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."