Challenges, Opportunities and Challenges, Opportunities and Use of Digital Libraries in Use of Digital Libraries in

Higher Education and Higher Education and Research in BangladeshResearch in Bangladesh

Presented by:Md. Mostafizur Rahman,

Ph.D. University Librarian

North South University

11stst MEETBdREN SUMMIT 2015 MEETBdREN SUMMIT 201515-16 March 201515-16 March 2015

Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate BhabanNabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate BhabanUniversity of Dhaka, Bangladesh University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

What is a Digital Library What is a Digital Library (DL) ?(DL) ?DL.org, DELOS, DL Researchers,

Practitioners & Software Developer produced a Digital Library Reference Model which defines a digital library as :

“A potentially virtual organization, that comprehensively collects, manages and preserves for the long depth of time rich digital content, and offers to its targeted user communities specialized functionality on that content, of defined quality and according to comprehensive codified policies.“ (Candela et.al, 2011, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_library)

Google showed 191,000 results (0.34 seconds) on search term “Definition of Digital Library” 

Strategy of Developing Digital Library in Strategy of Developing Digital Library in a countrya countryTwo strategies are needed to develop DL in the country:

1. To digitize local contents, and2.To devise options for accessing external resources

1. Digitizing Local Content: Types of Digital Resources are-

a. Born digital: Content that is created in a digital format,b. Digitizing: Information that has been converted from physical medium, e.g. paper, film, rare sources etc.

2. Accessing external resource/content: a. Subscription (access to external content)

b. Free or Open Access (Local and external content)c. Agreement/Exchange (Local and external content)

Historical Background of DL in Historical Background of DL in BangladeshBangladesh

1. 1. Digitizing Local ContentDigitizing Local ContentA. Customized Software:2002: National Library and Archives

digitized the District Records Collected from 1760-1900 onto 1000 DVDs.

2003: North South University (NSU) Library has been developing e-journals, e-books afterward e-theses, news-clippings full-text online Digital Repositories by using customized software in MySQL and PHP platform, developed by NSU Library personnel & Students of NSU.

Journal Articles Online Database (DL) Journal Articles Online Database (DL) of NSUof NSU

1. 1. Digitizing Local Content Digitizing Local Content

A. Customized Software:A. Customized Software:2008: Daffodil International University (DIU)

developed Digital Repositories by procured software Bright Soft (Malaysia).

2014: Bangladesh Central Public Library created online Digital Repositories of 1169 books by using customized software.

2015: Bangladesh Secretariat Central Library is developing Digital Repositories of its all Govt. Circulars, Gazettes, Reports, etc. (3 lac pages) by using customized software.

B Open Source SoftwareB Open Source Software

2005: ICDDR,B Library developed IR by Dspace2007: BRAC University (BRACU) & Bangabandhu

Shaikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Library developed Institutional Repositories (IR) by Dspace

2010: East West University (EWU) Library developed IR by Greenstone

2010-2014: Shahjalal University of Science & Technology (SUST) Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET) , Bangladesh University of Professional (BUP), Eastern University, (EU), Patuakhali Science & Technology University (PSTU) etc. developed IR by Dspace or Greenstone.

2. Accessing External 2. Accessing External ContentContent (Subscription/Open Access)(Subscription/Open Access)

2002: For the first time, NSU subscribed JSTOR, IEEE, ACM & 39 titles of other online Journals and BRAC University subscribed JSTOR in Bangladesh. (In that time, some publishers/aggregators were marketing their online journals offering free access, e.g. Ingenta, OUP, Informa etc.)

2003: IUB subscribed JSTOR, after that other libraries started subscription to online journals in the country.

Digital Library (DL) Education in Digital Library (DL) Education in BangladeshBangladesh

2004: North South University (NSU) Library offered “Certificate Course in Digital and Online Librarianship” and 150 library professionals & others completed this course till today,

2011: Dept. of Information Science & Library Management, University of Rajshahi introduced “Digital Library” course in Masters level,

2012: Dept. of Information Science & Library Management, University of Dhaka introduced “Digital Library System” course in Masters level.

Workshop/ Training on DL in Workshop/ Training on DL in BangladeshBangladesh

2004: NSU Library organized workshop on “Role of online resources in higher education & research”, after that many institutions and organizations organized training & workshop on DL , e.g. Bangladesh Associations of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID), BRACU, EWU, DIU, ICDDRB, Library Association of Bangladesh etc.

