Abstract
The digital library is a socio-technical concept of great significance. It redefines the
relationships between information providers and intermediaries and, potentially, transforms
the way that services are delivered to users. This article, based on a British Library Research &
Innovation Centre funded study, reviews current themes and directions in digital library
research and scholarship. It locates the digital library in a simple work-oriented framework
emphasising its social as well as its systems and informational dimensions. The article
highlights differences in understanding of the digital library construct between the library and
computer science communities and identifies some critical areas for further research.