Design and Development of Digital Library: A ...

Design and Development of Digital Library: A Conceptual Framework for ATEC Central Library By

Ramesh Paloti Librarian Fr. Agnel Technical Education Complex, Vashi, Navi Mumbai – 400703 E-mail: [email protected]

& Appasaheb Naikal Asst. Librarian Mahindra-British Telecom Ltd. Andheri-East, Mumbai – 400072 E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract : The recent advances in information technology and exponential growth of data in digital form have created an intensive interest in techniques to assist the users in locating desired data. This paper explains how a digital library can be designed and implemented in an academic library especially in college libraries. It discusses the requirements like hardware, software, storage and retrieval technologies. It mainly emphasizes digitizing of collection of ATEC Central library, Mumbai. And how academicians and learning patrons can be benefited from DL.

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0. Opening Remarks Libraries and librarianship are undergoing rapid changes to cope with demands of fast changing information requirements of its users. Unless we have to cope with the situation librarianship will definitely become obsolete. Since there are limitations in the traditional librarianship we have to adopt new technology to provide better access to the collection. The advent of computers the advancement in telecommunications and storage devices and display technologies have opened up new possibilities in dealing with problems arising from collecting, organizing and disseminating a vast amount of information which is the result of information explosion. This has resulted in the digital extension of the academic and research libraries. Today’s Digital Libraries [DL] are built around information and web technologies with e-objects as their building blocks increasing popularity of information and developments in web technology a catalyst to the concept of Digital Library. 1. What is Digital Library? Digital Libraries are E-libraries in which large number of geographically distributed users can access the content of large and diverse depositories of e-objects. E-objects include networked text, images, maps, sound, videos, catalogues of merchandise and scientific, business, government data sets. They also include hyper text, hyper media and multimedia, composition [ Yerkey 1996] A Digital Library is not single entity  The DL requires technology to link the resources  The linkages between many Digital Libraries and information services are transferred to end user  Universal access to DL is a goal  DL collections are not limited to document surrogates, the extended to digital artifax that can’t be represented or distributed in printed formats [ The Association of Research Libraries, Waters 1998] 2. Advantages       

To have paperless collection Multi access System improvement and economy To have fast retrieval of information Increased accessibility Total digital system To save place by replacing the printed originals

 Preservation for future use

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3. About Fr. Agnel Technical Education Complex and Its Central Library About ATEC (Agnel Ashram)

This Agnel Ashram family movement origined way back in 1957 in Maharashtra, Mumbai. The humble beginning was in Bandstand, Bandra and over the years it has spread its wings and established institutions in Navi Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Delhi and Noida. Believing in the guiding principle that “Every student entrusted to us is a special gift of God to be lovingly looked after and cared for,” the Agnel Ashram schools, Polytechnics and Engineering colleges have set the highest standards of academic and overall excellence. It’s a matter of pride that some snags which had occurred in a small pant of the radar, which was used in the first Indian satellite, ARYABHATTA, were repaired & set rights in the workshop of Fr. Agnel Polytechnic, Bandra. Likewise, Fr. C. Rodrigues College of Engineering, situated on the sea front at Bandra, has over the years established itself as one of the leading Engineering Colleges affiliated to Mumbai University. At Vashi, Navi Mumbai, it started as a small school in 1982, has subsequently expanded and grown into a sprawling campus, housing the Agnel Technical Education Complex. Besides the schools (English and Marathi medium) and Jr. College, this complex houses the Agnel Polytechnic, Fr. C. Rodrigues Institute of Technology (Engineering College) and the new Fr. C Rodrigues Institute of Management Studies, which has started in the academic year 2000-2001. The Fr. C. Rodrigues Institute of Technology (F.C.R. I. T.) ever since it’s foundation, in just a short span of time, has established itself as one of the leading engineering colleges in Mumbai. This fact is well supported by its excellent results in the university examinations as well as by the extensive facilities provided by the college. This college has been awarded with as “A” Grade right in it’s first assessment on the part of government. Apart from the Mumbai institutions other institutions in Goa, Pune, Delhi and Noida are also providing quality technical education and training. About ATEC Central Library, Vashi The library being “the heart” of educational institutions, Fr. ATEC has its central library, which is one-stop-shop for knowledge and information, catering to the needs and requirements of all the users of Diploma, Degree, ITC and Management Studies rendered by the complex. The central library is considered as one of the first libraries to have computerized information handling and access system in Navi Mumbai. The Central library is located at center of main building so that users may have an easy and speedy access of library services. The library occupies an area of 750 sq. mtrs divided into two floors and which has been divided into various sections viz., acquisition section, processing section, circulation section, periodical section, reference section, multimedia section and reprography section.

