The emergence of virtual library: A paradigm shift in knowledge resource management

• Author Details:   
• Gracy V Monteiro ^*

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The contention of this paper is that we are right amidst a crisis of identity of the roles of the library and librarian due to the fundamental changes in knowledge providing services world over because of digitalization. It is announcing the end of the road for the traditional concept of library and the role of all powerful librarians, who are thus far ranked very high in the echelons of academic hierarchy. Library is escaping from the clutches of librarians. Library will not exist as a place for storing, organizing and making easily available knowledge for the research student. Library will be an undefined space where the research scholar would wade through the web and through the good search engines, would locate and down load the material required by him in the digital form while being leisurely seated at his convenient abode, only linked to the system. These tremendous changes have necessitated the redefining of the limited role of a library. This state of affairs is already a reality in advanced countries. Even in Indian institutions of higher learning within next 10-20 years we all would be taken by the whirlwind of digitalization or we will fall out of the race of the world academic platform if we don’t act. It is time to redefine or sing requiem to the library science.

 Keywords: Virtual library, e-books, e-jounals, Libraries of future, Role of librarian, Role of libraries.