HEQEP Projects on Automation & HEQEP Projects on Automation & Digitization of Libraries in Digitization of Libraries in Bangladesh: 2010-2015Bangladesh: 2010-201510 (Ten) projects on Library Automation

and Digitization have been implemented/ implementing in Bangladesh.

1st Round: Four projects: 1. NSU Library, 2. KUET Library, 3. SUST Library & 4, BSMMU Library

2nd Round: Two projects: 1. BUET Library and 2, CVASU Library

3rd Round: Four projects,: 1. DU Library, 2. SAU Library, 3. RU Library and 4. BAU Library

Challenges of Digital Library (DL) in Challenges of Digital Library (DL) in BangladeshBangladesh

Lack of Leadership (both in Individual & Professional Association)

Lack of knowledge of decision makers about the benefits of DL

Lack of skill manpower to develop DLLack of fund to develop DLSelection/customization of DL softwareLack of infrastructureLow speed of Internet Inadequate training facilities on DLAppraisal of digital contentLegal aspects e.g. copyrights and licensing Insufficient budgets and skills manpower to

sustain DL

Opportunities of Digital LibraryOpportunities of Digital Library1. No physical boundary2. Round the clock availability3. Multiple access4. A better-structured approach5. Excellent facilities for information

retrieval6. Easier preservation and conservation7. Economy of space required8. Access facilities for other DL (networking)9. Less cost (initial cost relatively expensive)10.Easily accessible and save time11.Lastly, Added value

Level of Satisfaction and Level of Satisfaction and Expectation of Teachers & Expectation of Teachers & Students on Digital Resources Students on Digital Resources Available in Some Public & Available in Some Public & Private Universities in Dhaka Private Universities in Dhaka CityCity

Period of Survey: 9-11 March 2015

SURVEY RESULT

Method of User SurveyMethod of User SurveyMethod: Structured QuestionnaireSample Size: 3 Public and 2 Private

Universities in Dhaka CityNumber of Questionnaire Distributed: 175

(NSU: 75, DU: 30, BUET: 25, IUB: 25, SAU: 20)

Number of Questionnaire Received: 129(NSU: 50, DU: 30, BUET: 16, IUB: 17, SAU: 16)

Number of Digital Resources in SurveyE-Journal Databases : 43E-Book Databases: 12

N.B: North South University (NSU), Dhaka University (DU), Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET), Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University (SAU)

Respondents of Survey Questionnaire

Total Population: 129 (3 Public & 2 Private Universities)

1. Teacher: 17.06 % Student: 82.94%

2. Male: 59.68 % Female: 40.31%

3. Age Group: 0-25 Y: 54.26% 26-35 Y: 31.78%36-45 Y: 10.85% Above 45 Y: 3.10%

4. Qualification: HSC: 60.46% Graduate: 23.25% Masters:9.30% Ph.D./M.Phil:

7.07%

1Q. Are you familiar with internet resources? Yes: 98.44% No: 1.55%

2Q. Did you use online digital resources?

Yes: 96.12% No: 3.87%

3Q. How often use of online books?Frequently: 51.93% Seldom: 22.48%Rarely : 10.87% Never: 14.72%

4Q. How often use of online journals?Frequently: 27.20% Seldom: 27.90%Rarely : 15.50% Never: 19.37%

5Q. Purpose of Using Online 5Q. Purpose of Using Online ResourcesResources

Purposes of Using Online Digital Resources

(Total Population: 129)

No of Responde

nts

Rank

Prepare Assignment 71 (55%) 1st

Up-to-date yourself 65 (50%) 2nd

Writing research proposals, reports, articles etc.

62 (48%) 3rd

Internal or External Presentation

55 (42.6%) 4th

Primary research 50 (38.7%) 5th

Consulting, advising others 20 (15.5%) 6th

Teaching 16 (12.4%) 7th

Any other (please specify) 7 (5.4%) 8th

(Note: Low rank of using teaching purpose maybe because of 17% population was teachers only)

6Q. Problem of Using Online 6Q. Problem of Using Online ResourcesResources

Problems of Using Online Digital Resources

(Total Population: 129)

No of Responde

nts

Rank

Slow Internet speed 59 (45.7%) 1st

Number of computer is insufficient in the library

42 (32.6%) 2nd

Link does not work properly 36 (27.9%) 3rd

Do not have remote access facilities

16 (12.4%) 4th

Do not know how to browse and download resources

13 (10%) 5th

Any other (please specify) 7 (5.4%) 6th

7Q. Rank of Using Online 7Q. Rank of Using Online JournalsJournals

(Total Database : 43, Total population: 129)(Total Database : 43, Total population: 129)Name of Journal Database

