91647 - Digital Library

Learning outcomes

The course introduces the problems of creating, organizing, and accessing digital libraries. At the end of the course the student knows: the workflow of the digital library and its differences with the traditional library; the models and theories of the digital library; the issues of copyright and privacy; the new models of scientific communication. The student can identify user needs; create and manage a digital collection; understand the functioning of search engines and information architecture; evaluate and choose the different ways of preserving documents.

Course contents

Starting with a historical-conceptual excursus on the Digital Library, the course introduces the student to issues related to digital library services and practices.

The first part of the course will be devoted to the definition of the digital library and the analysis of models of digital library functions and services. Specifically, national and international standards and guidelines and examples of digital libraries will be presented.

The second part of the course is dedicated to the implementation of a practical exercise using the Omeka.net platform by students, after a presentation of the platform's functionality

Readings/Bibliography

Maria Teresa Biagetti, Le biblioteche digitali. Tipologie, funzionalità e modelli di sviluppo. Milano, Franco Angeli, 2019, only part I


Further teaching materials will be made available on the Virtual platform.

Suggested reading

Fabio Cusimano, Biblioteche digitali e IIIF. Caratteristiche, innovazioni e applicazioni. Merano: Bibliogramma, 2024

Non-attending students will add to the above-mentioned text:

Anna Maria Tammaro - Alberto Salarelli, La biblioteca digitale. Milano, Editrice Bibliografica, 2006.


Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching methods

Lectures, supported by in-depth discussions with experts; classroom exercises with teacher support.

Assessment methods

Oral exam, beginning with a subject choosen by the student. The exercise carried out during the course will be taken into account for evaluation purposes.

It will be evaluated very positive the student's ability to demonstrate the acquired knowledge in a personal and critical way, using an appropriate language.

The final assessment will be based on the following indications:

- insufficient: lack of basic knowledge and inability to produce a correct interpretation of texts and/or problems

- sufficient: possession of basic knowledge; interpretation mostly correct, but conducted with imprecision and little autonomy

- good: possession of intermediate level knowledge; interpretation fully correct, but not always precise and autonomous

- excellent: possession of knowledge at a high level; interpretation of problems not only correct but conducted with autonomy and precision. Excellent oral expression skills

Teaching tools

Materials used during the lectures, further reading and links to resources available online will be available on the Virtuale Platform

Office hours

See the website of Lucia Sardo