Speakers reflect on benefits of digital libraries at National workshop

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IMPHAL, March 11: The inaugural function of the four day National Workshop on an awareness program on digital library was held today at the Manipur University Library.

The function was attended by Vice Chancellor, Manipur University Prof HNK Sharma;  Dr P Ramachandran of National Library, Kolkata; Dr NK Bar Director of the  Central Secretariat Library, New Delhi  and BK Mondal of the National Library, Kolkata as the chief guest, president and the guests of honour, respectively.

Addressing the function, Prof HNK Sharma said, “Digital Library is the best option for the students” and said that it can be availed 24 hours in a day. The VC continued that with the digital library, students get access to any book from anywhere through the internet.

He however added that even if such digital library is introduced in the state, the students would not be able to enjoy its benefits to the hilt owing to the bad power supply in the state.

Expressing the need of proper power supply before the implementation of such projects in the state, he further appealed to all concerned for proper power supply.

He continued that since the state has some financial difficulties, implementation of such system will face difficulties.

Dr NK Bar in his lecture on the system during the program said, “Digital Libraries are organized collections of digital information. They combine the structuring and gathering of information, which libraries and archives have always done with the digital representation which has been made possible by computers”.

He further reasoned that the two most obvious benefits of digitization are improved access and preservation of documents.

“It can be used by many users from different places simultaneously at any point of time and because of that, libraries don’t have to purchase several copies of the same material which saves money”, he said.

Further continuing on the benefits of the system, he said, “Unlike printed and analog libraries collection such as papers, photographs, paintings, audio-visual materials; digitized collections are not damaged by extensive and frequent usage and it helps to prevent documents generation after generation”.

It is also a great help for distant learners and those who do not have opportunity to come to the library physically and use the resources, he said.

He also elaborated on the objectives of digital libraries and said it is to capture, store, organize and distribute information; to provide coherent views of all information with a library in any format; to promote economical and efficient delivery of information to all parts of society and to contribute to the lifelong learning opportunities to the general masses.

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