CHAPTER ONE

1.0           INTRODUCTION

An electronic library (also referred to as digital library or digital repository) is a focused collection of digital objects that can include text, visual material, audio material, video material, stored in an electronic media form as opposed to print micro form or other media along with means for organizing, storing and retrieving the files and media contained in the library collection. Digital libraries can very immensely in size and scope, and can be maintained by individuals organizations, or affiliated with established physical library buildings or institutions or with academic institution

1.                 The electronic content may be stored locally or accessed remotely via computer networks an electronic library is a type of information retrieval system.  

The term digital libraries was first popularized by the NSF/DARPA/WASA  digital libraries initiative in 1994.

2.                 These draw heavily on as we may think by Vannevar Bush in 1945, which set out a vision not in terms of technology, but user experience the term virtual library was initially used interchangeably with digital library but is now primarily used for libraries that are virtual in other senses (such as libraries which adequate distributed content).

1.1           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The internet is the world’s largest computer network, all freely exchanging. It is also referred to as information super high way.

The internet had its roots during the 19600’s as a project of the United States government department of defense, to create a non-centralized network design to survive partial categories (i.e nuclear was still function when part of the network were down or destroyed).

This project was called ADRANET (advance research agency network) created by the pertagous advanced research project agency established in 1969 to provide services and survivable communications network for organizations engaged in defense related research in order to make the network more global a new and standard protocol was needed, they developed IPC internet protocol technology which defines how electronic message were packaged addressed and sent over the network. The standard protocol was invented in 1977 and was TCP/IP allowed users to link various branches of other complex networks directly to the APRANET, research and academics and other fields began to make use of the network and eventually, the national science foundation (NSF) which had created NSFNET, look over much of the TCP/IP technology from APRANET and established a distributed network of network capable of handling for greater traffic.

APRSNET grew during the 1970’s and was upgraded to a high speed network by linking several powerful super computer station called NODES.

In 1985, the national science foundation (NSF) began a program to establish internet access across the United States they created a background called the NSFNET and opened their doors to all educational facilities academics researchers, government agencies and internet  international research organizations.

APRANET was shut down by the defense communications agency in 1979 due to unlimited funding and support from the military by the 1990’s, internet experienced explosive grount it is estimated that the number of computer connected to the internet was doubling every year by mid 1994. The internet connected an estimated two million computers in more than hundred (100) countries, serving same 23 million users, many  commercial computer network and data services also provided at least indirect connection to the internet, it was estimated that at this rapid growth ever.

1.2           DEFINITION OF TERMS

Here are some terms that needs to be conver out with before embarking on the design of a web-site (i.e digital library system)

INTERNET: The internet is a collection of computers connected to each other done by using communication longage or protocol knows as TCP/IC (transmission protocol/internet protocol).

PROTOCOLS: Information technology, a protocol (from the Greek protocollon, which was a leaf of paper give to a manuscript volume, describing its contents) is the special set of rules that end points in a telecommunication connection use when they communicate.

COMPUTER NETWORK: Computer network is simply a series of connection between computers which allow them to communicate.

WEB PAGE: A web page is a site contain text, pictures and other elements of related information and are access by web browser.

A WEB BROWSER: A web browser is a piece of software that was on your personal computer and enables you to view web page. Web browser are Microsoft internet explorer and netscape navigator.

HTML: HTML (hyper text markup language) is made of codes consisting tages that defines new web pages looks.

WWW: www(world wide web) is made up of web pages and site

ISP: ISP (internet service provider) is a company that provides connections to the internet, usually for an hourly, weekly, monthly or annual fee.

HTTP: HTTP(hyper text transfer protocol) is the protocol of the web.

EMAIL : Email (electronic mail) is used for sending and receiving electronic messages on the internet.

TCP/IP: TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/internet protocol) is used to route communication across the internet.  It also enables computers using different operating systems to communicate with each other.

SERVER: The server is the computer system that contains information such as electronic mail, data base information or text files.

IP ADDRESS: internet protocol address are globally unique, 32 bit number assigned by the network information centre. Globally unique address permits IP networks anywhere in the world to communicate with each other.

An IP address is divided into three parts.

i.                     The first part designates the network address

ii.                 The second part designates the network address

iii.               The third part designated the last address.

THE DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM (DNS): The domain name system (DNS) provides the equivalent of the numeric IP address and ensures that every site and host an the internet its assigned a unique address.

GOPHER: Gospher is a menu based progam that enables you to browse for information without having to know where the materials is specifically located. It helps you search for the resources and then helps send the material to you.

FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL (FTR): ETP (file transfer protocol) allows you to send files to a remote computer, or receive them you can also update  (delete, rename, move and copy) files and server people who create web have pages can use FTP to get their files to the server when they will be accessed.

USENET: usenet is a global bulletin board messaging.

1.3           AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The project was developed to aid the department easy access to information via the internet and it goes a long way in publishing the department activities on the internet.

It is also aimed at increasing public awareness of the institution. It service and facilitate communication between the institutions and other interest parties.

Furthermore, it is also aimed at providing a 24 hours service to students of the department and other interested student that might wish to partake in it.

It is also aimed at making sure that student of the department use the library system by providing a charting department in the library system.

1.4           STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The role of information technology in the society cannot be over emphasized. Every business enterprise and private individuals relied on its provision to carry out their daily activities. Haven gone through the library facilities in the department of computer science, the following are the problems observed.

§     Library materials are not well arranged for easy identification

§     Search for books and other materials is difficult.

§     Borrowing of materials ahs no layed down procedure a situation which is poor theft

1.5           SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The importance of this study is in such a way that  both students and the library attendance benefits from it shifting from the conventional process of arranging, organizing, borrowing and returning of the library materials to the digital provision suggested by this study will further bring the library closer to the student. The following are the significance of the study:

i.                    It provides service to the student provided they are connected to the internet or intranet as the case may be.

ii.                 It assist the library attendants to structure the materials properly.

iii.               Students are given the opportunity to search for materials online at the comfort of their zone, it now left to the student to decide whether or not to request for the material.

1.6           SCOPE  AND LIMITATION OF STUDY

The scope of the study shall be a digital library system for computer science department of Kogi state polytechnic Lokoja.

These are the possible barriers or limitation of the departmental library system.

v    The training have to undergo extensive training, the training of library staff depends on the level of automation. The more complex.

v    Lack of support from the management this may be owing to budget constrain. If the automation process is too expensive the management budget may not be able to cope it

v    Apprehension that the technology could be too expensive, there is apprehension that the technology both hardware and software would be expensive and unaffordable.

 

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