The role of databases in the circulation of information in Egyptian public libraries: a case study on Maadi Public Library

Abstract

Information has now become one of the most important vital pillars that cannot be dispensed with in all fields, due to its importance in advancing the process of comprehensive and sustainable development. No one can deny the extent of rapid development and the massive accumulation in the amount of information and the speed of its circulation. If someone cannot follow this development and rapid succession in the accumulation of information, he will be called illiterate.

Therefore, there must be methods to control this huge amount of information. The illiterate is no longer someone who does not read or write, but rather “cultural illiteracy” has been added to this type of illiteracy. This type of illiteracy is the most dangerous type of illiteracy to which we are exposed today. Most of the countries of the world depend mainly on To use technology, science and theories and benefit from other civilizations and sciences in order to develop itself in all aspects of life.

Hence the role of information technology in activating and consolidating the role of information as a partner in life’s achievements and the developments of society, after it has been proven beyond any doubt that the basis of any development and progress in a field, industry, craft, or anything else depends in its construction and development on the amount of information available about this field. Or this industry, and here also comes the role of information technology in preserving and storing information and making it available in an easy and more advanced form than the paper form, and also safer for information and more space-saving, and this technology has different forms, including databases, which are the subject of this study.

This study reviews the role that databases play in public libraries as a source of information that provides a large amount of data, information and knowledge in a small spatial space (electronic computer) by analyzing the extent of the importance of databases in making information available to beneficiaries and the extent of their use in the Maadi Public Library.