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Jovita Kaur, Lovely Professional University Unit 12: Academic Library

Unit 12: Academic Library Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
12.1 Academic Library

12.1.1 History
12.1.2 Management and Change
12.1.3 Changes in Academic Libraries
12.2 Collections and Services Development
12.3 Evaluation and Effectiveness
12.4 Summary

12.5 Keywords
12.6 Review Questions
12.7 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Know about the academic library

• Discuss the collections and services development
• Describe the libraries and information society
• Explain the evaluation and effectiveness.

Introduction

Education aims, among other things, to impart knowledge and make good citizens. Libraries
are the repositories of knowledge and form an integral part of this process. Academic libraries
are an integral part of a college, university, or other institution of postsecondary education,
mandated to meet the information and research needs of its students, faculty, and staff. Academic
libraries are considered to be the nerve centres of academic institutions and must support
teaching, research, and other academic programmes. The situation in academic libraries of
India is the same as that of academic libraries the world over; however, Indian libraries are
constrained to provide maximum information with limited resources.

With the advent of computers, the nature of libraries has changed dramatically. Computers
are being used in libraries to process, store, retrieve and disseminate information. As a result,
the traditional concept of library is being redefined from a place to access books to the one
which houses the most advanced media including CD-ROM, Internet, and remote access to a
wide range of resources. Libraries have now metamorphosed into digital institutions. Gone
are the days when a library was judged by its quantitative resources. Today, libraries are

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