AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF DIGITAL LIBRARY FRAMEWORK INEDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONSAbilash Ajithan* and Neenu Mathew T**

IntroductionA Digital Library is a special library with a focused collection of digital objects that can include text, visual material, audio material, video material, stored as electronic media formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media), along with means for organizing, storing, and retrieving the files and media contained in the library collection. Digital libraries can vary immensely in size and scope, and can be maintained by individuals, organizations, or affiliated with established physical library buildings or institutions, or with academic institutions. The electronic content may be stored locally, or accessed remotely via computer networks. An electronic library is a type of information retrieval system. In the digital library all the written material collections are stored in digital format and it can be accessible through computers by everyone from anywhere. The first use of the term digital library in print may have been in a report in 1988 to the Corporation for national research initiatives. It was first popularized by the NSF/DARPA/NASA. It will be large enough to be applied to a wide range of collections and organizations of information. Digital libraries provides all the resources needed through a search interface .This can be done through by using around specific repository software like D-space, E-prints, Fedora, Deliria and Green stone digital library software. Digital library is an improved term of traditional library. The traditional libraries are limited by storage space whereas digital libraries have the potential to store much more information than the traditional library. There are several costs involved in the traditional method, that is traditional libraries have spent more money for staff, book maintenance, rent and additional books whereas digital libraries have not spent much more money. Information technologies plays a vital role in libraries as well as in educational institutions since the sixties. The use of computers in education, for non-administrative purposes, is newer and education community is in the process of discussing the standard to connect web-based course servers, it includes the IMS project and the work of IEEE learning technology standards committee. From 2000 onwards web technology has been introduced in informal mode of learning through an easy way.

*Abilash Ajithan SNGCE College kadayiruppu**Neenu Mathew SNGCE College kadayiruppu

Need for Study The study is to make an awareness about the role of digital library in educational institution. Under this study we try to understand the internet based services of proposed library, and also to trace the growth and development of internet based services of the Libraries.

Nature of Educational institution: It occurs free of place and often time constraints. No need to attend classes in particular places. It differs from traditional classroom instruction. Students learn independently with the available resources. Many programs are transition herring technologies. Courses derived over the World Wide Web. Materials high structured and courses rely much less on traditional lecture. Major difference between web based informal mode of education and classroom enhanced courses is using web peripherally. In Informal mode of education programs, one indispensable element of Course content is the development and delivery of electronic reserves.

Support of Education by Digital Libraries: Informal mode of education is the Pedagogical technology how to support the student self-study process The major difference between face to face study and informal mode of education in the separation of teaching-learning process. In the informal mode of education student had to obtain learning package including not only text but also concomitant information about time schedule of study. The advantage is the independent on the place of study and time of study. The on line study is possible and amount of information can be sufficient. There is a good opportunity for students to read through internet in digital library. Because of ICT connection all over the world, Digital libraries could play crucial role in existing reading in electronic form. There is a good perspective to use the digital libraries for all students, since access to internet is practically in each place.

Economic Benefits of Digital Libraries of Education institution: Course ware can be served at one place and can be accessible at various places. At a time millions of population can utilize the same on-line course ware with affordable minimum cost. Institution need not invest money on infrastructure, administration, maintenance, equipment and print materials. Same on-line course ware can be utilized by many institutions. The materials can be copied in any form for the use of black and white purpose. The countrys library practices can be consolidated and made available to all stakeholders.

Roles of Digital Libraries in EducationCreating, capturing, and deploying a learning experience are all activities that can be conducted in the digital domain. These drive fundamental requirements for the application of digital libraries in education, and maybe also define some of the most important roles they can play. However, moving from a stand-alone to a global networked digital environment, and from a contained resource to a universal opened content space that is moving from educational computing to digital libraries in education requires new strategies and rethinking the role of technology.Analysis of the Cardboard Kayaking example clearly identifies at least three roles that digital libraries can play in education: 1. As a resource for teaching (curriculum development), 2. As an environment for learning (student experience), and 3. As authoring space (again, in support of student experience). Models for the application of digital libraries in these scenarios can be made to exploit the characteristics of the new environment. But furthermore, they can be applied to revisit and support the current constructivist approaches to computer-based learning.

