This paper is an attempt by the authors to share their experiences in equipping a young academic library with the information technologies needed to enhance services in a digital environment. After discussing the advent of digital libraries, the paper explores a progression of projects which make use of advancing technologies, from Web interfaces to XML metadata, and their effectiveness in a non-English (CJK) environment. These digital initiatives have become a core component of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Library’s service infrastructure, in addition to enhancing its traditional roles. The past ten years’ accelerating pace of technological change has had a tremendous impact on the provision of library services. Through this paper, the authors have provided one institution’s experiences both in benefiting from and contributing to these changes.
Edward F. Spodick, Ki-Tat Lam