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The central library remains open for its users from 8.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on working days for optimum utilization of the library resources. The library takes care of its users by providing various types of facilities and services with fully computerized system. The services like home lending of books and other reading materials, book bank books facility for diploma students etc. are being delivered by Circulation Section. The Reference Section provides reference service, referral service and other related services to its users. Being an open access system it allows users to go through the collection and access their relevant information. Apart from above services the library has number of other facilities viz., On Line Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), which gives access to library database to locate the various documents and its status, multimedia systems are provided for using CD-ROMs and floppies and photocopying facility is also provided to the users. 4. Need  To provide access to the wider base information resources  To facilitate linkages with various national and international information resources.  To integrate all Agnel Institutions.  To establish centralized resource depository center.  To generate new services.  To promote standards in the library operations.  To improve the efficiency of library operations.  To seek the solutions for common problems.

5. Purpose and Scope The purpose of DL is to facilitate access to e-information, print materials, and library services. To ensure that the information needs of user community are met regardless of their location. It enables a library to deliver valuable information that already exists within library walls electronically through the patrons outside these walls to create new digital resources locally and to integrate local digital resources with remote area . In nutshell the purpose of DL is to provide  Interaction with potential information users.  Interaction with potential resources and  Mediation between information resources and users to add value during the information transfer process

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An automated library is not necessarily DL, since a library consisting entirely of conventional physical material, such as only printed books may be very highly automated. This automation does not make it DL in the sense we are considering here. However it is true that a DL must be automated in some of its essential functions.

Scope of Digital Library

E N D U S E R S

Fr. ATEC

Vashi, APV

ITC

FCRIT

FCRIMS

Jr. College

1.School

2.School

Balbhuvan

Prdn. Center

Agenl Hostel

Scope of Digital Library

Bandra Pune Delhi Goa Noida

Fig.1 06 Proposed DL Location:

Librarian Stocks

Proposed DL Location

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7. Building Up of Digital Collection: The vital part of DL is converting its existing collection into digital form and make the same digital information available to user community. According to Rusbridge ( 1998), sources of DL can be divided into four categories viz., Legacy Resources: Which includes manuscripts, maps, slides, audio, video and other print media, which are major collection and widely used information resources of most libraries. Converting these existing resources into digitized form would be a big task for any digital library projects. After considering all the possibilities of digitization, scanning of the information resources is the only reasonable solution for converting print media (Legacy Documents). Scanned page images are the natural choice of large scale conversion for DL initiatives. Printed text, pictures, maps etc. can be transferred into computer readable formats by using an advanced digital scanner or a digital camera. Legacy resources of ATEC central library comprises of documents, bound volumes of periodicals, BIS-Codes, project and in plant training reports A-V materials and transparencies can be scanned and stored in the system. Transition Resources: These are either digitized images or the images that are converted into text by publisher which are accompanied with procured documents or other reading materials such as CD-ROMs and Floppies which are coming along with published or printed documents. In recent days most of the documents are being published in both print as well as electronic media. To develop such digitized information ATEC central library is procuring such kind of resources as a part of its collection development. New Digital Resources: New Digital resources are exclusively created as a digital information resources. These are designed with a particular use. With reference to this we at ATEC central library encouraging our students to submit their project reports, In plant training reports, class seminar papers, dissertations in both print as well as electronic formats. The existing collection of these materials can be converted into digital form by using scanners. Future Resources: These information resources are available in digitized form. These may be e-books, e-journals, or databases available in the form of CD-ROMs. It also includes in-house publications and digital collections available across the net. For developing and maintaining such digital resources ATEC central library is developing a portal, which gives links to useful archives and on-line tutorials or other information resources available in the internet.

