NCERTNCERT · Library & Documentation DivisionInnovative & Sustainable Library Practices · NEP 2020
Training Manual 2026–27
Innovative & Sustainable Library Practices
Module08

Digital Stewardship · Resource Management

Digital Resource Management

E-resources are now essential foundations of modern education — available 24×7, searchable and shareable. This module covers managing digital resources, the major national learning platforms, organisation via web tools and social media, cyber-security, ethics and digital literacy.

7 learning objectives5 sectionsModule 8 of 11
Digital Resource Managemente-PathshalaNDLISWAYAMSWAYAM PrabhaDIKSHANISHTHAe-PG PathshalaDigital LiteracyCybersecurityCreative CommonsOERVirtual LabsLMS/DLMSWeb-OPACMOOCs

Learning objectives

Tap each objective as you work through the module to track your progress.

  • Know different types of digital learning resources.
  • Understand the concept of digital resource management in modern libraries.
  • Explore different digital learning platforms.
  • Demonstrate competencies in organising and disseminating digital resources.
  • Train teachers, librarians and learners in digital-literacy skills.
  • Address challenges in digital resource management.
  • Align library practices with NEP 2020’s vision for accessible, equitable education.
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8.1

Introduction

Electronic resources are available 24×7 from anywhere, offering unmatched flexibility and the ability to search, highlight and reuse content. Open-access resources ensure inclusivity, while paid platforms provide specialised research content. After NEP 2020, initiatives like Jaadui Pitara, e-Pathshala, DIKSHA, NDLI, SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha and PM e-VIDYA bring free, high-quality digital resources to students and teachers nationwide. E-resources are not just supporting tools but essential foundations of modern education.

Digital and e-resources are essentially synonymous — information created, stored or transmitted in digital form (text, images, audio, video, multimedia, data sets). Coverage spans textual (e-books, e-journals, reports), multimedia (audio, video, AR/VR), interactive (simulations, MOOCs, OER), databases (ERIC, JSTOR, Scopus) and repositories/platforms (e-Pathshala, NDLI, DIKSHA, SWAYAM).

Step-by-step management of digital resources

  • Acquisition & digitisation: convert physical materials (scanning, photography) and acquire new digital resources from publishers.
  • Cataloguing & organisation: use Library Management Systems (LMS) to catalogue and systematically organise digital assets.
  • Access & dissemination: provide access via the library’s web interface (Web-OPAC) using IP-based or user-ID/password methods.
  • Promotion: publicise holdings through the library website, blog and social media.
  • Storage & preservation: store on cloud data centres with periodic technology migration and refreshing for long-term accessibility.
8.2

Digital Learning Platforms

Digital learning platforms ensure anytime, anywhere access aligned with NEP 2020’s emphasis on technology-enabled learning, OER and equitable access. Several national initiatives serve this vision:

  • e-Pathshala — a joint MoE–NCERT initiative disseminating textbooks (pre-primary to Class XII), teacher manuals and audio/video materials as OER, with no registration required.
  • National Digital Library of India (NDLI) — a single-window virtual repository of books, articles, manuscripts, video lectures and simulations across levels and languages, maintained by IIT Kharagpur.
  • SWAYAM — hosts courses from Class 9 to post-graduation to achieve NEP 2020’s principles of access, equity and quality, with free certification.
  • SWAYAM Prabha — a group of 32 DTH channels telecasting high-quality educational programmes 24×7 using the GSAT-15 satellite.
  • e-PG Pathshala — high-quality, curriculum-based interactive e-content in 70 subjects, executed by UGC through INFLIBNET.
  • NISHTHA — an integrated teacher-training programme to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level.
  • DIKSHA — a national platform for school education by NCERT under MoE, launched in 2017 and currently supporting 36 Indian languages.
8.3

Organisation and Management using Web Tools and Social Media

Subject-wise e-resources — digital collections organised by discipline — ensure easy, discipline-specific access for students, teachers and researchers, spanning Education, B.Ed courseware, Pedagogy, Humanities, Social Science, Science, Virtual Labs, AR/VR content, AI-generated content and interactive content. Organising resources subject-wise reduces information overload and supports effective teaching-learning.

Social media for resource sharing

  • WhatsApp & Telegram for quick updates to teachers.
  • YouTube for tutorials on NDLI and DIKSHA usage.
  • Facebook & Twitter for event announcements and awareness campaigns.
  • Podcasts & blogs for subject-focused sharing.
8.4

Cyber-security and Ethical Use of Digital Resources

  • Cyber-security practices: install antivirus and firewall protection; use strong passwords and two-factor authentication; back up data regularly; and train users about phishing scams.
  • Ethical use: respect copyright laws; encourage proper citation and referencing; train users to avoid plagiarism; and promote Creative Commons (CC) resources.
8.5

Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is the ability to effectively and responsibly use digital technologies to access, evaluate, create and communicate information — going beyond basic computer skills to include online research, safe internet habits, managing digital identities and ethical digital citizenship.

  • Competencies: search skills (Boolean operators), evaluating source credibility, collaboration (Google Docs, MS Teams) and digital citizenship and online safety.
  • Promotion: orientation workshops, a Digital Literacy Corner, access to assistive technologies, and step-by-step guides for platforms like NDLI and DIKSHA.

