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Comparison between Digital and Library Resources: No Substitute for Libraries – III

In the third and final part of her three-part research article, Noveena compares digital and library resources. An exclusive for Different Truths,

We should realise that everything is not on the Internet.

The Internet consists of a small percentage of what’s published. Search engines such as Google, AltaVista, Firefox and Yahoo’s accesses are limited. ALA reports that only 8% of all journals and even fewer books are on the Internet.  The most reliable scholarly information is available in books and journals.

The Internet is not Organised

There is not a system that catalogues and organises all resources on the Internet.  A search on the Internet is like searching for an unclassified catalogue. When you use any of the search engines, you’re searching only a part of the Internet.  Searches are not always relevant to your topic and can cause a lot of wasted time, frustration and confusion.

The Internet has no Quality Control

Quality control isn’t easy to achieve on the Internet.

Quality control isn’t easy to achieve on the Internet. Open Source information on the Internet is quite common and it’s easy to get misinformed. Libraries contain resources which are relevant, organised and authentic.

Sources on the Internet are Harder to Identify

Information on the Internet does not often tell who’s telling you what and where is the location of that information. When you use information in your paper from the Internet, it’s important to print it out and cite your sources. Information sought from the Web might change overnight.  Information taken from the library or databases in the library gives the exact location.

Library Online Resources are Available 24/7

PC: publishingperspectives.com

Online databases can be accessed 24 hours a day seven days a week from the library’s webpage.

Online databases can be accessed 24 hours a day seven days a week from the library’s webpage. These databases are in the library’s collection and can be accessed on campus and remotely with your University ID via the Internet. This is not to be confused with searching the Internet.

Trained Professionals are Available for Assistance

Knowledgeable and friendly librarians are available to assist with locating information in person, chat, e-mail or telephone. Request assistance at the beginning of your research and spare valuable time spent on the Internet.

The Internet has Fewer Archival Materials

The library has older materials than the Internet but authentic. Digitalisation that goes back more than 10-15 years can be difficult to locate on the Internet. The Internet provides timelier information and is constantly updated.

Do Library-less Universities Work

A virtual library cannot replace the traditional library.

A virtual library cannot replace the traditional library. There is no doubt that technology has emerged to a great extent, but the digital content hasn’t progressed to an extent where it can replace textbooks and libraries resources. The content or data which can be found in libraries, couldn’t possibly found through the internet.

 Conclusion       

The conclusion of the above study, which was based on the dying habits of library reading among students was that there was no doubt about the fact that the younger generation has been immensely influenced by the concept of digitally available content. Whether it is social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or any other site available on Internet. Internet available content has some pros and cons like any other thing. On one side, it provides a convenient way to have access to a variety of information. But on the other side, it also acts as an impediment in the student’s academic hour.

There is a crying need that the students or the mass communication scholars must understand that anything used in access is a symbol of danger.

There is a crying need that the students or the mass communication scholars must understand that anything used in access is a symbol of danger. If we talk about the reading habits among the students, then we will find out that due to the introduction and development of new media, the reading habits and culture among the students is slowly declining every passing day.

At the present time, there is a crying need for the students to understand the significance of the library. Because the digital content cannot replace the content available in the library. Students must understand its importance and develop a reading habit along with the importance of the library.

References

https://elearninginfographics.com

https://safsma.com

https://www.Bartleby.com

(Concluded)

Photos from the Internet

author avatar
Noveena Chakravorty
Noveena has diverse experience in the media. Teaching for the last decade, she has made several shot films, ‘Rangrez Banaras’, ‘Paridhan’, etc. She worked with Public Relation Society of India for their project in Eastern U.P. She also worked with STAR News and done a film-appreciation course from FTII, Pune. She is danseuse and has performed with Shiamak Davar International Group. She is Associate Professor in Jagran Institute of Management & Mass Communication, Noida.

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