Digital library issues in LIS education in Jászberény and in Szombathely

KOLTAY Tibor – ÖRDÖGNÉ KOVÁCS Mónika

Könyvtári Figyelő (Library Review) vol. 16 (52) 2006. no. 4. pp. 485–496.

The study analyses, how digital library issues are represented in the courses of LIS education in Hungary, particularly at the Szent István University’s Applied Philological Faculty (in Jászberény) and at the Berzsenyi Dániel College (in Szombathely).
The authors have followed the method of Bawden, Vilar and Zabukovec, comparing education and training for digital librarians in Slovenia and the UK.
As first, the Hungarian authors have defined the differences between electronic, virtual, digital and hybrid libraries. Based on the definition of the digital library they conclude that this theme should be discussed together with electronic library issues. The analysis of training programmes has shown that digital library issues are also included in other courses (e.g. in those for information brokers, school librarians, or on Internet resources and collection development, etc.).
In Jászberény the course Electronic libraries can be chosen as an optional one, and three courses of the Information broker module include also digital library aspects.
In Szombathely archiving techniques were studied already in the early nineties, since 1996 within the courses The Internet and Internet resources (later Web editing); now the digital library-related themes are part of the Electronic library course. Within the frame programme Information broker a special course was started under the title Digital content provision.
Digital library issues are present in both institutions’ programmes. As this theme is continuously developing and changing, it is very important to regularly adjust the content of courses and training to actual needs and international trends, and to take into account the practice of digital and electronic libraries in Hungary.