Page 240 - DLIS007_LIBRARY AUTOMATION

Unit 12: Library Automation Services

The professional staff members working in many libraries in developing countries are Notes
totally engrossed in administrative and routine jobs related to library operation and
administration. Many institutions do not demand their library professionals to pursue an
offensive role.
The users always need quick services and they never respond to any of the reasonable
operational or managerial delays. The real situation is that the libraries have very little
control over their suppliers whereas their consumers have too much control over them.
Users are not patient enough to interact constantly with the library staff to tune their
profiles to improve the relevance of information services, maybe due to time constraints
on their parts. Again by a rough assessment, it seems that less than 10% of the users
usually respond to SDI results and the remaining are either using it as it is or rejecting it
straightaway. Out of those responding, only a few show their willingness to give feedback
to modify their keywords to improve the utility of such services. Users may sometimes
get so arrogant with the helpful nature of library staff and doubt it as their weakness.
Questions
1. Write down the case facts.

2. What do you infer from it?
Source: http://www.librijournal.org/pdf/2007-2pp100-109.pdf

12.4 Summary

Library services bring together the document or information sources and their users by
personal efforts of the library staff. User’s information requirement depends upon the
purpose for which he/she is seeking information.
ICT is a medium and a tool that enables the organisation and dissemination of information.
It is a conduit for the delivery of information from providers to users.
A document in any form can be a source of information. Information sources have two
components: conduit (the physical facilities used for gathering, storing, processing and
distributing information) and content (the information sources and elements).
Users of library include students, teachers, researchers, planners, doctors, lawyers,
businessmen and people from different walks of the society. Information need of users
may vary widely.

SDI is a special type of current awareness service. It supplies each user with the references
of documents to their predefined areas of interest, selected from document published
recently or received during a particular span of time.

Automated library systems, apart from supporting housekeeping operations and
management of information services also act as document management systems.

In automated setup access to library collection is provided through Online Public Access
Catalogue or OPAC.
Library management software deals with and contains huge amount of data related to
documents, staff and users.
The digital archiving system enables users to access stored materials in the form of text,
image, audio and video clips quickly from their desktop using a web browser.

Library services in general and reference and information services in particular refer to
the personal assistance provided to users in pursuit of information.

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