One of the desired objectives of integrating library and VLEs is the capacity for individualisation for the learner. There are a number of issues to deal with if this objective is to be realised. For instance one student cohort was found to be still having difficulties with the VLE after several months' use, manifesting itself in less than optimum use of the system. Evaluation work was still in progress, but it was suspected that this lower use was because the VLE environment was less flexible than it could be and did not allow effective cross-linking. This meant that students' expectations of easy access to resources were not met, and they had to spend a substantial amount of time going up and down hierarchies to access material.
In particular it should be recognised that the integration of digital libraries with VLEs will potentially bring together different student bodies with quite different ways of relating to both the VLE and to library services. There are messages from users that the VLE is not an environment which suits every student, particularly when the VLE software itself is not sufficiently flexible, robust or reliable to meet user needs. Considerations therefore include:
Forthcoming..... contributions gratefully received