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.
History & Background
The WiderNet Project was founded in the 2000.
As a Fulbright scholar studying in Nigeria in 1999-2000, WiderNet Co-Founder Cliff Missen experienced firsthand the frustrations caused by a lack of Internet access while teaching at the University of Jos.
Together with a UI graduate student, Missen created the first version of the digital library after requesting that the student send him some web pages on a CD-ROM.
From the first CD, Missen continued to work to overcome digital communication obstacles, eventually placing materials onto a hard drive through a process of copying websites with permission, then uploading materials to a server at partner institutions.
The project, which was a tremendous success, was dubbed the “eGranary Digital Library” because the digital library holds the seeds of knowledge just as an African granary holds the seeds of a future crop.
Since the WiderNet organization began, staff, students and volunteers have worked continuously to deliver educational materials to the seven out of eight people worldwide who have inadequate Internet access.
Today the project has installed the eGranary Digital Library at more than 1,200 partner institutions around the world – and donated more than 1,600 computers for use in African universities.
In addition to the eGranary Digital Library, WiderNet also provides numerous training opportunities and conducts technology research, through which thousands of university staff and administrators have been trained in programs customized to suit their institutions’ specific needs.
The organization continues to make steady progress toward bridging the digital divide on a global scale. We’ve worked in numerous countries and institutions and have made “a world of difference” in the lives of many.
We strive to serve the information-poor with our programs and spread the gift of knowledge worldwide, with a focus on implementing technology in places where it simply didn’t exist.