This paper first introduces the definition and development mode of digital library, then compares the characteristics of digital library and traditional library from four aspects: reader group, service ability, reading mode and collection, and finally draws the conclusion that they have their own needs, so they have their own development markets.
The arrival of the Internet era has profoundly changed the existing life style of human beings, and people are now gradually accustomed to completing most of the text reading through the Internet. So some people began to believe that digital libraries will eventually replace traditional libraries, but is this true? Let's analyze and compare the characteristics of digital library and traditional library from several aspects.
First, the concept of digital library
Strictly speaking, how should we define a digital library, that is, a network library? Referring to the description of its characteristics in relevant literature, it can be summarized as follows: A digital library refers to a library that takes the Internet or other networks as the main channel for its collection and service and provides digital information services to information demanders. It has two characteristics: first, networking, that is, the information transmission and service realization of digital library depends on the efficiency and rapidity of Internet technology, among which the Internet, wireless Internet and radio and television networks are its business channels. The second is the digitization of resources, which digitalizes the collection resources and finally forms a massive database to realize the enjoyment of resources.
According to the development status of digital libraries at home and abroad, there are two main modes of digital libraries at present:
First, a pure digital library. Its biggest feature is that there is no physical entity, whether it is a collection place such as stacks or even the collection itself, all services are spread on the network through virtual signals.
There are two kinds of pure digital libraries: one is the reading channels opened by various websites on the Internet. In 2002, Sina took the lead in opening its own reading channel in the portal. Soon after, Sohu, Tencent and other major comprehensive portals followed suit and launched their own reading channels.
This pure digital library has a typical? Grassroots? Features, is currently the hottest network rookie, very popular with young people nowadays.
Second, branch digital libraries. It is a branch of traditional library, occupying virtual space on the Internet in the form of website, and its essence is to extend traditional library services to the Internet. This development model has been adopted by the National Library of China, university libraries and most public libraries, and it is the mainstream model in today's society.
Because the matrix of this digital library is a traditional library, it is unique in digital resources compared with a pure digital library. Take the National Digital Library as an example. The National Digital Library has more than 27 million paper books and e-books 1 10,000 books, and theoretically more than 95% of paper resources can be developed.
A Comparative Study of Digital Library and Traditional Library
Comparison of reader groups
As we all know, the readers of digital library must be netizens who can access the Internet, and its readership should be generated among netizens. The following is excerpted from the 23rd China Internet Survey released by CNNIC:
1. Scale of Internet users
By the end of 2008, the number of netizens in China reached 298 million, including 270 million broadband netizens, accounting for 90.6% of the total number of netizens. The number of mobile phone users 1. 1.76 million, an increase of 1.33% over 2007.
2. The structural characteristics of netizens
Age structure: The proportion of netizens aged 10-29 has greatly increased, becoming the largest user group in China in 2008, with 10- 19 accounting for 35.2% and 20-29 accounting for 3 1.5%.
Occupation structure: The largest group of netizens are students, accounting for 33.2% of the total number of netizens.
From the above data, we can easily see that: First of all, the readers of digital libraries are prominent, mainly young netizens, and most of them are students, with a huge number of potential readers. The data provided by the Sixth National Sampling Survey on Reading and Purchasing Tendency in 2008 also confirms this point from another side.
Service capability comparison
Service ability is an important part of the core competitiveness of the library, and the level of service ability affects the function of the library.
1. From the service channel.
The biggest difference between digital library and traditional library is the different channels. The service channels of digital library include Internet, wireless Internet and broadcast TV network. It serves a wide range of users and a large number of people, facing all netizens in the world. However, the service channels of traditional libraries are physical entities, such as city and county public libraries, school libraries, bookstores, book bars, mobile book vans, etc., which limits the scope and number of service objects and is limited to local people.
2. From the service mode.
Service mode mainly means that when the service industry wants to carry out service activities, it must make the production and exchange of service products flexible, convenient for consumers and meet their needs. Because the service channels of digital library and traditional library are different, their service methods are also very different.
(B) Comparison of reading methods
The reading mode of digital library is called digital media reading or electronic reading. Here? Books? No longer bound by paper, only by the one displayed on the screen? Peggy? Replace it. ? Reading? It is not limited to turning pages with a book, but refers to online reading, mobile phone reading or manual reading. The advantages of digital media reading are high speed, large amount of information and strong interaction, but the disadvantage is that it is easy to get tired and not suitable for deep reading.
Traditional reading is also called paper reading. Compared with digital media reading, its greatest advantage is that it helps to cultivate readers' abstract thinking ability. At the same time, the paper classic collection has a long history, which is not only of high quality, but also of large quantity, requiring readers to spend a lot of brain cells to read deeply. Naturally,? Chew? The function of should not be degraded. Because it determines the depth and height of a nation's thinking, it is of great significance to cultural inheritance, the improvement of the overall national quality and the prosperity of the country.
(3) Comparison of collections
Compared with digital library, the collection of traditional library has absolute advantages. First of all, the collection has a long history. Secondly, there are many kinds of collections. Traditional library is the preservation center of human historical and cultural heritage, which preserves all kinds of information including the essence of human knowledge of various nationalities and historical periods. Finally, there are many collections.
However, it is an indisputable fact that the traditional library has many books, occupies a large space and has low storage density. This is the advantage of digital library. In addition, the pure digital library collects unpublished books? Original? Books are a major feature of its collection, attracting many young people to read or download online.
Two. Concluding remarks
Through the above comparative study, we can see that digital library has many advantages. First of all, the readers of digital libraries are mostly teenagers. With the growth of the Internet, online reading has gradually become a habit. Secondly, the services provided by the digital library are not only convenient and fast, but also flexible and diverse, and reading resources can be found all over the world. However, based on the historicity, completeness and richness of traditional library materials, many readers need to study and study. Where there is demand, there is market. If the digital library belongs to? Xiariba? Yes, the traditional library belongs to it? Chun Xue? Yes, they have their own demanders, so they have their own development market.
References:
1. Tang Xuemei. Comparison between reading channel of online library, reader club portal and douban. Young Journalists, 2007, (4)
2. Zhang. Early Public Libraries in China? Jiangnan Library [J], New Century Library, 1980, (1).