There are many definitions of a "digital library." Terms such as
"electronic library" and "virtual library" are often used synonymously.
The elements that have been identified as common to these definitions[1] are:
- The digital library is not a single entity;
- The digital library requires technology to link the resources of many;
- The linkages between the many digital libraries and information
services are transparent to the end users;
- Universal access to digital libraries and information services is a
goal;
- Digital library collections are not limited to document surrogates:
they extend to digital artifacts that cannot be represented or
distributed in printed formats.
Purposes
The purposes of a North American digital library system[2] are:
- to expedite the systematic development of: the means to collect,
store, and organize information and knowledge in digital form; and of
digital library collections in North America;
- to promote the economical and efficient delivery of information to
all sectors of North American society;
- to encourage co-operative efforts which leverage the considerable
investment in North American research resources, computing and
communications network;
- to strengthen communication and collaboration between and among the
research, business, government, and educational communities;
- to take an international leadership role in the generation and
dissemination of knowledge in areas of strategic importance to North America;
- to contribute to the lifelong learning opportunities of all North Americans.
[1] See: Drabenstott, Karen M. Analytical review of the
library of the future, Washington, DC: Council Library Resources, 1994.
[2] Adapted from The CAN-LINKED Initiative, a proposal
for the co-ordinated development of a distributed national digital library
system in Canada, prepared by a group of academic and research
libraries. February, 1995.
