What would you do if you were in need of a study material that is missing in your department’s library? Let me give you another scenario, imagine you needed to know something about Arc111 or another course you have to diligently prepare for since you have a test coming soon and you
cannot find a resource in the department’s library to help you with it, how would you go about it? What books or websites could help you? Now, this is where virtual libraries come into play. Virtual libraries are online databases that contain literature on all or almost all spheres of life.
Thanks to technology and its improvement over the years, they can be accessed through computers, tablets and smartphones. The best thing about these digital gadgets is that they allow you to search for information without having to leave your room. You can even access them at any time of the day or night.
In today’s world, we are always connected to these devices and we are constantly checking emails, browsing social media, checking out websites, watching videos, listening to music, and playing
games. We can also use these devices to learn more about subjects or topics that we are curious about. And truthfully, Virtual libraries are just one way to make this possible. There are many different types of virtual libraries available and some specialize in specific fields such as medicine, law, business, etc., while others cover a wide range of topics.
The two main categories of virtual libraries are; subscription based and free. Subscription based virtual libraries require users to pay a monthly fee in order to gain access to their content. While free virtual libraries offer unlimited access to their content. According to a report by the International Association of Virtual Learning Environments (IAVLE),
there are more than 2 million virtual learning environments available worldwide. In fact, IAVLE estimates that over half of universities have some form of virtual library.
How does a virtual library work?
When you log onto its website, you will see a list of categories such as “Articles”, “Books”, “Dictionaries”, etc. These categories are arranged according to their subject matter. For example, under the category “Articles“, you will find articles on various topics such as “History”,
“Economics”, etc. When you click on one of these categories, you will then be taken to a page with links to different articles. If you want to read an article, just click on it and it will open up in your browser.
What are the benefits of a virtual library?
There are many advantages to using a virtual library. Here are some of them:
The main advantage of using a virtual library is that it allows you to get hold of information quickly. It also saves you money because you don’t have to buy physical copies of books. Other
benefits include:
- Virtual libraries have immediate access to resources.
- There are no physical boundaries. As long as you have a mobile device and an internet connection, you can access them anytime and anywhere.
- Virtual libraries support different learning styles. This is so because the materials are available in various formats, tailored to the characteristics of the learner.
- Using a virtual library means that you won’t spend hours searching for information. Instead, you can simply browse through the information and pick what you need.
Virtual libraries are very useful, they provide easy access to information and save you lots of time. However, before you use them, make sure that you have a good internet connection. Also, ensure that you have enough space on your hard drive. If you do not have an access to a virtual library, I can recommend a few for you – Openlibrary.org,
Archive.org, pdfdrive.com. You can as well search for more online. To all students reading this, do not relent in your efforts to learn. See you at the top
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