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Unit 5: Resource Sharing and Networking

of records uniformly and delivery of documents. Keeping these things in view, functions of a Notes
typical library network might fall into the following three categories:
1. Information services to users

2. Technical services to member libraries
3. Management service to the network administration
Information and technical services are goal-oriented, i.e. to fulfil the primary goal of the network.
Management functions are functions that support the network administration. Functions that
serve the users directly, i.e. information services to users are:
Inter-library loan service: It means that each member library may require having the
facility to photocopy for delivering the documents.

Reference and Referral: Each member library may require the facility of having dedicated
telephone and/or E-mail service.
Access to databases: To prepare retrospective bibliography for the purpose of browsing
to know whether or not a document is available.
Functions that serve the libraries i.e. the technical services are:
Cooperative collection development programme
Technical processing involved in acquisition

Cataloguing and other means of resources to identify and to locate documents
Circulation control system
The management services, i.e. functions that support the network administration are:
Establish an operational system that implement the functions mentioned above

Evaluation of the networks: This is done through
(a) collection of statistics
(b) analysis of performance of the network
(c) user studies
Training activities: These are done through
(a) staff development programmes
(b) user oriented programmes

Cost analysis: It involves:
(a) determination of costs, fees to be collected, etc.
(b) allocation of budgets
Communication of activities such as:

(a) holding of meetings
(b) publication of newsletters, etc.

Task Do you think that unnecessary wastage of limited finance can be avoided by
establishing Library Networks? If yes, give reasons to support your answer.

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