Digital Futures : Strategies for the Information Age

Description

Libraries have been traditionally associated with managing physical resources, however with the rise of the Internet and the rapid expansion of electronic communication media, information gathering, storage and transmission have presented fresh challenges to those responsible for preserving the cultural memory of society. This book examines the strategic issues involved in realizing a digital future for libraries in the information age. It looks at how librarians and information professionals can locate the electronic resources most relevant to the needs of their users, integrate these resources into the infrastructure of their institutions, manage the necessary technology and anticipate future trends in the digital age. Topics covered include: the effect of information and communications in the digital world upon libraries and information organizations the role of the library and the librarian in the digital age economic factors, cultural resource management, technology impact, and knowledge management in the digital library environment preservation of material culture through digitization and preservation of digital objects case studies demonstrating the digital information impact upon national, academic, public and transnational organizations worldwide. Readership: An indispensable guide for all information professionals - including librarians, library and information managers and archivists - wanting to keep abreast of developments in communications technologies, manage change in the library environment, and implement new modes and methods of resource management. It will also be of interest to students on library and information studies courses.