Master's Degree in Library Science and Information Studies.
"Automation applied to Information Services”

Specific central subject of the course: “Digital Libraries”

Language: This course is imparted in Spanish.

Objective: After completing the course, students will learn about the evolution from traditional to electronic, virtual, media, etc., libraries, up to digital, understanding their differences and similarities. They will be able to understand their concept, definitions, characterization and types. They will learn the various approaches used to achieve a comprehensive and holistic conceptualization of a digital library:

- Collections approach
- Services approach
- Users approach
- Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) approach

In particular, this course examines the first three approaches, in order to understand in detail the diagnosis, design, organization and operation of a digital library. The ICT approach is discussed briefly just to contextualize it with the other three. Given its magnitude, depth and detailed study of the technological approach is provided in the subject "Operating Systems and ICT Platforms".

During the study approaches the student will go deeper into additional issues such as development of digital collections and services, digitization of traditional collectiones, best practices in Web design for libraries, categorization and evaluation of users, the legal, social, and other aspects of libraries and collections, etc.

Upon completion of six modules or themes, students will know the state of the art of digital libraries and must understand comprehensively their four approaches and through them must be able to identify the characteristics of traditional, digital or hybrid libraries used to properlyconceptualize and design or evolve a traditional library into a digital one and/or improve their collections and services, and to evaluate and meet their users, and finally should be able to develop their own whole project.

Methodology: Readings, discussion, focused researchs, development and presentation of a final and complete digital library project by each student.

Duration: Six modules or themes about six hours each to carry out through 17-18 weeks.

Final evaluation: Each student will deliver a final written project at the end of the semester, and will present a summary thereof to the class.

Credits: 4

See detailed program of each module and final project guide in the left menu