E-Library

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What is Electronic Library

Digital Library also known as E-Library, is a set of documents available through electronic means with digital technologies that allow the retrieval, archiving, preservation, and dissemination of those documents. It can be defined as, an ordered collection of heterogeneous electronic documents (including books) equipped with a navigation and search tool. It can be a website where various texts are gradually accumulated (more literary, but also any others up to computer programs) and media files, each of which is self-sufficient and at any time can be in demand by the reader. Electronic libraries can be universal, seeking the widest choice of material and more specialized, as a fundamental electronic. Digital Library Software is used in schools, colleges, institutions, and universities to make libraries digital and to keep information up-to-date. The demand for digital libraries is increasing day by day which makes this software popular.

Few concepts of the Electronic Library System

1. Paperless - Various kinds of data can be merged easily and a high level of retrieval and processing can be done.

The availability of new technology and its applications have made it possible for researchers, writers, readers, students, and faculty from various institutions to access all or any topic they wish to ponder upon.

2. Netting - It acts as a "world library" which crosses national borders regardless of the distances between actual electronic libraries.

The electronic libraries that appear in several places are linked to each other via a network and thus a huge virtual library is built.

3. Proactive – The ELS provides the latest functions.

The Electronic Library System or ELS provides the latest functions like allowing books to be displayed on the screen as if they were printed books. The system administers easy access to retrieving books and papers, allowing the user to navigate through various books at the same time, starting from where they left off. It also enables the user to refer to dictionaries and thesauruses simultaneously, attach notes and bookmark specific pages, translate original text, and text-to-speech mechanism.

4. Hypermedia - The user of the ELS can use data in different formats such as text, sound, graphics, and motion video.

The access and presence of multimedia data are more understandable than conventional books containing only text, diagrams, and tables.

5. Customizable - The ELS can be used to build an electronic library.

The ELS can be modified into various sizes depending on the hardware, software, and data resources available. It can be as large as a national library or as small as a personal library.

Reading support functions of the ELS

1. Multi-access

While reading a book on the screen, the user can open new windows and easily read multiple books at the same time.

2. Dictionaries

It not only consists translation of words but also the thesaurus, meaning. They can be used for retrieval, meaning-check, the vocabulary of unfamiliar words, finding ample and sparse words, synonyms, and references of books or papers, at the same time, that include the specific synonyms.

3. Notes and tags

A reader may sometimes take notes of a part of the book in a notebook with comments or bookmark specific pages in the book. The ELS enables the user to make these functions automatic. The user can bookmark a specific page or comment on a specific topic or page. The user can later navigate to such notes or tags.

4. Translation

The ELS can translate retrieved original text from any language to English, or vice versa.

5. Speech output

If the user is tired of reading, the user can listen to text-to-speech in any language. This method can be applied, for example, to retrieve a Japanese book, translate its text, and output the English text as audio (or vice versa).

The ELS has many other support functions to facilitate reading.          

What Are the Top Functions of the Digital Library Software

Digital Library Software is the collection of documents electronically organized in the library. They are the best libraries as they solve many Library Management Systems. This along with its management is collectively known as Electronic Library Management System or ELMS. Some of its functions are:

• Selection and Acquisition: includes the selection process of adding a document digitally.
• Organizing: systematic organization of data.
• Indexing and Storage: efficient data retrieval through indexing and storage
• Repository: the digital library front-end, used by the end-users to browse, search, retrieve, and view the contents of the digital library.
• Server: the computer that hosts the digital library collection, and presents the collection to the user in the form of a website home page.
• Network Connectivity: networking for the smooth functioning of the website.

Importance of an E-Library

1. Represents the institution’s mental strength.

2. Libraries contain resources that are developing digital lockers for such institutions and providing access to the internet.

3. Digital libraries are a standard sequence of electronic document sharing.

4. It also uses document management products or library management products.

5. It consists of digital materials and services.

6. It can store, process, and transfer digital materials through digital devices and networks.

7. They provide information services that are delivered digitally over computer networks.

There are many advantages of the E-Library

• Cost efficient
• Low maintenance
• Space saving
• Abundant data
• Flexible and up-to-date data
• No time constraint
• New technology and tools
• Easy to use
• Increased Ed-Tech
• Quality content
• Easy access
• Better preserved
• Simplified and automated LMS
• User-friendly for commoners and specially-abled

References

This article "E-Library" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:E-Library. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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