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Foundation of Library and Information Science

Notes
this, the Library must look at the large amount of documentation available on web sites of
different national libraries of the world, followed by directly interacting with some of
them on specific issues of mutual interest. This vast back up information resources will
help the National Library to prepare a draft action plan, both on long (20 years) and short
(3 years) term, indicating projected targets and goals to achieve under separate Heads of
activities. It is true the Library is presently short of quality management personnel. The
Board of Management of National Library must get a new Director at the earliest. The
Board should also consider of hiring services of some recognised consultancy agency who
could be asked to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Library users’ groups, their
pattern of use, what they want and their expectations of quality and level of services. This
may sound unprecedented to many of us. Of late, several central government organizations
are involving private professional groups and individuals for some specific services for
their specialized management skills. Armed with this the Board may assign a group of
management experts to prepare a blue print on ‘New Policy and Planning’ which needs to
be widely circulated. If a strategy is needed for the National Library to meet the demands
of the 21st century we must take some calculated drastic measures that will justify
investment of resources provided by the taxpayers. Recently the British Library launched
a major consultation with its user’s i.e. new strategic directions for the British Library.
There were over 5,000 responses, which largely endorsed the themes of working in
collaboration and partnership, increasing the understanding of user’s needs, widening
access to collections and services and accelerating the Library’s e-strategy. But to get a
pan- India sample of 5,000 users for our National Library is a different matter altogether
because very few outstation users visit or get any direct service from the National Library.
There is a huge gap between what the National Library is expected, compared to its
present coverage, and why no remedial action has been taken to reduce the gaps has never
been questioned. Moreover, it is not that we are not aware of these shortcomings in
services of the National Library as there are several government appointed committees’
and commissions’ reports spelt them out with suggestions for improvements.
It is perhaps because of this uncertainty the National Knowledge Commission, Working
Group for Libraries avoided to identify the distinctive role of national library of India
within Indian library and information systems and services. Question may also be raised
by a few, why go for another report on the National Library? This is to be based on real life
users’ survey undertaken and conducted under direct supervision of the National Library;
not imposed upon it by some ‘eminent scholar/bureaucrat’. The most recent report on the
National Library is of a high-powered committee headed by Prof. Satish Chandra (1994-
95). The revised National Library Act of 19765 (not implemented) also included many
significant modifications to improve its management. The most significant reason is that
with the passage of time and pace at which information and communication technologies
are influencing information storage, access and retrieval, The National Library must make
the right moves after clearly defining its role and identifying the means to reach its goal.
Rapid and significant developments are taking place in all three segments of librarianship
over the last four decades – (i) Collection development of information resources, (ii)
Customers services (including cataloguing, education, reference services and inter-library
loans) and (iii) Management and marketing. The Library has to be active on all the fronts
and needs a little push and encouragement from all of us.
Questions

1. Write down the case facts.
2. What do you infer from it?
Source: http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/6572/1/ALIS%2056(3)%20169-174.pdf

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