DIGITAL RISKS. CASE STUDY ON DIGITIZATION PROJECTS OF THE LBUS LIBRARY

Abstract

Digital technologies changed all the social life domains in society, as we are now living in the digital era, in the information society or in an interconnected world. Besides the improvements in every day life, digital changes also brought inherent risks, from cyber-security, hacking, cyber-bullying, to the vulnerability of personal data, or the mental health consequences of information explosion.This article reviews the risks of the changes brought by the digital transformation on libraries in general, with examples of the LBUS Library, drawing from the last 10 years of development experience of informatic book management systems (electronic catalogue) and of the digital library system. A group of library experts took part in local cultural projects promoting the city of Sibiu, as well as in four major European projects focusing on “Europeana”, and developing highly valuable cultural, historical, and scientific digital collections. As relatively new and highly complex technical activities comprising a high volume of new information, the management of these projects also posed risks related to decision-making and to choosing the best solutions to ensure their success. We have identified and highlighted the major risks.