Optical data storage is advancing rapidly as we move forward in the 21st Century.

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In this entry, we review the history, development and current status of digital library (DL) courses and programmes now being offered, mainly by universities/institutions with accredited programmes or courses by CILIP (the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) and ALA (American Library Association), and review the latest thinking and potential curriculum developments on the topic of how best to educate and train digital librarians. Trends in digital library education (DLE) are presented including: Data from four major and earlier studies relating to DLE, Main survey date: institutions offering DL programmes /courses as at the end of October 2006, Recent developments of DL curriculum (potential standard models) as at the end of June 2007.

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In this paper, we review and examine the current status of digital library education and compare the range of provision with that found in earlier studies [1,2,3]. It is found that the number of institutions offering programmes or courses in digital library education is still increasing. About 43% of these programmes or courses are stand-alone rather than integrated with wider material. The curriculum design and focused teaching areas appear more systematic and comprehensive than in earlier studies. Over half the institutions examined in this study have posted their detailed course information on-line. Most courses offered are now based on a combination of theory and practice, and are available at different levels. There are increasing opportunities for funding for developing new initiatives in digital library education. However, since digital library education is still at an early stage, an optimized model of best practice in digital library education has not yet emerged.

A magnetic force instrument is described which makes use of a differential interferometer which can be used with a very short length cantilever in the force detection assembly. Conventional methods work with cantilevers of a few millimetres in length, but are not suitable for the very much smaller commercial cantilevers which are now available. The instrument described contains novel features which enable it to be used with such cantilevers. Topographical images of calibration specimens and magnetic images of hard disk samples obtained using this instrument are presented.

Thin, optically semi-infinite films of amorphous TbFeCo and GdFeCo, suitable for magneto-optical recording, have been deposited by DC magnetron sputtering onto glass. Ellipsometric techniques have been used to determine the complex refractive index and complex magneto-optical parameter of the films in the wavelength range 400–900 nm, thus characterizing the materials. A review of the literature is presented and shows that the results for the TbFeCo films compare favourably with published results obtained from measurements conducted in situ, with the films protected with ZnS barrier layers. It is found that GdFeCo and TbFeCo are optically very similar, but magneto-optically the materials are quite different.