Library and Information Science in the Digital Era

Library and Information Science in the Digital Era presents a comprehensive examination of the concepts, technologies, practices, and emerging trends that are reshaping libraries and information services. The book begins with the foundations of Library and Information Science and examines the historical transition from traditional libraries to automated, electronic, digital, and networked information environments. It establishes how technological developments have transformed the creation, organization, discovery, preservation, and dissemination of information.
The book explores library automation and integrated library management systems, electronic resources, digital collection development, digitization workflows, institutional repositories, databases, metadata, indexing, classification, information retrieval, and knowledge organization. It explains how digital technologies influence both back-end library operations and the ways in which users discover, evaluate, and access information.
A major focus is placed on digital library services, including virtual reference services, online information services, research support, information literacy, remote access, user experience, and personalized information delivery. The changing professional responsibilities of librarians are also examined, particularly in relation to research data management, digital curation, scholarly communication, knowledge management, and digital scholarship.
The book further addresses emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud computing, big data analytics, semantic web technologies, blockchain, Internet of Things applications, and automation. Their potential to enhance discovery, recommendation, preservation, workflow management, and user services is considered alongside their technological and ethical limitations.
Important policy and governance issues—including open access, copyright, intellectual property rights, licensing of electronic resources, privacy, cybersecurity, digital preservation, accessibility, and the digital divide—are examined to provide a balanced understanding of contemporary LIS practice.