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Saturday, September 23, 2023

Title: "Exploring the Essentials of Networking: From Ethernet to WiMAX"


BASICS OF NETWORK

Introduction:
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution has brought significant changes to how organizations operate. In today's networked environment, organizations often require multiple individuals, sometimes located in different places, to input and process data simultaneously. This shift has led to the adoption of computer networking models, replacing the traditional standalone computing approach.

Monday, September 11, 2023

Normative Principles: Laws, Canons and Principles

The Canon of Recall Value, devised by Dr. S.R. Ranganathan in 1969, is a result of research conducted at DRTC, Bangalore. It aims to address the challenges of identifying and recalling multiworded names of entities in library catalogs. Here's a breakdown of the key concepts related to Recall Value:

Sunday, September 10, 2023

TYPES AND FORMS OF CATALOGUES

INNER FORMS OF A CATALOGUE

There are three types of inner forms of a catalogue, viz. alphabetical, classified and alphabetico-classed. Author, Name, Title, Subject and Dictionary catalogue fall in the category of an alphabetical catalogue.

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Common MARC Tags in Library Cataloging

The tags used most frequently are:
010 tag marks the Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)
020 tag marks the International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
100 tag marks a Personal name main entry (author)

"Exploring FoxPro: A Comprehensive Guide to Database Management and Manipulation"

Introduction to FoxPro
FoxPro stands as a prominent Database Management System (DBMS) software for personal computers (PCs). It represents an upgraded and modernised version of the previously existing software, Forbase.

"Software for University Libraries (SOUL): A Comprehensive Integrated Library Management Solution"


Software for University Libraries (SOUL) is a cutting-edge integrated library management software developed by the INFLIBNET Centre to cater to the needs of college and university libraries. This user-friendly software operates within a client-server environment and has been designed to meet the specific requirements of academic institutions. It adheres to international standards for bibliographic formats, networking, and circulation protocols, ensuring seamless compatibility.

"Overview of Computer Networks: Types, Components, and Data Transmission"

Introduction:
A network is analogous to an interconnected web of lines, facilitating communication across the world within seconds. It's a system where computers are linked by transmission channels to communicate with each other.

CD-ROM Technology

Introduction:

CD-ROM, which stands for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, is a type of laser disc developed through a partnership between Philips and Sony. The CD-ROM is composed of a combination of Plexiglas and aluminum, with a thickness of 1.2mm. It features a diameter of 12 cm.

Meaning:

CD-ROMs have gained prominence as a medium for storing bibliographic information. The acronym CD-ROM originally referred to Compact Disc Read Only Memory, familiar to many information professionals who were acquainted with compact discs before the advent of CD-ROM technology.

Friday, August 25, 2023

Micro CDS/ISIS Brief

 Micro CDS/ISIS is an advanced software designed by UNESCO in 1985 to cater to the information storage and retrieval needs of institutions, particularly in developing countries. Its aim is to streamline information processing using cost-effective modern technologies. This software evolved from the mainframe version of CDS/ISIS from the late '60s.


Key Features:

- Handles variable length records, fields, and sub-fields, optimizing disk space and accommodating larger bibliographic data.
- Comprises a database definition component to specify data for specific applications.
- Offers a data entry component with user-configurable worksheets.
- Provides a robust information retrieval component with a potent search language, including field-level, proximity, and Boolean search techniques, alongside free-text searching.
- Features a versatile report generator to create catalogues, indexes, etc., in desired formats.
- Supports data interchange using ISO 2709 standard format.
- Integrates an application programming language (CDS/ISIS Pascal) for customization.
- Facilitates building pseudo-relational databases.
- Interfaces with IDAMS software for statistical analysis.
- Offers multi-lingual support in English, French, and Spanish versions.

CDS/ISIS Short Notes

 The Computerized Documentation Service/

Integrated Set of Information Systems (CDS/ISIS)


The Computerized Documentation Service/Integrated Set of Information Systems (CDS/ISIS) is a comprehensive information storage and retrieval software framework that was first introduced in 1985. It was developed under the auspices of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. CDS/ISIS encompasses a generalized system for efficiently storing and retrieving diverse forms of information. Its initial release was in a DOS-based environment, with subsequent advancements leading to the distribution of a Windows version known as WINISIS. The latter iteration of WINISIS underwent preliminary testing in May 1995, followed by its official release in November 1998.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Scientific Management: The Legacy of Frederick W. Taylor (1850-1915)

Scientific Management: The Legacy of Frederick W. Taylor (1850-1915)

Scientific management finds its essence deeply intertwined with the teachings and methodologies of Frederick W. Taylor. Throughout his lifetime, Taylor dedicated himself to enhancing production efficiency, not solely to reduce costs and amplify profits, but also to pave the way for improved wages through heightened worker productivity. Coined as "scientific management," this term encapsulates the principles and practices that emanated from the collaborative efforts of Taylor and his disciples, including Carl George Berth, Henry L. Gantt, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, among others. This paradigm is characterized by an unwavering dedication to efficiency and systematic approaches in management.