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8. Key Components of Digitization Process: Digitization is the process of converting print media into digital images, which can be made available over network. The following tools are essential in the process of digitization Micro Computers with following configuration          

Intel Pentium IV with 1.7 GHz Intel D845 GEB V2 Mother Board 256 MB DDR (333) RAM 40 GB Samsung Polaris HDD 15” Color Monitor 1.44 MB Sony FDD 52X CD ROM Drive PS/2 Keyboard PS/2 Scroll Mouse 10 Mbps Ethernet

Scanners The scanners used for digitizing analog images come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are following types of scanners       

Digital Cameras Drum Scanners Flatbed Scanners Microfilm Scanners Sheet-Feed Scanners Slide Scanners Video Frame Grabber

The type of scanner selected for an imaging project would be influenced by the type, size and source of documents to be scanned. Many scanners can handle only transparent material, whereas others can handle reflective materials. Scanning Software The process of converting a paper document into a computer-processible digital image is done using software variably called document imaging system, electronic filing system or document management system, etc. A simple software also comes with the scanners. Important document imaging software are:

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           

Altris Software Data Scan Documentum Docs Open FileNet LAVA Systems LiveLink NovaManage OmniDocs OPTIX Parlance Ambassador Poweroffice

Data Storage: The most tenacious problem of a document image relates to its file size and therefore, to its storage. Every part image is saved regardless of present or absence of ink. The file size varies directly with scanning resolution, the size of the area being digitized and the style of graphic file format used to save the image. The scanned images, therefore, need to be transferred from the hard disc of scanning workstation to an external large capacity storage devices such as an optical disc, CD ROM / DVD ROM disc, snap servers, etc. while the smaller document imaging systems use offline media, which need to be reloaded when required, or fixed hard disc drives allocated for image storage, larger document management systems use auto-changes such as optical jukeboxes and tape library systems. The storage required by the scanned image varies and depends upon factors such as scanning resolution, page size, compression ration and page content. Further the image storage device may be either remote or local to the retrieval workstation depending upon the imaging systems and document management system used. Display and Retrieval Systems: Once scanned images and OCRed text documents have been saved as a file, a database is needed for selective retrieval of data contained in one or more fields within each record in the database. Typically, a document imaging system uses at least two files to store and retrieve documents. The first is a traditional file that has a text description of the image along with a key to the second file. The second file contains the document location. The users selects a record from the first-file using a search algorithm. Once the user selects a record, the application keys into the location index, finds the document and displays it. Most of the document management system provides elaborate search possibilities including use of Boolean and proximity operators ( and, or, not) and wild cards. Users are also allowed to refine their search strategy. Once the required images have been identified their associated document image can quickly be retrieved from the image storage device for display or printed output.

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9. Functioning of DL within the Campus: Fr. Agnel Technical Education Complex has 5 work stations consists of 40 nodes. Each workstation has Local Area Network. Besides these workstations each department has stand-alone system. The central library has also a LAN having 15 nodes connected to it. All the departments are interconnected through a LAN. Once ATEC Central Library portal starts functioning, the DL will be connected to it so that whole campus can avail of the digital information resources via LAN. With its effective functioning and efficiency the access to ATEC DL will be extended to the other branches of Fr. Agnel Ashrama Institutions, which are situated at various parts of the country.

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2. 3.

4.

5.

1. 6.

7.

