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.
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