It is important to distinguish scientific management from management science, which involves the application of mathematical modeling in managerial decision-making and stands distinct from the foundational concepts of scientific management.

Certainly! Here's a concise summary of the three schools of management thought as you've described:

Monday, August 21, 2023

"Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez: 2023 Public Library of the Year"

Public Library of the Year Award 2023:

The winner of the Public Library of the Year Award for 2023 is the Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez from Spain. This prestigious recognition was announced at the 88th IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) conference. The other libraries that were nominated for this award were:

- Public Library Janez Vajkard Valvasor Krško (Slovenia)
- Parramatta Library (Australia)
- Shanghai Library East (China)

However, the Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez stood out and secured the title of Public Library of the Year for its exceptional contributions and services in the library field.

Saturday, August 19, 2023

BUDGETING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES


"Within the framework of financial management for libraries, the budget stands as a central aspect. The budget, essentially a statement of income and expenditure, serves as a guiding document for managing funds allocated over a period of time. Beyond its financial role, the budget serves as a tool for control, communication, coordination, evaluation, and motivation.

    Budgeting, a managerial function covered under POSDCORB in (Principles and Functions of Management), holds significance as both a planning instrument and a control mechanism. It functions as a plan document by projecting financial plans for the library's future and acts as a control mechanism by facilitating budgetary control. This control helps monitor performance against the plan, making it possible to rectify any deviations from performance targets.


    A budget serves as a roadmap, outlining the provision of library services in the coming years and forming the fiscal foundation for library operations. It offers the opportunity to secure necessary funding for existing services while also seeking supplemental support for expanding services or accommodating increased use. The budget functions as a means to monitor required revenues and track expenses that can be reported. It encompasses detailed cost factors for each activity, incorporating projections for future growth and the commitments of library services. Due to the financial implications, standards for operational procedures are also essential."

Friday, August 18, 2023

CONCEPT, DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF LIBRARY MANAGEMENT

  

1. Introduction : Management refers to series of functions for the organisation and administration of  various activities and people in the organisation. If we study the working of the  existing organisations all over the world, some are highly successful; some are  striving hard for success while some are unsuccessful. There are certain factors  influencing their success. Mangers apply the principles of management which are  universal in character. They plan, organize, integrate and inter–relate organizational activities and resources for the purpose of accomplishing the objectives. 

Management is essential for all types of organisations and libraries are no exception.  Management techniques in libraries have their origin in mid 1950’s. Prior to this,  libraries had very limited financial resources and limited services. Now libraries exist  in great variety. These vary in size, goals, structural pattern, financial resources, staff  and many other characteristics. From management point of view, these very in  management style, morale of the staff, environment for innovation etc. Now a variety  of information and communication technologies are available as means to improve  library services and operations. 

Tuesday, August 08, 2023

Library, Information and Society

Introduction

 Information and knowledge drive society's development. Humans, known for their intelligence, gather information, turn it into knowledge, and use it to improve lives. Initially, knowledge was shared orally, but as it grew, people started writing it down. These written records became known as documents. As society progressed, knowledge expanded, leading to the rise of civilizations. Civilizations brought educational, political, and cultural organizations, boosting human intellectual activities. Printing technology marked a major milestone in preserving and sharing knowledge.

Amid these developments, the concept of a library emerged. Libraries became places to store and share knowledge, ensuring its transfer to future generations.

Basics of Research Methodology



Introduction:

    Research plays a vital role in human progress. It's like a tool we use to find out the truth about things. It's not just searching for answers, but a deep and focused search. Research helps us find solutions by using the scientific method, which is a key part of every field of study. It's how we investigate and learn new things.

    Ranganathan elaborates and elucidates the meaning of research as a “critical and exhaustive investigation to discover new facts, to interpret them in the light of the known ideas – laws and theories – to revise the current laws and theories in the light of the newly discovered facts and to apply the conclusions to some practical purpose”.

    "Research" is a purposeful intellectual activity aimed at exploring a phenomenon to expand existing knowledge. It involves systematically collecting, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data to solve societal problems. This becomes scientific when specific methods are used to gather, record, measure, and analyze data in a research cycle – from problem selection to final report writing. In essence, it's a systematic thinking process and scientific method for studying problems and finding solutions. However, research design, application, and outcome may differ across subjects.

