I always think about making my own digital library. The existing library websites seemed incapable of satisfying my needs.

But, I am not very sure of what is an ideal digital library like. Many times I just know what is a bad library like.

Today, I read a post written by John Mark Ockerbloom, an IT expert working for University of Pennsylvania Libraries. He gave out a perfect description of the functionalities of a digital library.

He said:

“To serve a diversity of audiences and information needs, a digital public library could proactively build an accessible collection of high-quality, up to date online books and other knowledge resources, by finding, soliciting, acquiring, creating, and adapting works in response to the information needs of its users.”

And, the library should be an “Everybody’s Library” which has 3 meanings:

1. For everybody

It is a library everybody can use.

2. By everybody

It is a library everybody can build and put their work in.

3. Shared with everybody

It is a library everybody can share.

If we founded this library finally, then the bigger it is, the more we can benefit.

The End