No. of Responden

ts

Rank Name of Journal Database No. of Responde

nts

Rank

1. JSTOR 34 (26.3%)

1st 12. OARE 11 10th

2. Oxford Journals 33 (25.5%)

2nd 13. American Inst. of Physics

11 10th

3. Cambridge Journals

20 (15.5%)

3rd 14. Emerald 10 11th

4. IEEE 20 (15.5%)

3rd 15. Royal Society Journals

10 11th

5. Wiley Online Library

18 (13.9%)

4th 16. ASAB Engineering

8 12th

6. HINARI 16 (12.4%)

5th 17. APS Journals 8 12th

7. AGORA 15 (10.6%)

6th 18. Chochrane Library

6 13th

8. Taylor & Francis 15 (10.6%)

6th 19. EBSCO 6 13th

9. Annual Review 14 (10.4%)

7th 20. Nature Pub. Group

6 13th

10. ACM Digital Lib.

13 (10%) 8th 21.OSA Journals 6 13th

11. Springer 12 (9.5%)

9th 22. Symposium Journals

5 14th

N.B. Number of respondents on the rest 21 online journals databases are below 5 to nil.

(Full List in Annex-I)

8Q. Rank of Using Online 8Q. Rank of Using Online BooksBooks

(Total Database : 12, Total population: 129)(Total Database : 12, Total population: 129)Name of Books Database No. of

Respondents

Rank Name of Book s Database

No. of Respondent

s

Rank

1. Oxford University Press

33 (25.5

%)

1st 7. Springer 16 7th

2. McGraw Hill 32 (24.8

%)

2nd

8. Emerald E-book Series

13 8th

3. Pearson 27 (20.9

%)

3rd

9. Europa World Plus

9 9th

4. AGORA 23 (17.8

%)

4th

10. Agropedia 8 10th

5. HINARI 20 (15.5

%)

5th

11. OARE 7 11th

6. Taylor & Francis E-books

17 (13.15

)

6th

12. Project MUSE

5 12th

Level of Level of SatisfactionSatisfaction9Q. 9Q. How much the existing online How much the existing online digital digital resources meet your resources meet your Requirements?Requirements?

Level of Satisfaction No. of Respondents Rank

Meet the Requirements: 26-

50 %

51 (39.53%) 1st

Meet the Requirements: 51-

75%

38 (29.45%) 2nd

Meet the Requirements: 0-

25%:

30 (23.25%) 3rd

Meet the Requirements:

Above 75%

10 (7.75%) 4th

10Q. Expectations of the Teachers & 10Q. Expectations of the Teachers & StudentsStudents

1. More Computers in the Library2. More Internet Speed3. Wi-Fi Facilities4. Training on Using Internet Resources 5. Link with other resources of

Bangladeshi universities (i.e. Digital Libraries of Bangladeshi Universities in One Platform)

6. More Digital Resources, e.g.i. Worldwide astronomical and astrophysical

research Journals (http://www.aanda.org/)ii. Elsevier journals

BdREN:BdREN:BdREN is connected to several

international research communities in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America, via the Trans-Eurasia Information Network 3 (TEIN3) and Internet2.

BdREN Members31 public and 1 private (NSU) universities

in Bangladesh as well as national and international research bodies. In total, the institutions have a student population of about 10,000 and over 5,00 faculty members and researchers.

DIGITAL LIBRARY IN BdREN MODEL

Governing Body (Trust)

BbREN Secretariat

Planning & Development Wing

UDL Consortium (Accessing from external digital resources)

Digital Library (Local Content) (Digitization of all resources availalabe in Bangladeshi Universities)

Promotional Body

Coordination Body

Consulting, Training & Support Services Wing

Infrastructural Development

UGC

External Liaison Body

Regional/ International Gateway

BdREN Portal

Negotiation Body(Subscription Price)

Red Color indicates new component of BdREN

Model of BdRENModel of BdREN1.Governing Body: This Policy Making

Authority will be consisted of -1. UGC Chairman (Chair of the Body)2. Government Policy Makers3. Educationists4. Scientists5. IT Professionals6. Librarians7. Researchers8. BdREN Secretariat (Member-Secretary)(Current name is BdREN Trust)

2. BdREN Secretariat: Office of the BdREN will be under the umbrella of UGC

3. Wings of BdRENA. Planning & Development Wing:i. Infrastructural planning & development of

BdRENii. Digitization of all valuable resources

available in university libraries in Bangladesh without violating copy right act,

iii. Develop a platform common for all digital resources of Bangladeshi universities and link it to the national, regional & international information super highway,

iv. Expand the BdREN activities among the nation and gradually regional to international.