Sunday, August 06, 2023

Important Steps in Research Process

STEPS IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS

The process of research invariably consists of three stages – the primary stage,

secondary stage and final stage. Each of these stages consist of several steps and

thus the any research process comprises the following steps:

i) Identifying and Formulating the Research Problem

ii) Defining the objectives

iii) Formulation of Hypotheses

iv) Literature Review

v) Research Design

vi) Sample Design

vii) Data Collection

viii) Analysis and Interpretation of Data

ix) Writing Research Report

x) Conclusions

Saturday, August 05, 2023

PERT and CPM

 PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) was created in 1958 by the United States Navy and Booz-Allen & Hamilton. It's a statistical tool for project management that analyzes tasks in a project. PERT is used for time management, system analysis, and is an evolution of the Gantt chart. It consists of planning, scheduling, and controlling phases and provides estimates for optimistic, pessimistic, and likely timeframes.


CPM (Critical Path Method) stands for Critical Path Method and was developed in 1950 by Morgan R. Walker at Du Pont Company and James E. Kelley at Remington Rand. CPM is an algorithm used to schedule project activities, often paired with PERT. It visualizes the flow and sequence of activities and is valuable for scheduling in libraries and publication operations. PERT/CPM networks have two main components: activities (representing actions and resource consumption) depicted by arrows, and events (beginning and end points) represented by circles.


CONCEPTS AND SCHOOLS OF MANAGEMENT THOUGHT

 Management encompasses various definitions and applications, adapting to different contexts. It draws from verbs like organizing, controlling, handling, and executing for specific purposes. Its scope includes:


1. Occupational Group: A collective term for people engaged in managerial tasks and functions. This can refer to the entire group or individuals within it.

2. Individual Management Role: Pertains to an individual performing managerial functions or being part of a management-focused group.

3. Academic Discipline: An area of specialization that imparts knowledge and skills in management.

4. Process of Activities: Management involves a series of specific activities or functions, serving as a science and an art.

   

Management is a blend of science and art. Effective managers employ a scientific approach, establishing philosophies, principles, and practices for application. While it shares commonalities with social sciences like psychology and sociology, it's distinct. As an art, management is about executing organizational functions through people.


An ancient practice, management is essential wherever organized human activities exist. It is crucial for both goods-producing and service-performing tasks, across diverse private and public organizations, regardless of size. Management helps achieve organizational and personal goals, balancing conflicting objectives, and ensuring efficiency and effectiveness.


In broad terms, management involves collaborating with people to define, interpret, and attain organizational goals. This is achieved through functions like planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. It encompasses processes such as decision-making, problem-solving, and action-planning, all of which involve managing resources like human, financial, material, and time.


It's important to differentiate between management and administration. Management encompasses planning, initiating actions, and monitoring, serving as a policy-making and policy-control process. In contrast, administration centers on implementing policies, procedures, rules, and regulations set by management.

CONCEPT, DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF LIBRARY MANAGEMENT

     Management involves systematic functions for organizing and overseeing activities and staff within an organization, including libraries. Management techniques in libraries started around the mid-1950s and have grown as libraries expanded in size, resources, finances, and staff.

Efficient management improves effectiveness, quality, cost-efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction. Chief Librarians, especially in large academic or public libraries, require strong management skills. Specialized libraries with diverse document formats also apply scientific management principles.

Today, librarians face challenges due to competition and evolving technology. Therefore, effective management is crucial for libraries of all types and sizes, regardless of location.

ADINET - The Ahmedabad Library Network

ADINET, recognized as the Ahmedabad Library Network, represents an assemblage of libraries situated within the vicinity of Ahmedabad. In the month of October, 1994, ADINET was formally established as a registered Society. Its establishment was made possible through the support of the National Information System for Science and Technology (NISSAT), an initiative under the aegis of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, functioning within the purview of the Government of India.

The foundational goals of ADINET encompass the cultivation of a collaborative modality of operation among diverse libraries and information centers located in the proximate environs of Ahmedabad. At its core, ADINET seeks to foster the spirit of resource sharing and the effective dissemination of information among its constituent member libraries, achieved through the mechanism of network integration. A pivotal endeavor of ADINET involves the creation and maintenance of a centralized Union catalogue, which amalgamates the collective holdings of its member institutions. This orchestrated consolidation serves to streamline the processes of information access and retrieval.

CALIBNET

In its revised operational strategy, CALIBNET has embraced two distinct methodologies, namely the centralized network typology and the information center approach, utilizing E-mail services as a primary avenue for dissemination. The CALIBNET framework encompasses an array of facilities and provisions, including the deployment of a library automation and networking software known as "MAITRAYEE," developed through collaboration with CMC Limited. The network facilitates access to CD-ROM databases such as LCMARC, Bibliofile, and Inside Information. Additionally, CALIBNET extends its services through the ERNET local hub at the NSC, furnishing an E-mail linkage termed "CAUBLINK" to member libraries. Among the suite of offerings are retrospective catalog conversion, real-time journal content access, selective information distribution (ConAlert), and comprehensive training initiatives in emerging information science domains.

