ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF VITRUAL LIBRARY

ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF VITRUAL LIBRARY

When deciding whether or not to build a virtual
library, the numerous advantages and
disadvantages need to be taken into consideration.
There are several articles that examine these
various factors.
ADVANTAGES
1. Immediate access to resources.
virtual libraries are available
anytime
facilitate just-in-time learning
2. Information updated immediately.
TL able to respond to immediate
needs of teachers
provide resources at short notice
contains up-to-date information
3. No physical boundaries.
people from all over the world can
access information
as long as there is an Internet
connection
4. Support different learning styles.
access material in a variety of
formats
tailored to characteristics of the
learner or community of learners
range of resources to meet the
information needs of different
users
can be customized for particular
schools, grades and subjects
5. Accessible for the disabled.
offers an alternative for those who
have physical difficulty accessing
resources in a regular library
through use of audio and video,
resources are made available to the
visually and hearing impaired
integrate voice, video, and text for
users involved in distance education
in remote locations
6. Present student work.
share and showcase student work
student-created art, photography,
oral histories to support local
curriculum and compensate for lack
of local resources on the Internet
7. Information retrieval.
provides user-friendly interfaces,
giving clickable access to resources
use any search term such as word,
phrase, title, name, subject to
search entire collection
8. Teaching tool for information literacy.
enables students to find their way
more easily around the various
search choices
as an instructional tool, students
learn the skills of selecting and
using appropriate search engines,
reading URLs and how to use an
online database when needed
can be taught information ethics ie.
plagiarism, reference sources,
copyright issues
9. Storage of information.
potential to store much more
information that traditional library
requires very little physical space to
contain information
10. Networking capabilities.
one digital library can provide a link
to any other resources of other
digital libraries
a seamlessly integrated resource
sharing can occur
11. Directs students to relevant resources.
students spend more time thinking
about information rather than
participating in time consuming
searching
that complement the library's print
resources
customized to meet the needs of a
particular school community
resources selected to match
research topics, age and reading
levels of students
There are some disadvantages or concerns that
need attention and consideration when creating a
virtual library.
1. Restricted by copyright law.
works cannot be shared over
different periods of time like a
traditional library
content is public domain or self
generated
if copyright exists, permission should
be requested
2. Requires connectivity.
instability of Internet sites requires
regular checks should be carried out
to ensure that web links are still
active
if there is not Internet connection,
the VL is inaccessible
many people do not have Internet
access - the Digital Divide may
apply
may have access to the Internet but
lack skill to utilize the available
information
3. Skilled professionals are required.
to organize, maintain and help
students
guide students in their selection,
evaluation and use of electronic
choices
need the knowledge of Boolean
searching and advanced searching
skills
4. Increased number of resources challenges
student selection.
purchase of online materials are not
tailored for a particular community
of learners
increased need for instruction in
use and evaluation of resources
students face difficulty in selecting
quality material from the increased
assortment of resources
BY MWORIA ANGEL
BAPRM 42642