Thought for Food Blog

Libraries and Digital Content, Pt. 1

Many libraries around the world are championing the opportunities that 21st century innovations have made possible. Technology has become the means for libraries in all sectors – public, academic, corporate, specialist – to reach out to their community in ways that are inventive, unexpected, and information rich.

Libraries embracing change realise that they have a vital role to play in today’s interactive knowledge environment. Asking a question is now synonymous with ‘googling’ and ‘catching up with the news’ can happen in many formats via small and big devices.

Digital Technology | IFIS Publishing

It’s fair to say that print is no longer king, and content is everywhere on screens of many different sizes. By adapting and modifying their spaces, functions and services, many libraries are meeting the new challenges and needs of modern day users.

Libraries offering access to books, magazines, tapes, DVDs, newspapers, audio books is nothing new, as is the idea of a library as an information hub for the local community. However, with the increasing flexibility for information and content sharing that the internet provides, digital media has become a crucial element of truly connected 21st century libraries. They are now changing the way they interact with the community and are providing new ways to ‘document’ and record culture, society and history.

Libraries are becoming evermore exciting and intriguing places to visit – kitted out with anything from cafes, juice bars and coffee shops to fully loaded e-book readers – and providing 24/7 virtual opening hours.

The global popularity of the Internet and the access to information via web searches has led people to expect access to almost any kind of cultural material via a web browser. This is where digital content from libraries begins to really matter.

In the UK, The British Library is leading the way, ensuring that Britons have access to their information and content heritage now and in the future. The library’s digital collections are fascinating and contain British newspapers, manuscripts, sounds, and the Endangered Archives Programme to name but a few.

The UK Web Archive is also available containing websites that publish research, reflect the diversity of lives, interests and activities throughout the UK, and demonstrate Web innovation. This includes ‘grey literature’ sites: those that carry briefings, reports, policy statements, and other ephemeral but significant forms of information. The archive is free to view, accessed directly from the Web itself and, since archiving began in 2004, has collected thousands of websites.

The UK Web Archive is provided by The British Library in partnership with the National Library of Wales, JISC and The Wellcome Library. In the past, The National Archive and the National Library of Scotland have also been involved. The British Library also works with the The Live Art Development Agency, The Society of Friends Library, Women's Library at London Metropolitan University and other key institutions to build Special Collections within the UK Web Archive.

(Image Credit: B S K at www.freeimages.com)



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