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Unit 3: Planning

library of the future will be designed with a focus on creating useful, innovative and Notes
attractive space for users rather than solely for physical collections.

3.3.3 Supporting Scholarly Communication and Research

(i) Research activities occur within the framework of scholarly communication. This framework,
traditionally based on journal publications and books, serves many functions in academe-
such as providing quality control, lending legitimacy, establishing priority and dissemination
of research work. In recent years, the scholarly communication system has been widely
discussed as a result of serious challenges on the economic and technological fronts. The
so-called “scholarly communication crisis” (the continued escalating costs of journal
subscriptions) takes center stage, as it seriously undermines libraries’ financial ability to
sustain their services. The development of open access journals and other similar initiatives
and movements are gathering steam to meet these challenges. At the same time, technology
has also transformed the way in which the scholarly communication system works. Most
of these changes center on the transformation of the scholarly publication from print
based to electronic formats and structure.
(ii) Information and communication technology has also enabled scholars and others to
collaborate in very effective ways regardless of the physical and temporal distance that
separates them. Instant access to common virtual workspace, resources and even equipment
has given scholars the facility to work with their global partners thousands of miles
away as though they are beside each other in a laboratory.

(iii) Our Library will monitor these developments and will prepare itself to meet the practical
challenges arising from them. Libraries are essential components of the scholarly communication
system and it is important for us to anticipate the impact of these changes in scholarly
communication. The Library also recognizes that the work of our academic staff and
scholars in the scholarly communication network contribute critically to the reputation
of the University and will find ways and means to provide support. Besides building
rich and relevant collections, we will start work on an institutional repository (IR) that
will archive and provide access to the intellectual work of our academic staff. This is also
in line with developments in other institutes/universities where eventually all IRs will
form a significant international network of scholarly information resources.

3.3.4 Focussing all Activities on the User
(i) The Institute’s goal of creating a student and professor centric approach and culture fit
in very well with the expressed user-oriented philosophy of libraries. Our Library recognizes
that it is primarily a service organization and we exist to meet the information and
learning needs of all users, whatever their level of attainment or status. The Library aims
to inculcate in all staff member the strong satisfaction of a service oriented approach in
our work and also filter all our work flow and policies through the lenses of our users.
All our policies will be reviewed and combed through to identify areas that are lacking
in user-oriented approach.
(ii) All professional librarians, including Heads of Divisions have been assigned subject
responsibilities which focus on identifying and meeting the information needs of specific
target groups of users according to subject discipline. This has effectively pushed all
librarians to the front-end of service work and emphasizes the importance of serving our
users directly. Over time, this will also help the library staff develop better and stronger
rapport with our users. Our users will also develop a strong sense of ownership and
identity with the respective libraries and our services.

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