Abstract:
Unprecedented desktop access to scholarly information has been made possible
by the introduction of digital libraries. The powerful combination of digital
publications, specialist and generalist databases, sophisticated search systems
and portals enables scholars and students to rapidly examine a great variety of
the literature in their own disciplines and those new to them. Access is available
globally 24 hours a day without geographical limitation.
But that access is not without limitations. It is limited by the availability of
reliable and affordable information and communication technologies. It is
limited to those scholars and students who are affiliated with organisations
which have the money and skills to provide access. It is limited to those who are
literate, information literate and have a command of the major languages of
commerce and scholarship (English in particular). In addition, contractual and
other bounds imposed by vendors exclude many potential users. In
combination, these limitations inhibit many scholars and students from using
digital scholarly information and can increase the marginalisation of the already
marginalised including, especially, indigenous peoples. This contradiction
between access for some and marginalisation for many poses many challenges
for libraries.