Positioned as a multi-type library network, CALIBNET extends its membership eligibility to both institutional entities and individuals. Notably, CALIBNET extends an assortment of resources to its participating constituents and the wider user community, including a compendium of Newspapers & Journals, electronic reference tools, factual information repositories, document procurement services, on-demand information dissemination, consultation services for library automation, avenues for manpower development, and a platform for Research & Development endeavors within the realm of Information Technology applications.

"Info-Port: A Subject Gateway to Indian Scholarly Internet Resources"

"Info-Port: A Subject Gateway to Indian Scholarly Internet Resources" is an initiative by the INFLIBNET Centre aimed at providing a comprehensive gateway to diverse Indian scholarly content available on the internet. This InfoPortal serves as an integrated interface facilitating search, browsing, and comprehensive listing of over 1,700 electronic resources. The underlying framework for this platform is the "Subject Gateway Management System (SGMS)," a bespoke hosting system crafted and implemented at the INFLIBNET Centre. The purpose of this system is to efficiently consolidate and present the dispersed landscape of Indian scholarly content, enhancing accessibility and usability for researchers and scholars."

The VIDWAN Database

The VIDWAN database constitutes a preeminent repository encompassing comprehensive profiles of distinguished scientists, researchers, and faculty members actively engaged in scholarly pursuits within esteemed academic institutions and prominent research and development establishments across India. Commenced in the year 2012, this database serves as an invaluable resource furnishing pertinent details pertaining to the professional trajectory, contact particulars, proficiencies, and noteworthy achievements of these subject-matter experts. Notably, the repository encompasses a robust compilation of over 9,000 profiles, collectively representing a diverse spectrum of domains, emanating from a cohort of 650 distinct educational and research entities.

N-LIST (National Library and Information Services Infrastructure for Scholarly Content) initiative constitutes a comprehensive framework aimed at the provision of scholarly content and information services at a national level.

The initiative known as the "National Library and Information Services Infrastructure for Scholarly Content (N-LIST)" is a collaborative effort involving the UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium, INFLIBNET Centre, and the INDESTAICTE Consortium at IIT Delhi. This endeavor aims to facilitate access to scholarly content for educational institutions such as colleges, universities, and centrally funded technical institutions. The N-LIST project is comprised of four distinct components: 

i) Provision of UGC-INFONET e-resources to technical institutions, including IITs, IISc, IISERs, and NITs.
ii) Dissemination of INDEST e-resources to universities.
iii) Delivery of e-resources to government, government-aided, and non-aided colleges.
iv) Establishment of a National Monitoring Agency based at the INFLIBNET Centre. This agency oversees access management, monitoring, promotion, and training to ensure optimal utilization of e-resources, along with supervising all aspects of the process to provide efficient access to these resources within colleges.

The N-LIST initiative was officially inaugurated on May 4th, 2010, by the former Honourable Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Kapil Sibal, at Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi. By June 1, 2013, a total of 3,328 colleges were enrolled in the program, with 3,031 eligible colleges already benefiting from the resources offered under the N-LIST framework.

INFLIBNET: Shodhganga, A Reservoir of Indian Theses:

Shodhganga serves as a prominent digital repository established to facilitate the submission of electronic renditions of theses and dissertations authored by research scholars affiliated with Indian universities. The primary objective of this repository is to grant unrestricted access, within the realm of open academia, to the global academic community. This initiative stems from the directive laid out by the University Grants Commission (UGC) Notification of 2009, specifically pertaining to the 'Minimum Standards & Procedure for Award of M.Phil. / Ph.D Degree', wherein the onus of curating the digital repository of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) is entrusted to the INFLIBNET Centre.

ShodhGanga operates on the technological framework of Dspace, a platform recognized internationally for its adherence to established protocols and interoperability standards. The repository's web portal, ShodhGanga Website, constitutes a comprehensive resource offering pertinent information to students, research supervisors, and university authorities. It encompasses a range of topics, including but not limited to the obligations of stakeholders, access guidelines, procedures for submission, and the structural framework of metadata associated with ETDs.

"ShodhGangotri: A Repository of Synopsis Submitted to Indian Universities for Enrollment in Ph.D. Programs"
The initiative known as "ShodhGangotri" serves as a complementary endeavor to the pre-existing "ShodhGanga" platform. While "ShodhGanga" functions as a comprehensive repository housing complete theses submitted to universities across India, "ShodhGangotri" is specifically designed to accommodate endorsed research synopses tendered by aspiring scholars seeking enrollment into the Ph.D. program within Indian universities. In pursuance of this novel initiative, designated research scholars and their supervisors within university settings are urged to furnish electronic versions of the officially sanctioned research synopses, which are pivotal for the purpose of enrollment into the Ph.D. program.

