A survey of public needs for digital information service in libraries and museums

Purpose:The purpose of the research is to investigate public needs for digital information service in the Chinese libraries and museums and seek ways to help these public service institutions improve their service to meet user needs.Design/methodology/approach:An online questionnaire survey was used to study the publicneeds for digital information service provided by libraries and museums.A total of 474 valid questionnaires were retrieved for analysis.Findings:The primary purpose of using the digital library and museum service was for knowledge acquisition,followed by work or class assignment and leisure and entertainment.Users need one-stop information service that provides information and service in a more integrated form and allows cross-database searching as well.Research limitations:A majority of the respondents were young and middle-aged people who often use the Internet.We would need to increase our sample size and include different groups of users such as children and retirees to make the sample more representative.Practical implications:Libraries and museums should collaborate to provide the users with one-stop digital information service.Meanwhile,the research can serve as a reference source for the future studies of digital library and museum service.Originality/value:Few studies were published on the public needs for digital library and museum service in China.This study bridges the gap and contributes to our understanding of the Chinese users’ needs for digital information service in libraries and museums.

General review of National Digital Library development in the National Library of China

As an important part of National Digital Library(NDL),the National Digital Library Project(NDLP),which was launched in 2005,has attracted wide attention of the society in general.This paper introduces the general situation of the project from the following aspects,namely,the characteristics,objectives and contents.It also expounds on the basic ideas and the overall structure of the project and gives an introduction to the design of its basic platform,its application platform,its business management system and its standardization control system.In this paper,the digital resources construction and service delivery of the National Library of China(NLC)are introduced to cover both its present operation as well as those in conjunction with the opening of its new library building during its second-phase of library development.Finally,the most important and difficult point in the construction of the National Digital Library Project is analyzed from the following four perspectives:1)The long-term preservation of digital resources;2)the construction of knowledge organization system;3)the organic integration of the digital library and the traditional library;and 4)the risk of project management and system integration.

Digital Social Connectedness as a Lifeline for Older People: Use and Non-use of VinclesBCN During the Pandemic

This article presents the results of a study that evaluated VinclesBCN during COVID-19. This digital-based public social service aims to prevent loneliness and isolation in +65-year-old adults living in Barcelona. Through service user(N = 12) and professional(N = 6) interviews and a questionnaire with service users(N = 255), we demonstrate the pivotal role of digital connectedness in transforming VinclesBCN into a lifeline during the pandemic. The analysis revealed the importance of sociability, social support, and, especially, entertainment in coping with pandemic fatigue and facilitating social connectivity and support among users. Users engaged in activities such as sharing images, songs, memes, and daily greetings to provide proximity, sociability, and care among users, whether they belonged to preexisting groups or were newly introduced to the platform. It also facilitated the identification of individuals who needed companionship, comfort, or more specialized support. The findings emphasize the significance of entertainment as a resilience-building strategy during times of uncertainty. Despite the positive impact, not all users equally used the platform. Non-use was strongly associated with being a woman, having a low educational level, having preexisting social relationships, less time of enrolment in the platform, as well as a high perception of loneliness, poor self-reported health, and low mood. The article underscores the need for further research into older adults' digital engagement during crises, its role in building resilience, and advocating for inclusive digital interventions that take into account diverse older adults' needs and experiences in crisis contexts.