhances knowledge management by leveraging ontologies and knowledge graphs. This study aims to investigate the potential of knowledge graphs, ontological knowledge modelling and knowledge representation to improve knowledge management in large academic institutions. It also describes how technology can enhance knowledge accessibility and exchanges and improve decision-making processes based on insights from complex educational systems. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses coordination theory as a foundational framework to analyse intricate data systems in preparation for constructing, the Wizard of Oz method to facilitate the systematic organisation and management of information and the execution of an ontology-based data fabric framework and knowledge graphs. The authors propose a data fabric strategic framework aimed at improving knowledge management by leveraging ontologies and knowledge graphs. Findings: The final evaluation demonstrates that this approach effectively breaks down data silos, promotes research collaboration and improves decision-making processes in large academic settings, offering solution-oriented data fabric technologies applicable to universities and university federations globally. Practical implications: The proposed system provides a more efficient way of managing and connecting fragmented academic resources, improving accessibility for both learners and educators. By interconnecting and streaming knowledge management process, the system can reduce not only operational costs but also expenses on doing scientific research. Originality/value: Academic institutions prioritise time efficiency when acquiring vital data for improved scientific results. This emphasis extends beyond data governance to focus on how collective intelligence might improve organisational performance. The academic community has enhanced data utilisation through the implementation of data fabric technologies to improve data accessibility and data line tracking.
Evaluating the progress and impact of Shodhganga: enhancements, challenges and future directions for India’s centralized ETD repository
Purpose: This paper critically evaluates Shodhganga, India’s centralized digital repository for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). It explores the repository’s impact, open access policy and the roles of participating universities and the implementing agency. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a comprehensive analysis of Shodhganga’s features, including advancements in its user interface, participation rates and infrastructure. It reviews the repository’s progress and contributions from various institutions and compares Shodhganga with prominent international ETD repositories. Findings: Significant enhancements have been observed in Shodhganga’s user interface and infrastructure. The repository has experienced increased contributions from universities, Centrally Funded Technical Institutes and Institutions of National Importance, with the highest number of theses submitted in 2023. Social science theses constitute a substantial portion of these submissions. Research limitations/implications: The research underscores the necessity for improvements in Shodhganga’s software and hardware infrastructure. It offers recommendations to address identified issues and suggests technological advancements to align with modern user needs and sustainable development goals. Originality/value: This paper provides unique insights into Shodhganga’s current challenges and offers actionable recommendations for future enhancements. It contributes to the understanding of digital repository management and its impact on academic research accessibility.
Research data management in institutional repositories: an architectural approach using data lakehouses
Purpose: This paper aims to address the pressing challenges in research data management within institutional repositories, focusing on the escalating volume, heterogeneity and multi-source nature of research data. The aim is to enhance the data services provided by institutional repositories and modernise their role in the research ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach: The authors analyse the evolution of data management architectures through literature review, emphasising the advantages of data lakehouses. Using the design science research methodology, the authors develop an end-to-end data lakehouse architecture tailored to the needs of institutional repositories. This design is refined through interviews with data management professionals, institutional repository administrators and researchers. Findings: The authors present a comprehensive framework for data lakehouse architecture, comprising five fundamental layers: data collection, data storage, data processing, data management and data services. Each layer articulates the implementation steps, delineates the dependencies between them and identifies potential obstacles with corresponding mitigation strategies. Practical implications: The proposed data lakehouse architecture provides a practical and scalable solution for institutional repositories to manage research data. It offers a range of benefits, including enhanced data management capabilities, expanded data services, improved researcher experience and a modernised institutional repository ecosystem. The paper also identifies and addresses potential implementation obstacles and provides valuable guidance for institutions embarking on the adoption of this architecture. The implementation in a university library showcases how the architecture enhances data sharing among researchers and empowers institutional repository administrators with comprehensive oversight and control of the university’s research data landscape. Originality/value: This paper enriches the theoretical knowledge and provides a comprehensive research framework and paradigm for scholars in research data management. It details a pioneering application of the data lakehouse architecture in an academic setting, highlighting its practical benefits and adaptability to meet the specific needs of institutional repositories.
Librarians and paraprofessionals’ digital literacy competencies and digital programs of public libraries in Western Visayas, Philippines
Purpose: This study aims to examine the digital literacy (DL) competencies among librarians and paraprofessionals of public libraries in Western Visayas, Philippines. It also investigated the digital programs implemented, the factors enabling or deterring these programs, DL practices and the availed and needed continuing DL skills development. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted the proposed competence areas and competencies for the Digital Literacy Global Framework. A mixed method was used. A total of 10 librarians and 32 paraprofessionals coming from 16 public libraries in the region were surveyed. A follow-up interview was conducted with the five public libraries’ head librarians and library-in-charge. Findings: Results showed that librarians demonstrated relatively higher levels of DL competencies in all seven areas than paraprofessionals. Librarians and paraprofessionals rated the digital content creation competencies the lowest among the seven areas. Financial constraints, slow internet connection, limited library technology spaces, lack of training and seminars, insufficient digital resources, inadequate librarian and staff and multiple library roles were expressed as limiting factors in implementing digital programs in public libraries. Partnership training is the only DL skills development program availed by the librarians and paraprofessionals. They expressed the need to have library automation and digital content creation workshops. Originality/value: The study attempts to measure the DL skills of librarians and paraprofessionals of public libraries in Western Visayas, Philippines. Capacity building for librarians and paraprofessionals should focus on the items rated very poor to average.