The repository established under the aegis of "ShodhGangotri" serves a dual purpose: firstly, it serves as a medium through which prevailing research trends and trajectories within Indian academic institutions are discernible, and secondly, it functions to mitigate the likelihood of research redundancy and overlap. It is worth noting that the synopses archived within the "ShodhGangotri" repository will subsequently be correlated with the comprehensive full-text theses accessible through the "ShodhGanga" repository.



NISCAIR: Now NIScPR

NISCAIR: Now NIScPR (NISCAIR+ NISTADS).

The National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR), located at New Delhi, India, was an information science institute in India founded in 2002. In 2021, the institute was merged with National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies to form National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR)

Tuesday, August 01, 2023

Basic Abbrivation

ARPANET :  Advanced Research Projects Agency Network 

BITNET  : Because It's Time NETwork

DARPA : Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency 

DNS: Domain Name Server 

HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language

HTTP : HyperText Transport Protocol 

IRC: Internet Relay Chat 

ISDN:  Integrated Services Digital Network 

ISP: Internet Service Provider 10 OSI Open Systems Interconnection 

SMTP:  Simple Mail Transport Protocol 

TCP/IP :Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol 

URL: Uniform Resource Locator 

GUI: Graphical user interface












 

Development of catalogue codes year wise

Development of catalogue codes

1 British Museum Code (1841)

2 Charles C. Jewett Code (1852)

3 Rules for Dictionary Catalogue (1876)

4 The Prussian Instructions (1899)

5 Dziatizka Code (1886)

6 Anglo-American Code (1908)

7 Vatican Code (1931)

8 ALA Rules (1949)

9 Classified Catalogue Code, Ed 5 (1964)

10 AACR-1 (1967)

11 AACR-2 (1978)

12 AACR-2R (1988)

13 RDA (2003)



Source: Epg Patashala

Saturday, July 29, 2023

National Library Day - Events & Celebrations

Events & Celebrations

National Library Day - 14th November

National Librarian's Day - 12th August

National Library Week - 14th-20th November

National Reading Day - 19th June

National Reading Month - 19th June 18th July 

World Book & Copyright Day - 23rd April

International Literacy Day - 8th September

Book lovers day - 9th August



Friday, July 28, 2023

National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR)

NISCAIR, New Delhi, was established on 30th September 2002 after the merger of NISCOM and INSDOC, both dedicated to the dissemination and documentation of S&T information. They were part of CSIR.


INSDOC, established in 1952, provided S&T information and documentation services, including abstracting, database development, translation, and human resource development. It hosted the National Science Library and the SAARC Documentation Centre. NISCOM, formerly PID, emerged in 1996, offering various information products, such as research and popular science journals, encyclopaedic publications, and books, catering to diverse audiences.

NISCAIR, a premier institute of CSIR, utilizes modern IT infrastructure to serve society. Its focus areas include knowledge networking, natural resource databases, science communication, popularization, and S&T information management. Activities are categorized as Information Products and Services, Information Resources, and Projects.


Mission: NISCAIR's mission: Custodian of knowledge, promoting science communication using appropriate tech.

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Indian National Bibliography

    The first issue of INB “Quarterly” brought out but central Reference Library, Calcutta, was released on 15th august 1958 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Since 1964, it has been published as monthly and cumulated every year. It works as a subordinate office of the ministry of culture GoI. 

 

“B.S. Kesavan is called as Father of INB”
           (First Librarian after Independent) 
 

“INB comes under secondary sources”

Computerized INB Brought out in June 2000 using Libsys Software and GIST Technology 

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Libraries and information networks List in Indian

  • The Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET);
  • The Delhi Library Network (DELNET);
  • The Biotechnology Information System (BTIS);
  • The Scientific and Industrial Research Network (SIRNET);
  • The Technology Information System (TIFACLINE);
  • The Calcutta Library Network (CALIBNET);
  • The Madras Library Network (MALIBNET);
  • The Bombay Library Network (BONET);
  • The Mysore Library Network (MYLIBNET); and
  • The Pune Library Network (PUNENET).



The Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) - 1991
UGC was launched in May 1991.located in Infocity, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.


Library Network(DELNET)- 1988 

Old name : The Delhi Library Network 

Established in 1988.
NISSAT took the initiative in setting up DELNET.
DELNET also provides CAS and SDI services, consultancy in library computerization, training and H.R.D.


The Biotechnology Information System (BTIS- NET) -1987
establish in 1987

India was the first country in the world to establish in 1987 a Biotechnology Information System (BTIS) network to create an infrastructure that enables it to harness biotechnology through the application of Bioinformatics. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has taken up this infrastructure development project and created a distributed network at a very low cost.