B. UDL Consortium WingGovernance: a. Coordinating Body: Policy making authority

about consortium (already exist),b. Negotiation Body: Selecting resources and

negotiating subscription price with the publishers or aggregators (already exist). This body will study of user satisfaction & expectation of digital resources,

c. Promotional Body: It will arrange workshop, seminar, training, campaign (out reach) (with the help of BdREN training wing) for academicians, library professionals, researchers, students, and also liaison with national, regional & international consortia for getting access to more resources by signing of memorandum, agreement, exchange or free of cost.

C. Consulting, Training & Support Services Wing

a. Consulting: This wing will provide free consulting services to members for their ICT infrastructural development and digitization of local content ,

b. Training: This wing will arrange training on ICT and related area of BdREN activities for producing skills manpower & sustainability of development,

c. Support Services: This wing will provide all kind of support services to members running the BdREN component smoothly.

Findings of SurveyFindings of Survey1. 76.73 % respondents are meeting 26-50 % to

above 75% requirements and 37.2% meets 51% to above 75% requirements by using the existing online journals & books of the university,

2. 78.3% respondents teachers and students are facing problem of having access to online resources because of slow internet speed and insufficient number of computers,

3. Usage of 50% online journals and books databases are from 3.8% to 26.3% but the rest of them are below 3.8% to 0%. However, more online journals and books databases are required for meeting demand of the respondents, e.g. Elsevier Journals, Worldwide astronomical and astrophysical research Journals etc.,

Findings of SurveyFindings of Survey4. Training on Using Internet Resources are

required,5. Building BdREN portal to link with

available resources (local & external contents) of all Bangladeshi universities (i.e. Digital Libraries of Bangladeshi Universities in One Platform),

6. The highest number of respondents are using online resources for preparing class assignment than up-to-date themselves, writing research proposal, prepare presentation, primary research, and lastly consulting and teaching purpose.

(Note: Low rank of using teaching purpose maybe because of 17% population was teachers only)

RecommendationsRecommendations1. HEQEP may set up an e-resources access centre like

North South University Library with all modern facilities of using online digital resources in all public and private universities in the country,

2. UGC Digital Library (UDL) Consortium should subscribe more useful digital resources for enhancing quality of education and research of the teachers, researchers and students of the country,

3. Proposed “Planning and Development Wing” of BdREN should take initiative to develop Digital Library (digitize local content) with all valuable resources available in the Bangladeshi universities and bring them in platform common online (BdREN portal),

RecommendationsRecommendations4. Proposed “Consulting, Training & Support Services Wing” of

BdREN should arrange more training on ICT skills development and Information Literacy for teachers, researchers, librarians & officials of the universities,

5. Proposed “Liaison Body” of BdREN will communicate with regional and international academicians & researchers for building a common study & research platform with Bangladeshi academicians & researchers for exchanging their ideas. Their libraries may sign an agreement with Bangladeshi libraries for resources sharing to explore their information resources in study and research.

6. The Library Association of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Associations of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID) should come forward to establish National Digital Library Platform for building digital Bangladesh.

Thank YouThank You

Presented by:Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Ph.D.University LibrarianNorth South UniversityBashundhara, Dhaka-1229www.northouth.edummr@northsouth.edu

Annex-IAnnex-I

Rank of Using Online Journals Rank of Using Online Journals (Total Database : 43)(Total Database : 43)

Name of Journal Database

No. of Responde

nts

Rank

Name of Journal Database

No. of Responde

nts

Rank

23. ACS Publication 5 14th 34. International Forestry Review

2 17th

24. Chicago Press Journal

5 14th 35. Liebert Online 2 17th

25. Acoustical Society of America

4 15th 36. Lyell Collection 2 17th

26. ASCE Library 4 15th 37. Optics InfoBase 2 17th

27. Edinburgh University Press Journals Online

4 15th 39. Royal College of Physicians

2 17th

28. IET Digital Library 4 15th 40. IOP Science 1 18th

29. American Astronomical Society

3 16th 41.Project Muse 1 18th

30. British Institute of Radiology Journals

3 16th 42. SPIE Digital Library 1 18th

31. De Gruyter 3 16th 43. Palgrave Mcmillan 0 19th

32. NRC Research Press

3 16th

33. The Policy Press 3 16th