The International Conference on Asian Digital Libraries (ICADL) is an annual international forum for participants to exchange research results, innovative ideas, and state-of-the-art developments in digital libraries. Built upon the successes of the first four ICADL conferences, the 5th ICADL Conference in Singapore was aimed at further strengthening the position of ICADL as a premier digital library conference that draws high quality papers and presentations from all around the world, while meeting the needs and interests of digital library communities in the Asia-Pacific region. The theme of the conference, “Digital Libraries: People, Knowledge & Technology,” reflects the shared belief of the organizers that success in the development and implementation of digital libraries lies in the achievement of three key areas: the richness and depth of content to meet the needs of the communities they intend to serve; the technologies that are employed to build user-centered environments through organization, interaction, and provision of access to that content; and the human elements of management policies, maintenance, and vision necessary to keep pace with new content, new technologies, and changing user needs.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Asian Digital Libraries, ICADL 2003, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December 2003. The 68 revised full papers presented together with 15 poster abstracts and 3 invited papers were carefully reviewed from numerous submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on information retrieval techniques, multimedia digital libraries, data mining and digital libraries, machine architecture and organization, human resources and training, human-computer interaction, digital library infrastructure, building and using digital libraries, knowledge management, intellectual property rights and copyright, e-learning and mobile learning, data storage and retrieval, digital library services, content development, information retrieval and Asian languages, and metadata.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Asian Digital Libraries, ICADL 2003, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December 2003. The 68 revised full papers presented together with 15 poster abstracts and 3 invited papers were carefully reviewed from numerous submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on information retrieval techniques, multimedia digital libraries, data mining and digital libraries, machine architecture and organization, human resources and training, human-computer interaction, digital library infrastructure, building and using digital libraries, knowledge management, intellectual property rights and copyright, e-learning and mobile learning, data storage and retrieval, digital library services, content development, information retrieval and Asian languages, and metadata.

The proposed book emphasizes importance for a library to be flexible to changing needs and to adopt new technologies rapidly. If a library of today wants to achieve success, it must offer high quality service, the best possible satisfaction of requirements, and exhibit great flexibility in its activity. In order to achieve all these goals, it is necessary to attract specialists of a library to solving common problems. Today, people get their information online — often filtered through for-profit platforms. If a book isn’t online, it’s as if it doesn’t exist. Yet much of modern knowledge still exists only on the printed page, stored in libraries. Libraries haven’t met this digital demand, stymied by costs, e-book restrictions, policy risks, and missing infrastructure. We now have the technology and legal frameworks to transform our library system. The Internet Archive, working with library partners, proposes bringing millions of books online, through purchase or digitization, starting with the books most widely held and used in libraries and classrooms. With the emergence of new technologies, the traditional library, acting as a medium for sharing information, needs an integral refinement in its processes. This transformation will bring in efficiency and minimize human error in the processes with the help of smart gates, material location finder and smart check-out booth to automate the processes of controlling access, locating items as well as the issuing/returning of materials. However, the changeover to a smart library system might face several challenges like for instance the cost of implementing numerous high-frequency RFID readers at prime locations in the library. Another crucial challenge of this system will be the limitation of the equipment to achieve a more performing system. Highly sophisticated equipment will be required which will largely affect the cost. Smart library focuses on use of technology in a library and is designed to be very collaborative learning environment, where participants are encouraged to contribute ideas and information. Smart library improves traditional and non-traditional library services, improves users' library experience and enhances opportunities for students learning. Libraries are facing increased expectations from users, and challenge of developing technologies including: Web 2.0, e-books, digitations and a problem of archiving digital content. Web-based technology provides users and information professionals with powerful and flexible tools for information dissemination.

The proceeding focuses on the adoption and use of information and communication technology that have resulted in the globalization of information and knowledge resources in modern libraries. The diverse set of technological tools and resources to create, communicate, disseminate, store and manage information have been discussed. Other topics include semantic tools and techniques, collection development, data and content management in digital era, the role of the digital librarian and the next generation library management, ethics for professionals, licensing issues, information access, repository projects for organizations. The book covers information management, problems and prospects of digitization in scientific institutes, emerging technologies in e-library & technology enhanced e-learning, ethics for library professionals & users in the digital environment, technology enhanced services in digital environment.