The Scientific and Industrial Research Network (SIRNET)- 


The National Knowledge Commission (NKC)

 NKC was established by The Indian government on June 13, 2005, for a duration of three years, from October 2, 2005, to October 2, 2008. As a senior advisory body to The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. concentrating on a few key areas, such as e-governance, agriculture, industry, science and technology, and education. 
    Easy access to knowledge, creation and preservation of knowledge systems, dissemination of knowledge and better knowledge services are core concerns of the commission.

    The Commission envisaged the future road map for the growth and development of academic libraries by imbibing core issues such as, set up a national commission on libraries, prepare a national census of all libraries, revamp LIS education, training and research facilities, re-assess staffing of libraries, set up a central library fund, modernize library management, encourage greater community participation in library management, promote information communication technology applications in all libraries, facilitate donation and maintenance of private collections, and encourage public private partnerships in LIS development, etc.
    The most important recommendation of NKC regarding university libraries is that by 2015 the number of universities should be 1500 to cater to the needs of the youth. make it possible for India to reach a gross enrollment ratio of at least 15% by 2015. 
    
    Sad to Hear this: The National Knowledge Commission was abolished by the new Indian government that took office in the summer of 2014, so as of July 2014.

Library networks and development of consortia

access most advanced media including CD-ROM, the Internet and other electronic formats of information resources. Today libraries are witnessing the network based era having connected to vast ocean of the Internet based information. The use of ICTs have placed the Indian academic libraries at par with the libraries the world over.
The Information for Library Network (INFLIBNET) set up by the UGC as an autonomous interuniversity centre in 1991 proved to be a landmark to interlink the academic libraries.
 It is involved in modernizing university libraries in India and connects these to a nation-wide-high speed data network.

 
The INFLIBNET promotes 

automation of libraries, 

develop standards; 

creates union catalogues of serials, theses, books, monographs and non-book materials; 

provide access to bibliographic information resources; 

creates database of projects, institutions, specialists; 

organizes training programmes, etc.


    The INFLIBNET  also developed ‘Software for University Libraries’, a library automation software more popularly called as SOUL.


    Other national networks and library networks have developed in addition to INFLIBNET.

Notable networks include INDONET, ERNET, CALIBNET, DELNET, MALIBNET, and the National Informatic Centre's Network (NICNET). These networks increased resource sharing and expanded the user base's information access.
    The consortia are usually intended to meet the information needs of stakeholders in a homogenous group. The consortium approach began in India in 1982 with emergence of the Forum for Resource Sharing in Astronomy and Astrophysics (FORSA). This was initiated for sharing resources available in astronomy libraries in the nation and was extended to physics and mathematics libraries in 2004.

    FORSA's objectives and activities: The Indian Digital Library in Engineering Science and Technology (INDEST) was established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India to give all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and other institutions, such as NITs, ISM, IIMs, NITTTRs, etc. access to electronic resources.
Indian Digital Library in Engineering Science and Technology (INDEST) headquarter is at IIT Delhi.

The National Knowledge Resource Consortium : (NKRC) was established in 2009. It is a network of libraries and information centres of 39 National Laboratories and institutes of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and 24 institutes of the Department of Science and Technology.

The Health Science Library and Information Network: (HELINET) was launched during March 2003 with an aim to improve the "quality of education and research in institutions of health sciences" in Karnataka through enhanced "access to high quality medical information". The consortium facilitates access from leading publishers to 600 scholarly, international biomedical journals to members/institutions. 

Agricultural universities, veterinary universities, and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions have access to more than 3000 journals in the broad spectrum of agricultural sciences through the Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture (CeRA). 

The UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium was launched by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam at Vidya Bhawan on 28th December 2003 on the concluding day of Golden Jublee celebrations of the UGC.
The consortium facilitates current as well as archival access to more than 7,500 core and peer-reviewed electronic journals and 10 bibliographic databases from world famous publishers, scholarly societies and aggregators.
In the first phase, access to e-resources was offered to 50 universities having the Internet connectivity under the UGC-INFONET networking program. Thereafter, the consortium access was extended to 209 universities under the purview of UGC. The consortium provides access to e-resources in almost all disciplines including arts, humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, chemical sciences, life sciences, computer sciences, management, mathematics and statistics. 


