, INS2701 Assignment 1 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 2 2025 – DUE 15
August 2025; 100% CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Question 1
Scenario:
Imagine you are a librarian in a developing country where access to technology
and digital resources is limited due to financial constraints. Your library serves a
diverse population including students, researchers, and the general public, many of
whom do not own personal computers or have reliable internet access at home. The
library has been struggling to afford proprietary software for managing digital
resources, providing online cataloguing, and offering research tools to users. Many
patrons face challenges in accessing e-books, journals, and digital archives because
of expensive subscription-based platforms.
A non-profit organization has recently offered to help integrate Free and Open-
Source Software (FOSS) solutions to enhance the library's digital services. As a
library and information science expert, you are tasked with identifying specific
ways in which FOSS can help bridge the digital divide in your library and
community.
1.1
Considering the scenario above, discuss how Free and Open-Source Software
(FOSS) can help bridge the digital divide within the context of library and
information services. Provide practical examples to support your answer.
[15 marks]
Introduction
In low-resource contexts, the digital divide is widened by (a) the cost of licences,
(b) hardware obsolescence, (c) poor connectivity, and (d) limited local
skills/content. Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) directly addresses each of
these by eliminating licence fees, allowing deep customisation, encouraging
localisation, and enabling lightweight/offline deployments. Below are 15 concrete,
practice-grounded ways FOSS can narrow the divide for your library and its
community.
1) Affordable, full-featured Integrated Library Systems (ILS)
August 2025; 100% CORRECT AND TRUSTED SOLUTIONS
Question 1
Scenario:
Imagine you are a librarian in a developing country where access to technology
and digital resources is limited due to financial constraints. Your library serves a
diverse population including students, researchers, and the general public, many of
whom do not own personal computers or have reliable internet access at home. The
library has been struggling to afford proprietary software for managing digital
resources, providing online cataloguing, and offering research tools to users. Many
patrons face challenges in accessing e-books, journals, and digital archives because
of expensive subscription-based platforms.
A non-profit organization has recently offered to help integrate Free and Open-
Source Software (FOSS) solutions to enhance the library's digital services. As a
library and information science expert, you are tasked with identifying specific
ways in which FOSS can help bridge the digital divide in your library and
community.
1.1
Considering the scenario above, discuss how Free and Open-Source Software
(FOSS) can help bridge the digital divide within the context of library and
information services. Provide practical examples to support your answer.
[15 marks]
Introduction
In low-resource contexts, the digital divide is widened by (a) the cost of licences,
(b) hardware obsolescence, (c) poor connectivity, and (d) limited local
skills/content. Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) directly addresses each of
these by eliminating licence fees, allowing deep customisation, encouraging
localisation, and enabling lightweight/offline deployments. Below are 15 concrete,
practice-grounded ways FOSS can narrow the divide for your library and its
community.
1) Affordable, full-featured Integrated Library Systems (ILS)
