The NSDL: Use, Build, Join
What is a digital library?
A digital library is a coherent, organized collection of resources, usually accessible on the Web. These resources are more than a collection of online texts, and often represent artifacts that cannot be represented in print, such as large data sets. Digital libraries typically provide services such as search, browse, help and online community discussions. They may appear to be a single entity, but often link to other libraries or information services in an effort to present a unified view of a collection to the end user. Digital libraries often provide added value by supporting activities that brings together collections, services, and people in support of the full life cycle of creation, dissemination, use, and preservation of data, information, and knowledge. A more formal definition: digital library: "A managed environment of multimedia materials in digital form, designed for the benefit of its user population, structured to facilitate access to its contents, and equipped with aids to navigate the global network… with user and holding totally distributes, but managed as a coherent whole." - Mel Collier, International Symposium on Research, Development, and Practice in Digital Libraries 1997