A brief overview of recently launched digital libraries of India

Abstract

Purpose This paper evaluates the different digital libraries (DLs) in India developed in the past two decades. These DLs help advance scholarship and facilitate the reading habits of their users. Many of these DLs have a rich collection of vernacular literature depicting India’s diverse cultural heritages and traditions. DLs in India also help in outreaching global researchers and knowledge seekers. Many diaspora communities use these DLs frequently and other stakeholders such as the international scholars interested in Indic civilization. This paper finally suggests a way forward to make operational DL initiatives discoverable to humans and machines with the adaptation of FAIR principles that make e-resources findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable for their discovery beyond respective DL portals. Design/methodology/approach This study used a desk survey of DL initiatives in India. Their salient features are obtained from their respective Web portals and social media profiles. Findings This study identified twelve operational DL initiatives in India. Out of them, the newest five DL initiatives are described in this paper. Originality/value This study reflects original findings on the newest five DL initiatives of India. These findings were not earlier reported in a journal article.