Cloud computing applications in library services of Bangladesh: a study on librarians’ perceptions
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IDD-08-2021-0095 |
| Published date | 08 July 2022 |
| Date | 08 July 2022 |
| Pages | 88-104 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Library & information services,Lending,Document delivery,Collection building & management,Stock revision,Consortia |
| Author | Md. Nazmul Islam,Md. Shariful Islam,Antora Anwar,Mohammed Khalid Alam |
Cloud computing applications in library
services of Bangladesh: a study on
librarians’perceptions
Md. Nazmul Islam and Md. Shariful Islam
Department of Information Science and Library Management, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Antora Anwar
Bangladesh (IUB) Library, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and
Mohammed Khalid Alam
Department of Information Science and Library Management, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to find out the current state of cloud-based library services in selected academic and special libraries of Bangladesh. The
study also explored some pertinent problems faced by librarians in implementing this new technology in library services and activities.
Design/methodology/approach –The study used a mixed-method approach with a range of exploratory research questions. Purposive sampling
technique was used to select the libraries. A set of structured questionnaires was designed to address the objectives of the study. For in-depth
analysis, short interviews with the library professionals were also conducted.
Findings –Only four libraries made use of cloud computing services, and they maintained a partial cloud environment. Most responding librarians
treated cloud computing as a dynamically scalable infrastructure for applications, data and file storage with charges imposed. Most of the
respondents (90%) preferred cloud computing for “Software-as-a-Service”. Due to the high subscription rate (70%), unreliable online payment
system (60%) and trading system (60%), librarians treated cloud computing as a burden in providing library services and activities. Respondent
librarians were also interviewed for exploring their views on cloud computing in library services. For adopting cloud computing in library services of
Bangladesh, “sufficient financial allocation”and “organizations’positive decision over cloud computing”were mentioned as challenging tasks by
the respondents. Finally, the study suggested some solutions to the problem and proposed a model for a cloud-based library system that can be
replicated in libraries and information centres of other developing countries too.
Originality/value –This paper encapsulates the overall scenario of cloud-based library activities and services in Bangladesh. Based on the available
secondary sources, no empirical study on librarians’perceptions of cloud computing in library services of Bangladesh has been carried out before this
study. Thus, this is perhaps the first attempt to quantitatively measure cloud-based services in Bangladeshi libraries.
Keywords Cloud computing (CC), Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS),
Data-as-a-Service (DaaS), Library services
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
In recent years, information and communication technology
(ICT) has become a topic of great interest in Bangladesh. Withthe
vision of “Digital Bangladesh”, the Government of Bangladesh
(GoB) has taken various initiatives to digitize the activities of
different sectors. Therefore, the GoB, with the help of China, is
planning to switch to “G-Cloud”(government-based cloud
technology for e-governance) to store electronic information
resources required by larger cross-sections of people. Wide ranging
activities are being undertaken in different sectors, such as e-
commerce, e-governance, networking, internet, Web browsing
and applications and multimedia services, which are expected to
bring significant changes in the ICT sector in Bangladesh (Kamal,
2014). In this situation, cloud computing will become a critical
concept for Digital Bangladesh. Cloud computing is also a recent
development in the area of ICT across the globe. It is a new
computing idea that came into spotlight in 2006 and is supposed
to be the “developmental outcome”of virtualization, network
storage and load balancing; and is also an advancement issue for
The current issue and full text archiveof this journal is available on Emerald
Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2398-6247.htm
Information Discovery and Delivery
51/1 (2023) 88–104
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2398-6247]
[DOI 10.1108/IDD-08-2021-0095]
The authors would like to express their gratitude to all the librarians for
completing the questionnaire and participating in the interview session.
The researchers also would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the
relevant libraries and information centres for giving permission of research.
In addition, the authors would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the
editorial board members, publishing authority and are also thankful to
anonymous reviewers whose valuable comments have improved the article.
Received 26 August 2021
Revised 14 December 2021
25 February 2022
8 April 2022
20 May 2022
Accepted 14 June 2022
88
parallel computing, utility computing, grid computing and
distributed computing. Cloud computing permits users to
influentially contribute through hardware, software and data
resources where the payment would be as per the client’suse.Cloud
computing denotes both application services through the internet,
the hardware and system software in the service centres that offer
those services (Armbrust et al.,2010). Although it means different
things to different people, in general, cloud computing ensures
flawless service through the internet without requiring much
hardware, software or customization process (Woodford, 2015). It
ensures remote services regarding information, software, storage
and computation. It reduces the extra use of technology, cost and
ownership but enhances the rapidity of ICT services for distant
users (Vouk, 2008). Cloud computing has established the
foundation for the application of other technologies as well. In
reality, cloud computing has paved the way for growth and
development of technologies like big data management, the Internet
of Things and advanced corporate analytics (Yao and Azma, 2021).
