Page 70 - DLIS101_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SOCIETY

Unit 6: Library Extension Services

• Accuracy: The resource sharing system should be able to locate and provide the accurate in- Notes
formation. It should be reliable and error free.
• Cost / fee: The information provided should be cost effective. It must be less than the original
cost of document.
• Staff courtesy / knowledge / assistance: The professionals engaged in the resource sharing activi-
ties should be knowledgeable and prompt to handle the queries. The speed and accuracy of
manual resource sharing system depends on these professionals.
• Consistency of service and reliability: It must be consistent and reliable. The resource sharing
activity should be adopted as an important component of present library system.
• Communication (provision for status reports: The union catalogues should be able to provide the
status report regarding availability of the document.
• Delivery and request options: The resource center should be able to deliver the needed docu-
ment! information through required mode of delivery i.e. via e-mail, fax, courier or by post.
• Self-service options: It will be easy to use, so that user can handle it without any problem.
These characteristics should be considered as guiding principals to establish a new resource sharing
system and to measure the efficiency and efficacy of existing one.

6.1.4 Resource Sharing through Network

As indicated earlier, the past few decades have witnessed knowledge and information explosion
the world over and inadequate financial resources to do the best in terms of dissemination of
knowledge and information. Under these circumstances, resource sharing and cooperative
functioning of libraries and information centres through networking becomes vital. Efficient resource
sharing can be achieved by using recent advances in Information Technology, i.e., networking of
libraries and information centres through Local Area Networks, Metropolitan Area Networks, Wide
Area Network and so on.
Network of information/Resource sharing is to use the computer and telecom link for transmission
of information or data from one library to another. Keeping this concept in view, various library
networks have been established for cooperation and resource sharing among libraries. They have
grown mostly during the last thirty years in different geographical environments in order to cater
to the specific needs of users. In the United States, there has been a proliferation of them. Library
networks in other countries are also growing. Several models have emerged that provide specific
services. Not all networks conform to the essential functions of library networks. However, it is
noted that the essential functions should include:
• promotion of resource sharing,
• creation of resource sharing tools like bibliographic databases such as union lists of serials,
union catalogue of books, periodicals, bibliographic databases of articles and other types of
materials such as CDs, Video recording, sound recording, theses, dissertations etc.,
• rationalization of acquisition,
• adoption of international standards for creation of records uniformly,
• delivery of documents, etc.
In India, as elsewhere, economic pressures, enormous growth of publications and emergence of
subject specialization have compelled the libraries and information centres to think of sharing the
information resources and optimizing the use of existing resources within India as well as from
abroad through various networking systems. Some of the notable networks in India are NICNET,
ERNET, SIRNET, INDONET and INET. In addition, there is a major initiative from the University
Grants Commission called INFLIBNET, interconnecting universities, colleges and resource
institutions countrywide.

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