建立一个数字图书馆，不应该是一项任务，更不应该是一种宿命，而应该是一种选择――基于多方思考后的理性选择。《数字图书馆工具箱》为思考提供了一个框架。
《数字图书馆工具箱》第三版 (The Digital Library Toolkit / by Dr. Peter Noerr. 3rd ed. Sun Microsystems, 2003. (PDF: 555K ; 151 p.) 是受Sun公司委托的图书馆白皮书之一，完成于2003年。作者Peter Noerr自言其中“未来”部分早已过时，但基本原理仍然可靠。
在起始部分，约占全文1/5篇幅，分类提出了“创建数字图书馆前要问的52个问题”(Questions to Ask Before Creating a Digital Library) 及可能的答案。
- 什么是… What Is …
- … 数字图书馆？a Digital Library?
- … 数字资料？Digital Material?
- … 技术尖端？the Bleeding Edge of Technology?
- … 自动标引？Automatic Indexing?
- 政策 Policy
- 需要数字图书馆吗？Is There a Need for a Digital Library?
- 是当前图书馆的扩展吗？Is the Current Library Expanding?
- 图书馆对特定项目重要吗？Is the Library Central to the Specific Project?
- 图书馆信息的价值？How Valuable is the Library&aposs Information?
- 信息在改变吗？Is the Information Changing?
- 图书馆或组织需要自己的数字图书馆吗？Do the Library or Organization Want an In-House Digital Library?
- 数字图书馆应当与传统图书馆共存吗？Should a Digital Library Coexist with a Conventional One?
- 目标是运行一个图书馆还是管理资料？Is the Object to Run a Library or Manage Material?
- 用户 Audience
- 用户对新的服务/资料有需求吗？Is There a Demand for New Services and/or Material?
- 市场大小已测定？Has the Market Been Sized?
- 用户构成？How is it Composed?
- 如何使用数字图书馆？How Will a Digital Library Be Used?
- 如何访问数字图书馆？How Will a Digital Library Be Accessed?
- 有竞争吗？Is There Competition?
- 理由 Reasons
- 扩展服务？To Expand Services?
- 使图书馆对组织更重要？To Make the Library More Central to the Organization?
- 产生收入？To Generate Income?
- 推广馆藏？To Promote Collections?
- 提升图书馆形象？To Raise the Library&aposs Profile?
- 迫于工作人员压力？Because of Staff Pressure?
- 其它选择 Alternatives
- 什么也不做？Do Nothing?
- 外包？Out-Source?
- 提供一个网关？Provide a Gateway?
- 费用 Costs
- 启动费用？What are Start-Up Costs?
- 持续费用？What are Ongoing Costs?
- 如何减少费用？How to Reduce Costs?
- 收入 Income
- 资料来源 Sources of Material
- 内部资料？Internal Sources?
- 档案及其它？Archives, Etc.?
- 外部原始资料？External Original Sources?
- 传送 Delivery
- 本地资料并传送？Local Material and Delivery?
- 代理传送？Proxy Delivery?
- 传送到何处？Where is it Delivered?
- 传送的持久性？How Permanent is the Delivery?
- 需要什么能力？What Capabilities are Required?
- 传送安全 Deliver Security
- 版权/知识产权 Copyright/IPR
- 谁拥有资料？Who Owns the Material?
- 复用与分发 Re-Use and Dissemination
- 收费？Charging?
- 部分传送？Partial Delivery?
- 作为代理？Act as an Agent?
- 公平使用 Fair Use
- 安全 Security
- 水印及其它保护 Watermarks and Other Protections
- 技术 Technology
- 标准？Standards?
- 专属解决方案 Proprietary Solutions
- 可升级性 Scalability
- 未来可能性 Future Possibilities
- 保存/处理 Preservation/Handling
- 资料不可替代？Is Material Irreplaceable?
- 资料有多种用途？Is the Material Multi-Use?
怎么最后一数，有54个问题？
BTW：今晚出发去北京参加2006数字图书馆前沿问题（发展战略与实践）高级研讨班。看图谋的访谈结果，心虚得很，纸上谈兵为自己壮行。