Page 132 - DLIS408_INFORMATION_TECHNOLOGY-APPLICATIONSL SCIENCES

Unit 12: Libraries and Information Centers in India

DELNET is the first operational library network in India. It was started as a project of the India Notes
International Centre in January 1988 with the initial, financial and technical assistance by National
Information System for Science and Technology (NISSAT), Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research, Govt. of India. It was registered as a society in June 1992 under the Societies Registration
Act of 1860 and is currently being promoted by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Planning
Commission, Govt. of India and India International Centre, New Delhi.

12.2.1 Objectives of DELNET

The following are DELNET’s main objectives:
to promote sharing of resources among the libraries by developing a network of libraries,
by collecting, storing and disseminating information and by offering computerized ser-
vices to the users.
to offer guidance to the member libraries on cataloguing database services, circulation,
acquisition, serials control, online services, selection of hardware and software, etc.
to coordinate efforts for suitable collection development and reduce unnecessary duplica-
tion wherever possible.
to establish a referral centre, to monitor and/or facilitate catalogue search and maintain a
central online union catalogue of books, serials, and non-book materials of all the partici-
pating libraries.
to facilitate and promote delivery of documents manually and mechanically.
to develop specialist bibliographic database of books, serials and non-book materials.
to develop a database of projects, specialists and institutions.
to possess and maintain electronic and mechanical equipment for fast communication of
information and delivery of electronic mail.
to coordinate with other regional, national and international networks for exchange of
information and documents.
To undertake facilitate and provide for the publication of newsletters/journals devoted to
networking and sharing of resources.

12.2.2 Membership

At present, DELNET has Two Hundred and Forty Three libraries as its members, including both
institutional and associate-institutional members: in India 235 and outside India 8.
The membership is progressively increasing and includes universities, diplomatic missions,
college, government department, institutions and public libraries. Some institutions from far off
places like Shimla, Bhopal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Lucknow and Pondicherry in India have also
joined DELNET as members.

12.2.3 DELNET Activities/Services

(I) Promotion of Database Creation

For effective networking, standard bibliographic data should be available in machine readable
form with the libraries. So, efforts were made from the very beginning to promote the
standardization of databases in the DELNET libraries. Experts were sent to the libraries to solves
day-to-day problems. A panel of experts was seeing maintained for this purpose. Regular meetings
of the librarians and computer specialists were organized to discuss mutual problems and the
areas of cooperation. Nevertheless, there have been some libraries in Delhi that took keen interest
in database creation on their own. But the practice of regular meetings for database creation and
resource sharing continue. DELNET provides technical assistance to member libraries in the
following areas:
LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 127