Digital libraries in China: progress and prospects
| Published date | 10 April 2009 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470910947656 |
| Date | 10 April 2009 |
| Pages | 308-318 |
| Author | Leye Yao,Ping Zhao |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Digital libraries in China:
progress and prospects
Leye Yao and Ping Zhao
Sichuan University Library, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of Chinese digital library (DL) projects via
the corresponding web sites, It also seeks to illustrate the current situation of DLs in China by offering
insights into the digitization of resources, technologies and services.
Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was designed on the basis of the definition and
features of digital libraries, together with the relevant library homepages and services. Overall, ten
comprehensive universities and their library web sites, five public libraries and one science library
were selected for comparison and analysis focusing on the content set-up, digital resources, navigation
systems, mainstream modes, home-grown databases construction, user instruction training programs
etc. Other issues including the virtual reference, service (VRS), academic information resource portal
and integrated searching system or platform, personalized service, logon and authentication are also
discussed.
Findings – All the selected libraries are operational digital libraries or prototypes. The electronic or
digital resources are made up of two parts and the mainstream modes are service-oriented. Most have
their own library information portals and provided integrated searching. However, there are some
defects in term unification on some home pages, unified retrieval platform selection among various
databases, and navigation system construction.
Practical implications – This paper presents a perspective of how DLs in China have been
developing in the past few years. It also indicates the existing problems and difficulties and suggests
the practical ways to optimize the application, standards, laws and rules, personal information
environment, logon and authentication based on encryption. In addition, Open Access resources’
utilization, conflict between copyright protection and resources sharing, and user interface
customizing are addressed.
Originality/value – This paper describes the general status of Chinese digital library construction.
It provides relevance for researchers and the public in China as well as other countries on the DL
construction experiences, efforts and achievements. It also highlights the importance and value of
sharing experience in DL construction.
Keywords Digital libraries,User interfaces, Resource management, China
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Resulting from the automation and networking of a library, the main goal of a digital
library (DL) is to advance the methods used to collect, store, organize, and use
widely-distributed knowledge resources that contain diverse types of information and
content stored in a variety of electronic forms. The technology of DL includes digitized
resources finding, processing, sorting, storage, transmission and management. DL
means numerous medium resource groups of distribution, super large-scale and easy
conversion and thus people can get information services which cannot be restricted by
time or regions via the internet (Li, 2002). In a narrow sense, DL is a specific
organization, which uses modern information, computer and network technology to
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
EL
27,2
308
Received 15 July 2008
Revised 30 November 2008
Accepted 5 December 2008
The Electronic Library
Vol. 27 No. 2, 2009
pp. 308-318
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/02640470910947656
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