Page 41 - DLIS007_LIBRARY AUTOMATION

Library Automation

Notes Specialized Staff and Training
The following table shows the number of libraries which have recruited specialized ICT
staff.

Table 3: ICT Specialized Staff

Specialized Staff No Specialized Staff
1 22

Of the 23 libraries with automation, only one has specialized staff in ICT. These remaining
22 must depend on experts within or outside their college. A majority of the libraries
surveyed do not send their staff to ICT training courses.
Intranet Services

Only 8 libraries have a LAN in the library to provide automated services in the library,
and the services provided by these libraries are tabulated in the following table.

Table 4: Services Provided

OPAC CD-ROM Search Internet Online Database Search CAS SDI
07 04 08 07 01 02

Barriers Faced by the Library
Barriers to automation are tabulated in the following table.

Table 5: Barriers

Barrier No. of Libraries
Insufficient funds 11
Inadequate staff training 22
Lack of staff coordination 06
Lack of user IT knowledge 10
Problems from higher authorities 02
Lack of space 12

Traditional barriers like insufficient funds, lack of space, and lack of training are the
problems faced by many libraries.
A majority of the college libraries do not possess qualified librarians as per the guidelines
given by the UGC and the state government. Only 25% of the librarians are qualified for
the librarian’s position. Twenty-three college libraries have undertaken automation of
the library. A majority of the libraries initiated their automation process in the year 2005
and 2006. Retrospective conversion of documents is a crucial activity in the process of
automation. Very few college libraries have completed their retrospective activity.
Libraries have focused on cataloguing and circulation. No libraries in the survey have
done outsourcing of the work of automation. A majority of the libraries lack the staff
required for automation. Goa state college libraries generally use the same library software
used in Goa University, i.e., NEWGENLIB. Traditional barriers such as insufficient funds,
lack of trained staff, and lack of space are faced by a majority of the libraries.
Contd...

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