Cloud computing is now being used as an emerging
technology in the library and information sector. Modern
libraries and information centres use this technology in their
systems to boost productivity, efficiency and competitiveness
by speeding up the working process (Kumar, 2021). Cloud
storage is the library’s latesttechnology, where the end-user can
conveniently access the library at remote locations (Sinha,
2016). Cloud computing is a platform solution for handlingall
library systems, including circulation, cataloguing,
acquisitions, serials, wireless access points, digital tools,
internet connectivity, thin client architecture, system data
analytics and digital librarians (Cao, 2020;Jalamneh and
Khder, 2021). Libraries all over the world have started using
cloud computing to handle e-resource usage, hosting Web
applications, cataloguingonline public access, managing digital
libraries, hosting various statistical tools and data sets, etc.
(Sankar and Sarangapani, 2019). Sorensen and Glassman
(2011, as cited in Yuvaraj, 2015a) stated that cloud-based
applications offer libraries new ways to present information or
offer services that were previously unaffordable or unavailable.
As a service-oriented organization, the library and information
centres play their roles in procuring information, organizing it
and disseminating the right informationto the right users at the
right time. Therefore, it must adopt the cloud computing
technology as early as possible because most of the popular
software and hardware vendors, such as Microsoft, Google,
Wipro, Infosys and TCS have already entered into cloud
computing (Mangai et al., n.d.). Many library patrons have
already started using file-hosting-basedcloud products, such as
Google Drive (Google LLC), Dropbox (Dropbox, Inc.),
iCloud (Apple Inc.) and OneDrive (Microsoft) (Hoy, 2012,as
cited in Yuvaraj, 2015a).It is all about storingdata on the cloud
rather than on local systems like an external hard drive, a
compact disc and others (Shibambuand Marutha, 2022).
In India, LIBSYS (a prominent library management system)
has developed a shared cloud infrastructure called LSCloud,
which uses a pay-per-use basis. It allows the “LIBSYS”user to
manage the account (administrator and patron) and have access to
library resources from any location. LIBSYS also created
“LSEase”for a tiny library, which uses a cloud-based technique to
improve library operations (LIBSYS, n.d.;Sarkar and Shaw,
2021). The best example of cloud computing is Online Computer
Library Centre (OCLC), as it has been sharingd atafrom libraries
for many years. OCLC also provides several library activities and
services, such as acquisition, cataloguing and circulation. OCLC’s
“WorldCat”is available on the Web for accessing the catalogue.
Integration of cloud computing with digital libraries, open sources,
library websites and usage of Web 2.0 and social networks will
surely improve libraries for the next-generation. According to
Sarkar and Shaw (2021), OCLC uses WorldShare Management
Services (WMS), a cloud-based library administration platform
that provides an integrated approach for the proper management
of physical and electronic resources on a unified platform. WMS
unifies all collaborating libraries into the LIBROS consortium (a
university of New Mexico-based consortium), allowing for more
control over policies, functions and services.
Though cloud computing is becoming a critical component in
library modernization (Kumar, 2021), it is not very popular in the
context of Bangladeshi libraries. The notion of implementing
cloud computing in libraries has received little attention owing to
some serious problems like personal information stealing, abrupt
expiration, a lack of international regulation, an immature digital
culture, financial difficulties and minimal control over data,
applications, platforms and infrastructure. Furthermore, as of
now, there are only a few institutes that have a full cloud
environment in their libraries, which might se rve as a model for
others. To address this issue, the government and the libraries may
carry out a collaborative project entitled “model cloud library
environment”. This initiative will focus on creating a
comprehensive cloud computing environment in the libraries and
fostering collaboration among all the libraries, which will act as a
national consortium. The government should also create policies
for supporting this endeavour. As of today’s new normal situation
in the COVID-19 pandemic, it is really important to provide
complete online and interactive library services effectively to the
library patrons to achieve the mission and vision of the library.
2. Literature review
Cloud computing (CC), an advanced phase of ICT (Rahoo and
Khan, 2020), often known as “The cloud”(Romero, 2012), is
recognized as the fifth stage in the evolution of library technology
(Liu and Cai, 2013), gaining popularity not only in libraries but
also in other industries (Han, 2013). Hoy (2012) maintained that
the concept of cloud computing is the same as the age of
computer, yet the idea is still an ambiguous one (as cited in
Delozier, 2013).ItmeanseasyandquickaccesstoICTresources
from a greatly expandable platform via the internet without having
much ICT knowledge (Romero, 2012). Liu and Cai (2013)
described the concept of cloud computing simply as the utilization
of distant computing resources via the internet. The definition of
CC by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) is a working one: “a model for enabling ubiquitous,
convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of
configurable computing resources”(Mell and Grance, 2011). The
NIST identified five characteristics of cloud computing:
1 on-demand self-service, i.e. running without human
intervention;
2 broad network access, i.e. resources can be accessed from
a variety of devices via the internet;
3 resource pooling, i.e. shared resources across multiple
data centres;
Cloud computing applications
Md. Nazmul Islam et al.
Information Discovery and Delivery
Volume 51 · Number 1 · 2023 · 88–104
89
To continue reading
Request your trial