Feasibility of a primarily digital research library

This position paper explores the issues related to the feasibility of having a primarily digital research library support the teaching and research needs of a university. The Asian University for Women (AUW), a new university in Chittagong, Bangladesh, will open in September 2009. It must make a decision regarding the investment to be made in research resources to support the university. Mass digitization efforts now make it possible to consider establishing a research library that consists primarily of digital resources rather than print. There are, however, many issues that make this consideration quite complex and far from certain. In this paper we explore the issues at a preliminary level. We focus on four broad perspectives in order to begin addressing the complex interactions that must be considered in transitioning to a primarily digital research environment: technical, economic, policy and social issues. The purpose of this paper is to begin to explore a research agenda for transitioning from a model for libraries where resources are primarily print to one that is predominantly digital. Our research in this area is just beginning, so our purpose is to raise the issues rather than offer firm conclusions.