Analysis of content, services, and resources available and accessible on websites of academic libraries
Purpose: This study aims to review the content of academic libraries’ websites with specific reference to the general information, services, information resources, features and functionalities, instructional tools to support teaching, learning and research for the patrons and users, and the visibility or activeness of the navigational tools on the websites. Design/methodology/approach: The study focused on six categories of tertiary institutions: public universities, technical universities, chartered private universities, university colleges, colleges of education and nursing and midwifery schools. From each category, the researchers purposively selected five different institutions with library websites. Thus, 30 library websites were reviewed and analyzed for this study. Findings: The review disclosed a generally low content and information on the websites in terms of the availability of information resources and collections; the types of services available at the libraries via the websites; the features and functionalities of the websites; the instructional tools to support teaching, learning and research for the patrons and users; and the visibility or activeness of the navigational tools on the websites. Despite this, the public universities displayed more and above average information, services, information resources, instructional tools and navigational tools on their library websites, followed by the technical universities, chartered private universities and university colleges. Conversely, the colleges of education and nursing and midwifery schools were to a large extent unable to provide information relating to electronic resources, instructional tools and navigational tools. Research limitations/implications: The study was limited to 30 library websites from all six categories of tertiary institutions in Ghana. From the study, the management of the universities and the libraries must appreciate the significant role of websites in providing information and resources in support of teaching, research and learning at the institutions. In this regard, they need to provide the necessary support and resources for the effective deployment and operationalization of websites. Originality/value: To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first of its kind as no study seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the content of academic libraries’ websites with specific reference to the general information, services, information resources, features, functionalities, instructional tools to support teaching, learning and research for the patrons and users, and the visibility or activeness of the navigational tools on the websites.
Metadata harvesting for digital library integration in Ukraine: a comparative study of the OAI-PMH protocol and VuFind’s efficacy
Purpose: This paper aims to the problem of building an environment to support scientific research in connection with the development of Open Science in Ukraine. Design/methodology/approach: An overview of modern portals for aggregating scientific data was conducted. Analysis of available tools and identifying problems that arise when collecting data from digital libraries and journals was conducted. The validity of choosing VuFind as a tool that allows building an extraction–transformation–loading (ETL) approach for data aggregation and bringing the format and values of metadata fields to one view was experimentally verified. Findings: During the experimental verification, problems related to the fact that the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) protocol does not have strict requirements for the data structure, which lead to the complexity of integration, despite the fact that this protocol occupied a leading position, were noted. To simplify these problems, an ETL approach that allowed for the use of ontological methods (e.g. data mapping, linked data and dictionaries to improve the semantics of data for integration processes) was considered. A review of the possibilities of modern tools for OAI-PMH integration, which were actively supported and developed, was conducted. Originality/value: This paper was an attempt to outline the problems that arose in integrating resources, with the aim of developing future integration protocols that would have simple means of semantic data validation and built-in ETL mechanism.
Editorial: “Community centered digital libraries”
The potential use of immersive virtual environments for collecting and archiving heritage gameplay activities in digital libraries
Purpose: This paper aims to discuss and propose the potential use of immersive virtual environments (IVEs) for archiving and collecting heritage gameplay activities in digital libraries, which is expected to triangulate further discussions on the said knowledge scopes. Design/methodology/approach: The key question of this paper is, how we can preserve and revitalize fading heritage game activities in digital libraries? To answer this, the paper is going to understand the applications of IVEs in heritage studies; the use of telepresence experiences in IVEs for activity-based collection; the creation of virtual and telepresence experiences in digital libraries; and a proposed use of IVEs for archiving heritage gameplay activities. Findings: The applications of IVEs and/or other virtual technologies have certainly been gaining positive feedback about their ability to provide vivid images of artefacts and art pieces; perform a high level of interactivity between the exhibits and visitors; enhance visitors’ sense of immersion that evoke their memories of heritage issues; facilitate visitors’ learning process in libraries; increase enjoyment in digital libraries. As mentioned in the previous section, the activity-based historical collection, for instance, the heritage gameplay activities, can be preserved and archived vividly using IVEs. Research limitations/implications: This paper is explorative, there is no empirical result for generalization. Originality/value: This paper aims to provide librarians with valuable insight to apply IVEs for archiving and collecting heritage gameplay activities. Setting up a new type of digital library is affected greatly by the openness of librarians, visitors’ expectations and a whole lot of things that are happening around the technological world and digital culture. This paper addresses the applications of IVEs in heritage studies, the importance of creating virtual and telepresence experiences for library visits as well as proposing the use of IVEs for archiving heritage gameplay activities.