TERI Integrated Digital Library Initiative
| Published date | 01 May 2006 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470610671213 |
| Pages | 366-379 |
| Date | 01 May 2006 |
| Author | Subrata Deb |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
TERI Integrated Digital Library
Initiative
Subrata Deb
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, India
Abstract
Purpose – The paper seeks to describe the setting up of the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Digital library, which provides better single window access for researchers to access the structured
information from their desktop. The aim of this paper is to share the experience gained and invite
comments and suggestions for further improvement.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes a case study of TERI’s Integrated Digital
Library resources and digitization in detail and how the digital resources can be accessed through a
single window. It also deals with basic problems and suggests practical solutions.
Findings – The paper finds that TERI Integrated Digital Library has been created to provide access
to all digital and digitized offline and online resources, online e-journals, electronic documents and
virtual resources, and virtual libraries. The purpose of the integrated library is to provide a single
window to researchers, through which they can access all the resources (both digitally born resources
and digitized documents). Once users are able to access the Digital Library homepage, all the electronic
resources are accessible using linkages with a single click, no matter whether they are available in a
database or as a simple file in a virtual collection. A physical digital library has been created to
address access to all the LAN connected systems that provide CD-ROM access and journals and books
downloaded or purchased for all time free access to in-house users.
Research limitations/implications – Integration has helped in saving researchers’ valuable time.
Library management has become easier and much more effective than was previously the case. Any
additions to existing resources are announced by e-mail for user access. Future plans are to make the
resources highly interoperable across platforms or applications, so that platforms should not be a
problem. Once a search is initiated, the search engine from the main search window should be able to
hand over the search to subsequent search windows for any given database (bibliographic and full
text). Once a search is handed over to the subordinate search engines, it should be able to retrieve the
items and display the retrieved items in the main window. Future libraries seem to have no escape
from the integrated digital library approach other than to an integrated digital collection that will
make all available resources accessible from a single window.
Originality/value – This paper could be useful for small and medium special and research libraries
who do not have enough funds to start with commercially available digital library software. This
paper shows the way to start using Open Source Software, which is easy to use and has been used by
the libraries with little effort.
Keywords Digital libraries,Integration, Electronic books,Electronic journals, Search engines
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction
Internet technology has helped to bring the world closer to form a global village where
everybody is a stakeholder. With a few clicks one can access all the resources available.
“Information” is the buzzword for all developed nations and the information-rich are
ruling the world. Everybody is trying to communicate or disseminate or learn
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
The author wishes to thank Dr R.K. Pachauri, Director General of TERI, for all the support
extended for publishing papers while the author was at TERI.
EL
24,3
366
The Electronic Library
Vol. 24 No. 3, 2006
pp. 366-379
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/02640470610671213
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