A digital library is a collection of documents in organized
electronic form, available on the Internet or on CD-ROM (compact-disk read-only memory)
disks. Depending on the specific library, a user may be able to access magazine
articles, books, papers, images, sound files, and videos.
On the Internet, the use of a digital library is enhanced by a broadband connection such as cable modem
or DSL. Dial-up connections can be used to access plain-text documents and some
documents containing images, but for complex files and those with animated
video content, a downstream data speed of at least several hundred kilobits per
second ( Kbps ) can make the user's experience
less tedious, as well as more informative. Internet-based digital libraries can
be updated on a daily basis. This is one of the greatest assets of this
emerging technology.
On CD-ROM, the amount of data is limited to several hundred
megabytes ( MB ) per disk, but access is generally
much faster than on an Internet connection. Several CD-ROMs can be combined in
a set, and because the disks are small, a large library can be accommodated in
a reasonable physical space. The main limitation of CD-ROM is the fact that
updating cannot be done as frequently as on the Internet. In addition,
producing and distributing CD-ROMs involves overhead costs that are largely
nonexistent in Internet-based libraries.
Some institutions have begun the task of converting classic books
to electronic format for distribution on the Internet. Some files can be viewed
directly in HTML format; others can be downloaded in PDF format and printed. Some publishers
keep electronic files of books and produce them one unit at a time in printed
and bound form on demand.
Electronic distribution of intellectual and artistic property has
authors, agents, and publishers concerned about the possibility of copyright
infringement. It is much easier to copy a CD-ROM, or to download an electronic
book and make unauthorized copies of it, than it is to reproduce bound volumes
and distribute them illegitimately. Fundamental changes in copyright law -
and/or changes in the way in which the laws are enforced - are likely to occur
as digital libraries expand and their use becomes more widespread.
