Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to develop an understanding of the system development
lifecycle and its role in managing the development of digital library systems.
Design/methodology/approach – The article provides a conceptual analysis of the system
development lifecycle within the context of digital library system development.
Findings – The system development lifecycle concept has been broadly applied to system
development projects for many years. Project teams developing digital library systems can be more
effective if they understand the expectations and outcomes of each phase of the system development
lifecycle.
Originality/value – For librarians that do not have a formal system development background, this
article provides a concise and to-the-point overview of the various stages of the system development
lifecycle and the relationship of each phase to the development of a digital library system.
Keywords Digital libraries, Library systems
Paper type Viewpoint