Tasks of digital libraries in the learning environments:

Within the context of changes in society, technology, and education in recent years, there have been two key developments relating to e-learning infrastructure in The adoption of virtual learning environments and managed learning environments. The implementation of digital and hybrid libraries.

Digital libraries are tools which support e-learning through the provision and integration of Web-based materials, including learning materials, links to other resources, online communication tools (such as electronic bulletin boards), and assessment tools. When such digital libraries are integrated with other information systems and processes of the institution.

1. Highly directed uses, such as lab exercises to reinforce a specific disciplinary concept.2. Instructional modules that introduce concepts in an incremental manner and can be customized and extended by faculty for use in lectures.3. Free form exploration conducted by students preparing term papers or faculty putting together a lecture that might include personal manipulation of data sets, information visualization, and the integration of new information or data sets to augment existing content.4. Collaborative applications that might be used by students doing team projects or faculty and teaching assistants who are team teaching.5. Discipline- or domain-specific methods of building knowledge that support specific information seeking and use processes.

General criteria for digital library quality within the learning environment

Quality of the resources to be discovered in the library: There is a great deal of discussion and divergence some libraries focus on quantity as in the public library model; some focus on quality, as in specialized collections that might be found in a public library.

Seamless access: This includes seamless integration between the learning environment and the library or information resources at any point in the VLE and within one users portal across different courses, departments, or even institutions. The most important aspect of this was the single sign-on; one authentication procedure, regardless of whether the user is accessing the VLE from on- or off-campus.Warning notes that were sounded included potential problems with seamless cross-searching of different databases, indexes, and other information resources.3 Lack of interoperability of search vocabularies, and a lack of awareness of and strategies to deal with this in course design, could lead to confusing, ineffective resource discovery experiences for learners.

All library functions online: Concerns about this include the potential diminishment of two important educational functions of traditional libraries: serendipitous browsing (finding the book you need right next to the one you were actually searching for); and their social function as a place to meet fellow students and discuss sources of information, etc.

Individualization for the learner: This concept includes such ideas as the student portal, which could cross institutions and be available throughout a learners life; the Amazon.com idea of tailoring resources and notifying the user about relevant resources; the ability to save and share searches; the ability to take and embed notes with information resources, and to share resources; and settings for level, such as undergraduate, third-year, etc., with options to adjust upwards if the user wishes.

Flexibility for the teacher: Teachers would like to be able to adapt or update courses easily, including the information resources embedded in or linked to them, from anywhere. Flexibility in terms of being able to design the course according to their own pedagogical approach, rather than having it dictated by the system, was also seen as extremely important, and vital for bringing academics on board with e-learning. Finally, the system should have the capability to feedback data to the teacher about what information resources and services are being used.

Universal accessibility: Universal accessibility includes accessibility for users with differing physical abilities, adaptability to differing learning styles; availability on- and off-campus (an issue with regard to certain subscription library materials), equitable access for distance learners abroad (usually the biggest problems are access to hard copy resources and time zone problems with communications), equitable access for the economically disadvantaged (those who have to wait in line at a computer Centre versus those with a PC or laptop of their own), and usability on any platform or hardware.

ConclusionThe world has witnessed innumerable incidents on all innovations. Digital libraries are not going to replace the physical existence of document completely but no doubt to meet the present demand, to satisfy the non-local user digitization must be introduced so that at least libraries becomes of hybrid nature. Further all the new ideas and inventions have to face some resistance either internally or externally, directly or indirectly from different corner. Perhaps, the Digital library involves huge manpower for conversion from the traditional mode and cost factor but the benefit deriving out of it go on forever. The digital libraries are very cost effective and the beneficiaries are more in numbers as compared to the traditional one. Another pearl on the jewel of Educational arena is that anybody can use at anytime and anywhere. To meet out the increasing trend in informal mode of education, the digital library becomes inevitable and also leaves the option to the aspiring knowledge update mongers will surely be benefited by the digital mode.