Conclusion

Digital resource management has become the cornerstone of 21st-century libraries, transforming them into dynamic centres of knowledge creation, collaboration and lifelong learning. Integrating DIKSHA, e-Pathshala, SWAYAM, NDLI and SWAYAM Prabha ensures equitable access across geographical, linguistic and socio-economic barriers.

Effective organisation and dissemination — combined with attention to cyber-security, copyright compliance and ethical use, and the promotion of digital literacy — aligns directly with NEP 2020’s vision of technology-enabled, inclusive and learner-centric education. Digital resource management is not just a technical process but a strategic responsibility of libraries.

References

  1. American Library Association. (2020). Digital Literacy Framework for Libraries. ALA Digital Literacy Task Force.
  2. Bhattacharya, S., & Sharma, M. (2022). Integrating technology in libraries: A pathway towards NEP 2020 implementation. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 42(3), 210–218.
  3. Department of School Education and Literacy. (2020). NISHTHA. Government of India.
  4. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. (n.d.). National Digital Library of India (NDLI).
  5. Ministry of Education. (2020). National Education Policy 2020. Government of India.
  6. UNESCO. (2022). Guidelines for Open Educational Resources (OER) in Education. UNESCO Publishing.

From learning to practice

Apply & Practise

✎Project Work

1.Develop a subject-wise digital resource repository (in a spreadsheet) for a school library.

GuidanceCurate and organise links to e-resources by discipline (Education, Pedagogy, Science, Social Science, Virtual Labs and more), recording title, source platform, level, language, licence and a one-line description for each entry.

⚒Hands-on Activity · Build a Subject-Wise Digital Resource Shelf

Format Small groups (3–5)Time 40–50 minutes

Objective. Participants curate and organise a small subject-wise set of national-platform e-resources into a shareable repository, applying ethical-use and digital-literacy principles.

Materials
  • A device with internet (offline fallback: printed one-page overviews of e-Pathshala, NDLI, SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha and DIKSHA).
  • A blank repository template (columns: Subject, Resource Title, Platform, Level, Language, Licence/Access, One-line description).
  • A Creative Commons quick-reference card; sticky notes.
Steps
  1. Pick a subject and stage (5 min): each group selects one subject area and a school stage to build a resource shelf for.
  2. Source from platforms (15 min): locate at least six resources across e-Pathshala, NDLI, DIKSHA or SWAYAM, recording each in the template with its access method (open vs login).
  3. Apply ethical use (8 min): flag the licence/access for each entry and add a CC note where relevant; remove anything without clear reuse rights.
  4. Add a digital-literacy tip (7 min): write one search or source-evaluation tip students should use when finding resources on these platforms.
  5. Peer review (5 min): swap repositories; reviewers check that entries are open or clearly licensed and that descriptions are usable.
  6. Share (5 min): each group presents its shelf and names the single most useful resource for a teacher.
Deliverable. A completed subject-wise digital resource shelf of at least six curated, ethically-flagged entries, plus one digital-literacy search tip.
Debrief questions
  • Which national platform gave you the most usable open resources for your subject, and why?
  • What is the biggest risk when sharing digital resources with students, and how does the chapter’s ethical-use guidance address it?

☑Worksheet & Self-check

Tap an option to check your answer instantly. Short-answer model responses are drawn from the manual’s answer key.

Q1.SWAYAM was designed to achieve which three cardinal principles of NEP 2020?

Answer: B. SWAYAM is designed to achieve the three cardinal principles of NEP 2020 — access, equity and quality.

Q2.Which platform is described as a group of 32 DTH channels telecasting high-quality educational programmes 24×7 using the GSAT-15 satellite?

Answer: C. SWAYAM Prabha is a group of 32 DTH channels telecasting educational programmes 24×7 using the GSAT-15 satellite.

Q3.DIKSHA was launched in 2017 by which dignitary, and currently supports how many Indian languages?

Answer: C. DIKSHA was launched in 2017 by the Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, and currently supports 36 Indian languages.

Q4.Which of the following best describes the ethical-use practices for digital resources?

Answer: B. Ethical-use practices are respecting copyright laws, encouraging proper citation and referencing, training users to avoid plagiarism, and promoting Creative Commons resources.

Q5.Define digital literacy as described in the chapter, and list its key competencies.

Model answer. Digital literacy is the ability to effectively and responsibly use digital technologies, tools and platforms to access, evaluate, create and communicate information — going beyond basic computer skills. Key competencies include search skills (using Boolean operators), evaluating source credibility, collaboration using tools like Google Docs and MS Teams, and digital citizenship and online safety.

Q6.Describe the step-by-step method for managing digital resources in a library.

Model answer. Four main steps: (1) Acquisition and Digitisation — converting physical materials through scanning or acquiring new digital resources from publishers; (2) Cataloguing and Organisation — using a Library Management System to catalogue and organise digital assets systematically; (3) Access and Dissemination — users access e-resources through the library’s Web-OPAC via IP-enabled or user-ID/password methods; and (4) Storage and Preservation — storing assets on cloud data centres with periodic technology migration and refreshing for long-term accessibility.