CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
Information technology is able to facilitate the revolution of changes, which optimize performance and profitability to companies because it provides solution to one of the key business and communication barriers; distance and difficulties associated with crossing them. Emergence of internet technologies has led to the death of distance and collapsed the entire world into a “global village”.
The virtual means many things to many people, but according to Encarta encyclopedia, virtual means something in effect even if not in reality or not conforming to the general accepted definition of term. Again it can be seen as used to describe a particle whose existence is suggested to explain observed phenomena but is not proved or directly observable.
Finally, it can be seen as simulated but computer for reasons of economics, convenience or performance.
The term “virtual library: emanates from virtual reality; the virtual reality is a system that enables one or more users to look more and react in a computer – simulated world. Various types of inference devices allow users to have the experiences of seeing, touching, picking up, and even manipulating virtual (simulated) objects. Virtual world and everything in them, (including computer images of the participants) are represented by mathematical models and computer programs Virtual world and everything in them, (including computer images of the participants) are represented by mathematical models and computer programs.
A library can be seen as a room, building or institution where a collection of books or other research materials is kept or a collection of books, newspapers, records, tapes, or other materials that are valuable for research or a collection of things for use on a computer, for example programs or diskettes, or a collection of routines or institutions used by a computer program.
But mere looking at all this our main aim on this project is to make a library look virtual; thereby making the collection of books and other research materials to be in electronic form, for global access across the globe term “virtual library”.
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In Nigeria as a developing country, most institutions large organizations are not yet able to create setup standard library for their organization especially schools (higher schools in the country), thereby making it difficult for their members to have access to research data and valuable materials. It also limits them from knowing what is happening in the globe. It is likely one of the major cause or out – dated knowledge that students suffer in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.
To cope with high pace technology in this information age, the researcher is prompted to provide an effective channel or medium that will serve as virtual library through which university students and organizations of different kinds can have access in any part of the world for retrieving information and for their knowledge update.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Computer being one of the newest development in technology, the populace failed to apprehend its multiples retrieving importance. This study will first:
Aim at utterly clearing off the misconceptions biases about computer and discouraging the boring method of creating awareness, which does not extend to a wide society.
To provide the globe with virtual library where they will go in need of vital and research information.
To create a virtual library that will be easily updated.
To minimize research time and make it more efficient.
To setup a virtual library where electronics books will be centralized.
PURPOSE OF STUDY
In the context of technological advancement, computer is playing a leading role and indispensable role. This is based on its ability to provide or perfume a lot of tasks.
Based on this, the purpose of this study is to discourage the manual and time wasted in the process of going through bookshelves in search of books or information or data(s) in the library and also to make research material available at a point.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of this study is to make people understand that virtual library is currently developing so that the society, becomes more dependent on it to store and obtain information quickly and effectively.
The students organizations and other institutions beginning to use the internet as a new method for awareness creation and information search.
This was what motivated me into embarking on this research work.
