The library in China has been transformed by rapid socioeconomic development, and the proliferation of the Internet. The issues faced by Chinese libraries andlibrarians are those faced by library practitioners more globally, however, China also has its own unique set of issues in the digital era, including developmental imbalance between East and West, urban and rural areas, and availability of skilled practitioners. Chinese Librarianship in the Digital Era is the first book on Chinese libraries responding to these issues, and more.The first part of the book places discussion in historical context, before moving on to the digital environment of the Chinese library. The book then considers the issue of digital copyright in China, and debates the core values of the Chinese library. The next three chapters cover public and academic libraries, and library consortia. Finally, the book gives a view of the future prospects for libraries in China. - Unique in focusing on digital libraries in China - Provides a comprehensive overview of libraries in contemporary China - Presents valuable information formerly available only in Chinese

Over the last two centuries, collectors from around the world have historicized, politicized, and digitized media in the pursuit of knowledge and education. This collected volume explores collections of educational media and their bearing on the ways in which people learn in both the present and future, how and why material objects have been used worldwide to store and maintain knowledge for politically expedient reasons, and how our understanding of digital collections can be adequately understood only in relation to, and as an extension and adaptation of, the historically contingent material collections from which they emerged.

As the Chinese economy develops, academic libraries continue to evolve and provide indispensable services for their users. Throughout this growth, the scientific and cultural dialogue between China and the United States has made it necessary for each country’s libraries to understand each other. Academic libraries often act as catalysts for progress and innovation; proper management and applications of these resources is key to promote further research. Academic Library Development and Administration in China provides a resource to promote Sino-U.S. communication and collaboration between their academic libraries. In considering the relationship between China and the West, this publication serves as a timely reflection on the expanding global field of information science. This publication is intended for librarians, researchers, university administrators, and information scientists in both the U.S. and China.

The central purpose of this collection of essays is to make a creative addition to the debates surrounding the cultural heritage domain. In the 21st century the world faces epochal changes which affect every part of society, including the arenas in which cultural heritage is made, held, collected, curated, exhibited, or simply exists. The book is about these changes; about the decentring of culture and cultural heritage away from institutional structures towards the individual; about the questions which the advent of digital technologies is demanding that we ask and answer in relation to how we understand, collect and make available Europe’s cultural heritage. Cultural heritage has enormous potential in terms of its contribution to improving the quality of life for people, understanding the past, assisting territorial cohesion, driving economic growth, opening up employment opportunities and supporting wider developments such as improvements in education and in artistic careers. Given that spectrum of possible benefits to society, the range of studies that follow here are intended to be a resource and stimulus to help inform not just professionals in the sector but all those with an interest in cultural heritage.

The papers collected in this volume were presented at the conference entitled "Library Management and Marketing in a Multicultural World" in Shanghai, China from August 16-17, 2006, held under the auspices of the Marketing and Management Section of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). This book addresses some of the latest developments in the marketing and management of libraries worldwide, recognizing the challenges to meet local needs in a global, information society. The authors used different approaches to identify trends, opportunities and needs as well as effectiveness and assessment in countries ranging from Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Greece, India, Pakistan, Spain, the United States and elsewhere throughout the world. Several authors describe successful programs designed to promote libraries within a community, nation, or academic community. Others report on trends and changes taking place within the user community and present case studies on the response of libraries to meet challenges and opportunities - through marketing and management.

This book presents new trends to optimize e-Government in various contexts. It aims to highlight new methods and approaches that unveil the potential of data for public services. The book also illustrates how public services can be mathematically modeled with many case studies. Then, algorithms are proposed to optimize their functioning and to better contribute to the general interest, such as education, health care, safety, security, or culture. The book also focuses on protecting citizens' personal data and obtaining their explicit consent. The book is suitable for students and academics aiming to build up their background on the usage of data and algorithms through various techniques, including artificial intelligence. The book is used as a reference book for teaching a graduate course on e-Government, Process Modeling, or Artificial Intelligence. Besides its use in academia, this book is used by civil servants of every domain and citizens who aim to understand the ongoing modernization of public services.

This book outlines and evaluates the digital reference services in libraries worldwide. The work is based on an international collaborative project between two groups from German and Chinese institutions, during which digital reference services provided by nearly 200 libraries all over the world were evaluated. The book also examines the reasons for the resulting differences; it also contains more generic proposals and perspectives on digital reference services. - An international, evaluative approach is taken - Includes unique information - which has never before being gathered and evaluated - Includes a brief introduction to the basic knowledge and development in the field of digital reference service in the library