History of Academic Libraries in India - EPG



Where is Taxila University, the oldest university in the world, located?
a) Eastern India 
b) Central India 
c) North-west India (now in Pakistan) 
d) South India

Which subjects were included in Taxila University's excellent library? 
a) Physics, Chemistry, and Biology 
b) Buddhism 
c) Political Science, Literature, Medicine, Hinduism and Philosophy 
d) Mathematics and Astronomy

What ancient civilization was the city of Gandhara associated with? 
a) Mesopotamian Civilization 
b) Egyptian Civilization 
c) Indus Valley Civilization 
d) Harappan Civilization

What is the modern-day location of the ancient city of Gandhara? 
a) India 
b) Bangladesh 
c) Pakistan 
d) Afghanistan

Who provided detailed accounts of Nalanda University during the 6th and 7th centuries A.D.? 
a) I-tsing 
b) Brahmanical Scholars 
c) Hiuen-tsang 
d) Sanskrit Grammar Experts 

What was the primary emphasis of learning at Nalanda University? 
a) Brahmanical learning 
b) Secular knowledge 
c) Mahayana learning (the Great Vehicle)
d) Vedas and other religious books 

What was the geographical location of Nalanda University in relation to Patna? 
a) North-east 
b) South-east 
c) North-west 
d) South-west 


Where was the Nalanda University Library situated?
   a) Dharmaganja
   b) Ratnasagara
   c) Ratnodadhi
   d) Ratnaranjaka

What were the names of the three huge buildings that comprised the Dharmaganja?
   a) Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi, Ratnaranjaka
   b) Dharmaganja, Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi
   c) Ratnodadhi, Ratnaranjaka, Dharmaganja
   d) Ratnaranjaka, Ratnasagara, Dharmaganja


Which building among the three was a nine-storied building?
   a) Ratnasagara
   b) Ratnodadhi
   c) Ratnaranjaka
   d) Dharmaganja

What kind of works were housed in the nine-storied building?
   a) Philosophical treatises
   b) Rare artifacts
   c) Manuscripts and rare sacred works
   d) Historical documents
Explanation:  Manuscripts and rare sacred works like Prajnaparamita Sutra, etc.

What does "Dharmaganja" mean in English?
   a) Sacred Garden
   b) Piety Mart
   c) Treasure Trove
   d) Knowledge Haven
 
Which of the following works was NOT housed in the Ratnasagara building?
   a) Prajnaparamita Sutra
   b) Ratnodadhi Manuscript
   c) Manuscripts of ancient Indian texts
   d) Rare sacred works


1. What subjects were covered in the library at Nalanda?
a) Mathematics and Geography
b) Philosophy and Religion
c) Military Strategy and Warfare
d) Economics and Politics

2. Which philosophy was specialized in by the University of Nalanda?
a) Vedanta
b) Samkhya
c) Mahayana
d) Dharmasastras

3. Until what century did the library of Nalanda flourish?
a) 10th century A.D.
b) 12th century A.D.
c) 15th century A.D.
d) 17th century A.D.

4. Who sacked the University of Nalanda and its library, causing its decline?
a) Alexander the Great
b) Genghis Khan
c) Bakhtiyar Khalji
d) Ashoka the Great

Explanation: library flourished down to the 12th century A.D. until Bakhtiyar Khalji sacked it in 1197-1203 A.D. and set fire to the establishment of Nalanda.




LIBRARIES IN MODERN INDIA (1757-1947)
During the British rule in India, a number of academic institutions were established by the East India Company, and by the Christian missionaries. Jonathan Duncan, a British agent at the time, built the Benaras Sanskrit College in 1792 after the founding of the Calcutta College in 1781.
The Calcutta Fort William College was founded in 1800.
The Charter Act of 1813, the founding of Fort William and Serampore Colleges, the establishment of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay universities and their libraries, the Hunter, Raleigh, and Calcutta University Commissions library training programs, and the creation of the Inter University Board are significant turning points, particularly in the context of academic libraries. 



Academic Library

    Education and library are the two faces of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. Hence, an academic library is an integral part of any institution of formal education. It supports the teaching-learning process of the institution it is associated with. Academic library can be defined as "a library which is associated or attached with any educational institution to support its educational programmes".

 

    The library collection is developed depending upon the nature of the institution and its academic programmes. The students, teachers, research scholars, administrative staff and other staff members of the institution are the users of the academic library. The needs of these users dominate the collection of an academic library. The number, qualities and qualifications of the library staff of an academic library differ on the basis of the type of academic library, its users and the services, it provides.

 

Objectives of Academic Library

The objectives of an, academic library are to:


(i) serve the needs of the academic community;

(ii) collect and store all kinds of reading and reference material;

(iii) provide all kinds of informational materials to support the curricular requirements of the institution;

(iv) provide supporting materials for extra curricular activities;

(v) provide reading rooms for users;

(vi) render lending service appropriate to students, teachers and researchers

(vii) provide an active reference and information service.


