Virtual libraries supporting student learning

Virtual libraries supporting student learning

Virtual libraries are organized collections of digital information. They are constructed collections organized for a particular community of users, and they are designed to support the information needs of that community (Saracevic, 2000). Virtual libraries can offer resources from many sources, and in many formats, including audio and video. The items in these virtual collections do not have to reside on one server, but they share a common interface to assist the user in accessing the collection. The emphasis in virtual libraries is on organization and access, not on physical collections (Baldwin & Mitchell, 1996), and the design determines the type of learning that the virtual library supports.
School libraries can exist in two different spaces, a physical space and a virtual space. Each space enables different activities, and serves different purposes for learning (Bruce & Leander, 1997). Many libraries exist only in only one space, while others maintain a hybrid space, both a physical and virtual space, in recognition of the distinct information uses and learning activities that can occur within each environment. All libraries, whether virtual and physical, create an environment for learning (Abram, 1999).
This paper will explore the advantages of virtual libraries for student learning, the types of learning that can be supported in virtual library environments, the importance of design for enabling different types of learning, and the concerns with virtual libraries.