Resource Sharing and Universal Access to Information using Cloud Computing Technology in Libraries

Abstract

As an emerging technology Cloud Computing provides various resources such as software as service, processing cycles, storage space. Cloud Computing technology has been developing rapidly; it receives widespread recognition among the higher education institutions, corporate sectors, MNCs, IT sectors. Cloud Computing is the currently evolving computing methodology, various organizations are moving their enterprise towards the cloud, the major cloud providers currently in the market are Google, Amazon, IBM, Oracle, Salesforce.com, and Microsoft. Cloud Computing technology came up as a revolution for libraries and is offering various opportunities for libraries to connect their services with clouds. Libraries may soon be creating and managing their own data centers. The libraries have been automated, networked and now moving towards paper-less or virtual libraries. Cloud Computing brings the major changes in the world of Information Communication Technology (ICT) because of its probable benefits such as reduced cost, accessible anywhere anytime as well as its elasticity and flexibility. This article introduces the concept, characteristics and recent development of Cloud Computing technology and its available services for the development of library services. An attempt has been taken to suggest the implementation of Cloud Computing technology for libraries.