The management of hybrid libraries

This review aims to clarify some terms and concepts surrounding the idea of the ‘digital library’. First a set of underlying assumptions, which are often implicit rather than explicit, are outlined, leading to an explication of terms and concepts which are often used nebulously, or with flatly different meanings. A typology of digital library research is described, based on Yates’ model of a library, and comprising three interlinked domains: informational, technological and social. A conceptual framework for digital libraries is developed on this basis.