Types of Academic Library

Broadly, there are three types of academic libraries. These are:

 

  • School library
  • College library
  • University library
  • School Library

 

    The school library is a library attached to or associated with a school to support the education system of the school. It caters to all the informational needs of the students, teachers and staff of the school. In India, there are four levels of school: primary, middle, secondary and senior secondary. The government and the agencies responsible for developing and supporting school education in India, have a policy that the school of all levels should be supported by a school library. Because of this, even primary schools are being supported by a library to serve the needs of its students, teachers and other staff members.

 

Objectives of School Library

The objectives of a school library are to:

(i) support the education programmes of the school;

(ii) awaken and foster interest in reading books and create reading habits among students;

(iii) nurture good moral values and principles in students to create refined and responsible citizens;

(iv) develop self-learning skills and interest in using library for solving problems;

(v) provide information on further study and vocation;

(vi) help teachers to improve their teaching skills;

(vii) inculcate communication skills through extra curricular activities like story telling, viewing and discussions on audio-visual programmes, workshops, etc.

 The school libraries of all levels have almost same set of objectives as mentioned above.

 

Functions of School Library

     The school library of all levels should develop the collection of information material to satisfy the objectives mentioned above. Apart from developing suitable collection of inspiratory, informatory and recreatory books and other materials, the academic library is supposed to perform the following functions:

(i) Lending of books and other materials;

(ii) Reading rooms with suitable furniture and lighting;

(iii) Reference services;

(iv) Guidance, counselling and advisory services.

 

College Library

The library associated with college caters to the informational needs of the college community- students, teachers, staff of the college and alumnus. The library help in the expansion of knowledge and satisfies the quest for knowledge.

 The modern society has different types of colleges. These are:

(i) Junior college;

(ii) Degree college;

(iii) Postgraduate college;

(iv) Professional college and technical college.

Objectives of College Library

The objectives of the college library, of all categories of colleges, are to:

 (i) give the students, a wider and deeper understanding of the various disciplines;

(ii) help in all the educational programmes of the college;

(iii) provide guidance to students for higher studies and self-learning; (iv) prepare the students for shouldering higher responsibilities in government departments, civic organizations, commercial establishments, business and industries, etc; 

(v) prepare them for varied professions like law, medicine, engineering, technology, etc;

(vi) train them to become more enlightened, knowledgeable and responsible citizens; and

(vii) keep informed the teachers with latest updates in their respective subject area.

 

Functions of College Library

The functions of a college library can be listed as:

(i) developing collection of textbooks, related books, books of general knowledge, reference materials and audio-visual materials to support educational and instructional programmes of the college;

(ii) procuring popular magazines, newspapers and scholarly journals to support students and teachers in acquiring deeper knowledge their subject area and general knowledge about their surroundings;

(iii) making the library resources accessible through proper classification, cataloguing and shelving;

(iv) providing physical facilities such as functional building, furniture, equipment, reading rooms, etc. ;

(v) preserving previous years' question papers to help the students in preparing for examinations and assessments;

(vi) developing collection of inspiratory materials like fiction, poetry, biographies, travel-books, etc. 

(vii) organizing orientation programmes for new students to make them aware of the facilities and resources available in the library.

 

University Library 

The university library is an integral part of a university. The academic programmes of a university covers a wide range of disciplines and subjects. The modern universities are offering a number of academic programmes which are multi-disciplinary in nature. Apart from the academic programmes, scholars of the universities undertake research projects for acquiring degrees such as PHd, DLit, etc., as well as for the discovery and invention of new theories, principles and technology for the sake of society or for solving the problems of the society. Hence, a library becomes an essential component of the university to support its academic and research activities. 

Because of the responsibilities a university library shoulders, it is considered the heart of a university, around which teaching and research revolves. According to the Association of University Teachers, "the prime function of the university library is to provide facilities for study and research for the members of its own institution".

 

Objectives of a University Library

The objectives of a university library are to:


(i) provide facilities for all teaching, learning, educational, and research programmes of the university;
(ii) satisfy informational needs of the students, teachers and researchers of the university;
(iii) inspire the teachers and researchers of the university to undertake research works for generating new knowledge to improve the quality of life of the people;
(iv) provide latest knowledge to the teachers in their area of teaching and research; and
(v) conserve knowledge and ideas for posterity.

Functions of a University Library
The major functions of the university library to fulfil its objectives are to:

(i) develop collections on a wide range of subjects for learning, teaching, research, publication, etc.;
(ii) organize and store the library collection with proper classification, cataloguing, shelving, etc to make the collection easily accessible to the users;
(iii) acquire materials such as books, journals, periodicals, newspapers, and others sources of information to provide latest information and knowledge on the concerned subjects;
(iv) provide reference, information and documentation services to the university community to keep them up-to-date in their area of study and research;
(v) keep pace with the development in the library management system and application of new technologies to provide better library services to the users.

 


Telangana Public Service Commission