A digital or virtual library is a library in which a significant proportion of the information resources are available in the digital format, accessible through the computers, and whose essential exponent is the Internet. This type of library allows the user to find the documents when he/she needs them, and for doing this, it responds dynamically from its network of information sources.
One of the most important ones is The Darlington Digital Library, set in the University os Pitsburgh. As it´s said in the library´s own page: ”The Darlington Digital Library was created from the first major collection of books, manuscripts, atlases, and maps donated to the University of Pittsburgh”. This spectacular library was created by Mr. Drlington, who started collecting maps, manuscripts, works of art etc. in the year 1840. All these acquisitions were digitalized in the summer of 2006.
There are some other very important digital libraries, like the Furness Shakespeare Collection (University of Pensylvania), which I should mention at least.
References:
- The Darlington Digital Library. Retrieved 25th October, 2009 at 9.55 from: http://digital.library.pitt.edu/d/darlington/
- Digital library. (2009, October 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 9.58, 25th October, 2009, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Digital_library&oldid=321357328
- List of digital library projects. (2009, October 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10.01, October 25, 2009 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_digital_library_projects&oldid=321990379
