Page 111 - DLIS407_INFORMATION AND LITERATURE SURVEY IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

Information and Literature Survey in Social Sciences

Notes “junk.” Whether the information appears in books, articles, the Internet or TV, one can’t assume
reliability. All resources have to be evaluated. Users of the Internet were initially impressed that they
had found useful information of any kind. However, now that anyone with access to a server and a
passing knowledge of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) can put information on the Internet, the
problem has become one of sifting through a mass of advertising material and vanity publications in
order to find information of a high quality. For librarians and library users to make effective use of
the Internet, they need criteria to use in evaluating the information found

12.3.4 Providing Access to Information of Indian Origin

The Internet has provided an opportunity for access to an ocean of information published on the web.
But these data are mostly published from other countries. The data relating to Indian origin need to
be given emphasis, and access to such data is to be improved by organizing it properly. All those
individuals and libraries using the network based information services in India agree that the Indian
content is very limited. There are various reasons of not many databases being created, though efforts
are on to add new databases to the network or available in India made accessible through the Net. In
recent years some efforts are being made to create and develop the databases and web / home pages
to hook up over the Internet to provide access to data of Indian origin. There is a need for creation of
indigenous databases of various types in different subjects, and areas of importance to users in India.
If these databases are put on the web, all the users can access such data. An effort needs to be made
to provide access to data of Indian origin.

12.3.5 Promoting Discussion Forum in Different Subjects

In the network-based environment it is quite possible to create a discussion forum in different subjects.
These help individuals to interact with groups of persons working in their area of interest for problem-
solving and for enhancement of their skills by participating in the discussions. The discussion forum
helps faculty members, students, researchers, scientists, engineers and academicians to interact with
each other by facilitating exchange of ideas and promoting communication. This kind of service can
be co-ordinated at the national level by the national network agency in the subject concerned.

12.3.6 Consortia-based Services

Libraries in India have been affected by an uncertain financial environment in which resource
buying has been restricted, causing them to look at ways of extending their purchasing capabilities
to compensate for reduced budgets. A library consortium is one of the emerging tool kits for the
survival of libraries.
Networking is an essential partner in this exercise as it facilitates access to vast information services.
Networks have the potential to improve library services in several ways. The continuous improvement
in networking technology helps libraries to reduce the cost of information provision, thus creating
new opportunities for the libraries to play their role in information provision to end users.

12.3.7 Pattern Services
The Services offered by the traditional library are limited by its location, so the user cannot receive
services unless he or she comes to the library. Moreover, in such libraries, the manual operational
approach is dominant, while a networked service is open and users have access to the needed
information at the online terminals of any site, and the services are all by electronic means, which is
quite different from the traditional way. The patterns of services are:

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