Digital Libraries as Information Superhighway

During the decade of 1990s the term digital libraries become a recognized phrase for describing libraries that offer access to digital information by using a variety of networks, including internet and world wide web. Other synonyms used interchangeably with digital libraries are library without walls and electronic and virtual libraries because every online or virtual source of information is electronic source of information but every electronic information sources are not online or virtual form, so digital or electronic library includes digital contents and that can be delivered any time anywhere to the networked computer. Digital libraries provide remote access to the contents and the services of the libraries and other information sources combining an onsite collection of current and heavily used materials in both print and electronic form with an electronic networks which provide access to and delivery for worldwide libraries and commercial information and knowledge sources. Basically the digital libraries are the metaphor for the networked libraries. In the light of this therefore, this chapter discussed digital libraries as information superhighway looking at issues like factors responsible for the emergence of digital libraries, influence internet on digital libraries, etc.