The Digital Library: Challenges and Solutions for the New Millennium (Proceedings of an International Conference held in Bologna, Italy, June 1999)

Citation

Cronau, D.A. (2001), "The Digital Library: Challenges and Solutions for the New Millennium (Proceedings of an International Conference held in Bologna, Italy, June 1999)", Online Information Review, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 66-74. https://doi.org/10.1108/oir.2001.25.1.66.2

This is a great read, a chance to catch up on all the current digital issues. Written in English, but with many of the contributions also in Italian, each article is not only up‐to‐date but to the point. The average length of the articles included in this volume is around three pages; few articles are more than ten pages. The longer articles include extensive bibliographical information and some useful and supportive diagrams, tables and charts. The bibliographies of all contributions appear current and useful for further reference. Some of the included articles even include subheadings making the read even easier.

The background of contributors is difficult to determine as in the top left hand corner of each article just appears the name(s) and the university or organisation to which the contributor or presenter belongs. In some cases, as with one of the copyright articles, employment or career titles are included: e.g. “Marco Marandola – legal consultant on copyright and licences, Milan, Italy”. This is the exception rather than the rule, with most contributors just providing their affiliated organisation.

What I particularly liked about these conference proceedings was their particularly broad nature. Divided into chapters, the chapter headings paint the picture:

1. 1.

   (1) Introductions;

2. 2.

   (2) Copyright;

3. 3.

   (3) Electronic publishing;

4. 4.

   (4) Practical case studies;

5. 5.

   (5) Standards and protocols;

6. 6.

   (6) Projects;

7. 7.

   (7) Electronic document delivery.

I was concerned at first with chapters like Copyright that, as at some conferences I have attended, the contents might be too geographically specific about rules and regulations. But I found that the approach of the four articles selected for this publication was global.

It is great to learn what is happening in our library and information community at present and these conference proceedings provide plenty of articles that would represent ideas and examples that are so fresh as to not have appeared in print previously. Of particular interest here is the chapter on Projects. There are three articles on Projects:

1. 1.

   (1) “Co‐operation among university library organisations and services in Italy.”

2. 2.

   (2) “Virtual library, real service.”

3. 3.

   (3) “Promoting co‐operative action on serials and articles.”

These make interesting reading, as they succinctly follow the chronology of projects that have been proceeding through Europe and to a significant extent integrate technology into every aspect of library service.

The broad nature of this resource makes it worthwhile to many information specialists. It includes articles of interest to a wide variety of library and information organisations, from universities to public libraries, virtual libraries, health, research, and scientific institutions. It is full of examples, ideas, policies and procedural recommendations, new technologies and how to implement them, marketing, document delivery, corporate competitiveness, standards, protocols, legal depositing, online publishing, etc.