Digital libraries

A digital or virtual library is a library in which a significant proportion of the information resources are available in the digital format, accessible through the computers, and whose  essential exponent is the Internet. This type of library allows the user to find the documents when he/she needs them, and for doing this, it responds dynamically from its network of information sources.

One of the most important ones is The Darlington Digital Library, set in the University os Pitsburgh. As it´s said in the library´s own page:  ”The Darlington Digital Library was created from the first major collection of books, manuscripts, atlases, and maps donated to the University of Pittsburgh”. This spectacular library was created by Mr. Drlington, who started collecting maps, manuscripts, works of art etc. in the year 1840. All these acquisitions were digitalized in the summer of 2006.

There are some other very important digital libraries, like the Furness Shakespeare Collection (University of Pensylvania), which I should mention at least.

References:

• The Darlington Digital Library. Retrieved 25th October, 2009 at 9.55 from: http://digital.library.pitt.edu/d/darlington/
• Digital library. (2009, October 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 9.58, 25th October, 2009, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Digital_library&oldid=321357328
• List of digital library projects. (2009, October 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10.01, October 25, 2009  from: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_digital_library_projects&oldid=321990379

Main differences between the ebook and the paper book.

Writing a text which faces the electronic book and the paper book doesn´t mean to put one of them above the other one. Doing this we only want to see the main differences between them. We must say that the electronic book is not going to abolish the paper book, at least,  by now. Remember that the printed book has had a main function in the growth of any language, and also in their never-ending.

Even if they have some similarities, this two type of books have many other differences between them. The ebook can be easily transferred from one place to another without being forced to do it physically. For doing this you must be surfing the Internet, but that fact is really easy to carry on nowadays. An electronic book may contain more information and the possibility of accessing to any external data, while the printed book works under the equation “to grater content, the greater number of paper and weight”. Ebooks have also the advantage of being easier to distribute through Internet, and that fact makes them cheaper, and sometimes free, which means that its autor has the opportunity  of being read by many surfers. Electronic book’s last advantage is that it allows us to see videos, imagine, sound etc. Finally we should say something in favour to printed books. When the reader wants to take some note of what he has read it is much more difficult to do it with an ebook, even if it is also available.

In short, both types of book have some advantages and also disadvantages, but it would be great for us the endurance of them all.

 

References.

• El libro electrónico. La industria editorial en la era de la revoluciòn digital. (December 26th, 2007 at 2.09 pm).  Jane Camargo. Retrieved 21.32, October 8th, 2009 from: http://libroselectronicos.wordpress.com/category/libro-impreso-vs-libro-electronico/
• El libro electrónico. Carlos Saez. (año 2000). Universidad de Pavia. Retrieved 21.35, October 8th, 2009 from: http://scrineum.unipv.it/saez.htm
• Ebook. Libro electrónico. (8th October, 2009 at 11.14). From Wikipedia, The free encyclopedia. Retrieved at 21.38, October 8th, 2009 from: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libro_electr%C3%B3nico
• Libro impreso. (6th October, 2009). From Wikipedia, The free encyclopedia. Retrieved at 21.40, October 8th, 2009 from: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libro