Digital library and the Slovenian academic environment

Abstract

AbstractDigital library is a term for a library of the present and of the future challenging the traditional libraries. Authors are interested mostly in the digital space of Slovene academic instutions. In the research, the digital collections of most of the University of Ljubljana faculties are examined. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about the users' (students') needs and their acquaintance with the concept of the digital library. Two things were expected: the research was aimed at finding the positive effect of digital libraries on studies, and the questionnaire as an incentive in the library profession for further research. The questionnaire was made in the end of 1999 at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana (FF). It included 275 students of FF. The results showed that the students of librarianship had a better understanding of the term digital library than the students of other courses. A personal computer is used frequently and with pleasure by most questioned students. The term digital library is known to 71,1% of the students of librarianship, and only to 43,8% of others. Most of the students chose the correct definition of the digital library (the digital library is a collection of disparate systems and resources, accessible on the net), but that was, by the authors' opinion, mostly a lucky guess. According to the findings of the research, the authors believe that future development will improve and accelerate a wider use of digital libraries, in Slovenia as well.