Information & Library Science Department ILS 655 outline

ILS 655 Digital Libraries

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides a theoretical study of and practice in designing, constructing and evaluating digital libraries.

Prerequisite Requirements

ILS 501 & ILS 503 and a basic knowledge of web design

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES/STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Through lecture notes, readings, discussion and course assignments/projects, this course will introduce concepts, components and technologies of digital libraries; examine the research, development, application and practice of digital libraries; explore issues and trends influencing the development and structure of digital libraries; and follow the evolution of the digital library. 

Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

• Describe the history and characteristics of digital libraries
• Understand major issues that constitute the basis of digital libraries
• Develop a plan for a digital library using sound practices and policies derived from the current literature, including missions, goals, and maintenance plans
• Develop a digital collection prototype with an appropriate collection policy and selection criteria
• Acquire and organize resources in digital form with related metadata methods, such as simple DC and RDF Schema
• Have a competent understanding of metadata, metadata interoperability, and the metadata registry concept for managing digital contents
• Be familiar with current technologies and frameworks associated with the development and implementation of digital libraries, such as search engines, browse features, and DL tools
• Construct and test an academic digital library
• Develop methods to evaluate and recommend solutions in a digital library environment
• Study and evaluate national or international major digital library projects

 

COURSE OUTLINE

      I.  Digital Libraries, History and Definitions

     II.  Building Digital Libraries

    III.  Organizing Digital Libraries

     IV.  Integrating & Interoperating Digital Information

      V.  Digital Library Design

     VI.  Digital Library Services

    VII. Policy and Legal Issues in Digital Libraries

   VIII. Digital Library Evaluation

     IX.  Global Perspectives & Trends in DL Research

      X.  The Future of Digital Libraries in Society

     XI.  Project Presentation/Peer Review 

 

SUGGESTED TEXTS / TEXTS USED IN THE PAST

Recommended texts:

Chowdhury, G. G., & Chowdhury, S. (2003). Introduction to Digital Libraries. London. Facet Publishing. ISBN: 1-85604-465-3

Lesk, Michael. (2004). Understanding Digital Libraries. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. ISBN:1-55860-924-5.  

 

 

Approved by the ILS Department Curriculum Committee and Faculty, Spring 2009.