HYBRID LIBRARY

HYBRID LIBRARY:
Hybrid library is a term used by librarians to describe libraries containing a mix of traditional print library resources and the growing number of electronic resources.^[
Hybrid libraries are mixes of traditional print material such as books and magazines, as well as electronic based material such as downloadable audio books, electronic journals, e-books, etc. Hybrid libraries are the new norm in most public and academic libraries.^{[citation needed]}
It seems that the term "hybrid library" was first coined in 1998 by Chris Rusbridge in an article for D-Lib Magazine.^[1

Collection development

Collection development is another challenge facing the hybrid libraries. The process of collection management in a hybrid library is similar to that of a traditional library. Hybrid libraries follow the same policies and procedures followed in traditional library collection development.^[7]

Ownership of electronic resources

Ownership of electronic resources is another issue facing the hybrid libraries. Ownership of electronic materials is virtual and not physical. There are no clear policies about the ownership of electronic materials once the subscription is cancelled or expired. Libraries have to pay attention to the legal contracts from the database vendors. If the libraries plan on archiving the electronic resources, then there are legal issues related to it. The most prominent legal issues are intellectual property and authenticity of digital information.^{[citation needed]}

Preservation of digital media

With any new advanced technology related to digital information storage, the main question to be answered is its durability. Digital storage media like disc or tapes deteriorate over time. The main question related to digital preservation is what and how much should be preserved. To make the preservation of digital media cost effective, standardization of different media format is required. Following are the three possible approaches.^[7]

Issues in hybrid library

Some of the issues facing the hybrid libraries are the digital divide, interoperability, collection development, ownership of electronic resources and preservation of digital media.
Any advancement in information technology will be useful only when you know how to use it.The term digital divide is used to describe the gap between those with information technology knowledge and those who do not.^[5]
Majority of the libraries these days are hybrid libraries. The libraries own and subscribe to different resources in different formats. Some of the common formats are ejournals, serials, print monographs, CD and DVD. The main components of digital library framework are user interfaces, repository, handle system, and search system.^[6] The handle system and search system are the major components that should be designed with interoperability features to search across different repositories owned by different vendors. The user interface should be designed in a generic way that it helps library patrons develop a common knowledge to do advanced searches across all repositories.