1. Proposed DL 2. Computer Lab 1 3. Computer Lab 2 4. IT Lab 5. Computer Lab 3 6. Computer Lab 4 7. End Users

Fig.2 10. Copyright / IPR in Digital Environment.:

The material belongs to the organization affiliate or subsidiary of the organization or to a 3rd party. It may be in the public domain, belongs to a foreign organization subject to define copyright law or to an individual of course it may be mixture of the above Having a copy of a material does not necessarily constitute ownership in terms of Copyright laws. There is only one copyright owner even though many copies are made. This is true for computer copies, digitized or otherwise as well as physical copies also be aware that the right to redistribute material usually is not acquired when a copy of the material is brought. Many countries allow the material to be copied for research purposes by individuals [ fair use] however making copies for resale , re-distribute is usually a matter for a commercial contract between the organization and owner wishing to redistribute. Usually the owners will require the payment is made if all or part material is disseminated. It may even be that the owners require that the remain source for eventual

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distribution of the whole material object. This is the case for many publishers where they allow their journal articles to be catalogued and indexed in retrieval system. But the delivery of full text of an article must be done by the publisher.

Fair use The concept of fair use is recognized by many legal systems allowing users to make a certain number of copies of copyright material for the purpose of private study and the material should not be used for commercial purposes.

11. Closing Remarks: Most digital libraries were developed in the past by taking up projects based on specific disciplines and then developed into full-fledged digital libraries. The inter-networking communication links, low cost storage solutions, powerful desktops, workstations, servers and multimedia hardware and software technologies are now available for initiating the Digital Library projects in India. If we view DLs as high-end information systems, we can see that they will be built upon the wide range of exploration underway in the information and data management area. Information retrieval, hypertext, electronic publishing, distributed computing, AI, human-computer interaction, visualization, and other fields will have direct applicability. Vast content collections will become available, mostly as a result of capturing materials born digital, but also because of expanding digitization efforts. Preservation methods will improve, and cover more of mankind's record. We will move closer to the early visions of global information systems. If Fr. Agnel Ashram accepts and executes this proposal and set up a Digital Library and inter-connected all it’s branches at one node, it would be great help for all the academicians, scholars and all learning patrons of Agnel Ashram as well as others. Since Agnel ashram’s institutions are growing fast and recognized as one of the leading educational institution in Mumbai and other respective locations, there is a great need of coping up with latest technological changes and integrating all resources and putting them, under common gateway for the benefit of largest community. All locations and as well as for the management also it is going to be a great help and will be a central hub of knowledge.

References: 1. Abdul Azeez, T.A. How to Design Digital Library. SRELS Journal of Information Management. Vol.40, No.3, Sept. 2003.pp.267-273

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2. Deshpande, N.J. and Pange, B.M. Digitization: Vision and Task in DRTC Annual Seminar on Electronic Sources of Information, March 2000. 3. Madalli, Devika P. DRTC Digital Library of Seminar and Conference Proceedings: A Proposal Model.pp. 3 & 4 4. Noerr, Peter. The Digital Library Toolkit. Sun Microsystems Inc., California, 2000. pp. 8-12, 30-32. 5. Chapman, Stephen and Kenny Anne R. Digital Conversion Research Library Material. D-Lib Magazine, Oct., 1996. pp. 2-4 6. Krowne, Aaron. Building a Digital Library the Commons-Based Peer Production Way. D-Lib Magazine Vol. 9, No. 10, Oct. 2003 pp. 2-4 7. Gourley, Don. An Architecture for the evolving Digital Library. http:// www.educause.edu/:r/library/html/edu0122.html pp. 1-2 ( accessed on 10- 102003) 8. Parekh, Harsha and Sen, Bharat. Introduction to Digitization: A Librarian’s Guide. SHPT School of Library Science, Mumbai, 2001 pp. 1-8 9. Shivalingaih, D and Manjunath K. Digital Libraries in the Network Word. Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, 2002. pp. 42-45 10. Arora, Jagdish. Building Digital Libraries: Data Capture. Joint Workshop on Digital Libraries. United States Educational Foundation in India/DRTC/ISI/DLIS/University of Mysore, 12th – 16th March 2001. .

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