Page 233 - DLIS007_LIBRARY AUTOMATION

Library Automation

Notes
Did u know? The web-based information services may be discussed under two broad
groups – general web based information services and subject specific web-based
information services.

12.3.3 Digital Reference Services

Reference services refer to the personal assistance provided to users in pursuit of information.
Reference service has remained the core theme of library profession over the years. The increasing
availability of electronic information sources and services through web and digital libraries has
altered the notion of traditional library services. The web-enabled reference services have many
advantages:
It combines reference works together at one website and makes them easier to locate;
It achieves economics of scale in production and development by tackling a number of
reference works; and
It provides a common interface for collection of reference sources and allows meta-searching
and cross-collection searching.

The available online reference and information sources may be categorised into three broad
groups:
Group I: Reference and information services from publishers, database vendors and
specialised institutions
Group II: Reference and information services provided by libraries and/or experts through
Internet

Group III: Reference and information services where users need to conduct a search and
find information through the web

Task Make a report on trends and future of library services.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
11. …………………… involves several decisions regarding sources, fields, what to search for,
and the search variants.
12. …………………… databases contain bibliographic datasets, catalogues, source databases,
reference databases or multimedia databases.
13. The web-based information services may be discussed under two broad groups – general
web based information services and …………………… web-based information services.

14. The …………………… reference services combines’ reference works together at one website
and makes them easier to locate.
15. The …………………… is the most innovative, the most visible, and the fastest growing
part of the Internet.

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