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Unit 11: Library Associations: India, UK and USA

the past and a well-organized structure, the future of the Library Association is one of hope and Notes
promise.

11.3.5 Association for Information Management (ASLIB)

You would like to know why this Association has come to be known as the Association for
Information Management but yet uses the acronym ASLIB, which does not tally with its name at
all. For this, you may have to go into its past. This Association was founded in 1926, as the
Association for Special Libraries and Information Bureau (ASLIB) and earned a great reputation
by its record of professional service. In 1983, however, the Association extended its activities, in
tune with expanding dimensions of information and was renamed the Association for Information
Management. But as the Association was well known as ASLIB; it continues the same acronym to
represent its new name also.

The British Society for International Bibliography was merged into it in 1949. ASLIB has been
instrumental in focusing on the importance of information in all spheres of national endeavour,
particularly in the reconstruction period after World War II. By demonstrating its usefulness,
ASLIB could secure the recognition of the British Government as a research association. The
creation of the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, which was a forerunner to the
British Library, was largely due to the spadework done by ASLIB.

Objectives

ASLIB aims to facilitate the coordination and systematic use of sources of knowledge and
information in all public affairs and in industry and commerce and in all the arts and sciences. It
aims to increase the contribution of information to the economic, social and cultural life of the
community by the promotion of effective information management.

Organization

The membership of ASLIB is largely composed of corporate bodies, including industrial and
business organizations, professional and learned societies, public, academic and national
libraries, publishers and database providers. It has over 2,000 members, approximately a quarter
of whom are in countries other than the UK. Further, personal members may account for only
one fourth of the membership. It has branches in Scotland, the North of England and the Midlands.
Subject groups have been formed in biological and agricultural sciences, chemistry, economic
and business information, electronics, engineering, private view-data, transport and planning.
There are also technical groups covering translations, informatics and computer application. A
sub-group represents the interests of one-man-Bands (unit staffed by one person only).

Functions and Activities

Functions and activities of ASLIB are as follows:
ASLIB regards itself as a resource for management. ASLIB’s research role was abandoned
in 1985. Its earlier record of research efforts is impressive. Consultancy service which
ALIB used to offer is now taken over by an independent unit in association with ASLIB.
ASLIB concentrates now on information services to its members. In addition to referral
service, ASLIB advises its members on practical aspects of information management
such as online information retrieval methods and systems, library automation,
networking and local area network; (b) application software, and; (c) modern library
and information resource management.

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