The Virtual Library : changing roles and ethical challenges for librarians

In this age of Information Technology, there have been so many opportunities for the Librarians for involvement in an information-based society including electronic and multimedia publishing, Internet based-information services, global networking, web based digital resources etc. The base of recorded information is growing at an accelerating rate, in increasing varieties of formats (texts, numeric, graphic, video, audio, image, electronic, etc.). Virtual Library can be defined as the Internet based Digital Library. The concept of “Virtual Library” is that any person who has a computer by which he can make connection to the library networks can access not only the resources of the library but also access variety of information that is available nationally and internationally through networks, like Internet, Intranet without being physically present in library. This article explains what is meant by a Virtual Library and to build a virtual library in what way the Librarians have to change their roles to face the challenges of modern Information Technologies in the changing environment. Also this article, discusses about the changing role of librarians, the skills needed to build a virtual library and how the virtual information should be collected, managed, preserved and disseminated to the millennium users

An International Prospectus for Library & Information Professionals: Development, Leadership and Resources for Evolving Patron Needs

The roles of library and information professionals must change and evolve to: 1. accommodate needs of tech-savvy patrons; 2. thrive in the Commons & Library 2.0; 3. provide integrated, just-in-time services; 4. constantly update and enhance technology; 5. design appropriate library spaces for research and productivity; 6.adapt to new models of scholarly communication and publication, especially: the Open Archives Initiative and digital repositories; 7. remain abreast of national and interanational academic and legislative initiatives affecting the provision of information services and resources. Professionals will need to collaborate in: 1. Formal & informal networks – regional, national, and international; and; 2. Library staff development initiatives – regional, national, international Professionals will need to use libraries as laboratories for ongoing, lifelong training and education of patrons and of all library staff ( internal patrons ): the library is the framework in which Information Research Literacy is the curriculum . Professionals will need to remain aware of trends and challenges in their regions, the EU, the US and North America, of models which might provide inspiration and support: 1. Top Technology Trends; 2. New paradigms of professionalism; 3. Knowledge-creation and knowledge consumption; 4. The shifting balance of the physical library with the virtual-digital librar

Beyond CD-ROM : wider horizons in the provision of electronic information

The availability of information across the networks is explored and described, along with plans for the navigation and filtering tools which will promote access to them. Issues of funding of datasets, end-user training, document delivery, the marginalization of the traditional library and the Follett Committee Review of Library Provision in Higher Education are explored. The current level of investment in CD-ROM is discussed, as well as the possibilities and limitations of the technology. The two technologies are compared and contrasted and the particular importance of services free at the point of use stressed

Planning strategically, designing architecturally : a framework for digital library services

In an era of unprecedented technological innovation and evolving user expectations and information seeking behaviour, we are arguably now an online society, with digital services increasingly common and increasingly preferred. As a trusted information provider, libraries are in an advantageous position to respond, but this requires integrated strategic and enterprise architecture planning, for information technology (IT) has evolved from a support role to a strategic role, providing the core management systems, communication networks, and delivery channels of the modern library. Further, IT components do not function in isolation from one another, but are interdependent elements of distributed and multidimensional systems encompassing people, processes, and technologies, which must consider social, economic, legal, organisational, and ergonomic requirements and relationships, as well as being logically sound from a technical perspective. Strategic planning provides direction, while enterprise architecture strategically aligns and holistically integrates business and information system architectures. While challenging, such integrated planning should be regarded as an opportunity for the library to evolve as an enterprise in the digital age, or at minimum, to simply keep pace with societal change and alternative service providers. Without strategy, a library risks being directed by outside forces with independent motivations and inadequate understanding of its broader societal role. Without enterprise architecture, it risks technological disparity, redundancy, and obsolescence. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this conceptual paper provides an integrated framework for strategic and architectural planning of digital library services. The concept of the library as an enterprise is also introduced

ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA IN 21ST CENTURY

The present paper reflects the present depiction of government initiatives in the field of higher education and the role of libraries in promoting the utilization of these initiatives for teaching research and extension activities in higher educational institutions. Various movements of libraries for promoting higher education in the era of information communication technology like library networks, library consortium, library portals, digital collection development, online reference services, digital repositories, online catalogues, and information literacy programs have been described in the paper. A few major key roles played by a library as educator, as space, as a personal, as a knowledge manager etc is also explained through this article

Digital libraries in fisheries

"Burn a CD-ROM. save a TREE". Libraries are expensive and Research libraries are particularly expensive. No Library can be self suffident because of insufficient funds and informalion explosion. But in modern times 'No Library is an Island' . Because the information scientist share a long tradition of co-operalion and interaction with networking libraries in their subject.Therefore, the IT age is forcing and compelling the libraries to undergo resource sharing through networks. The new technology has not only transformed the information to the modern libraries but also created many exciting poss ibilities and opportunities

Management of e-Resources in R amp; D Centers: A Case Study of the Information Center at NAL13;

The developments in information technology and their applications to library and information services have given new dimension to the entire spectrum of information management. The information generated is usually stored in four physical media: paper, film, optical, and magnetic disks. The e-document be it a book, journal, technical report, conference proceedings is portable; has random access to its contents; and the document can also be a multimedia object, in that it may contain not only text, but also graphics, drawings, photographs or video. Now we have the emergence of publications over the electronic networks and the activity took off in a big way following the invention of the World Wide Web. The Open Access movement is becoming the order of the day. More than 3000 journals are free on net for anybody to access. A number of Institutional repositories and e-Prints archives have thrown challenge to the publishing industry. Consortium approach through different pricing, management and licensing models is enabling the libraries to provide access to thousands of e- journals, e-books and other kinds of e-documents. The Information center at NAL with its state-of-the-art library has progressed a good deal in this direction by acquiring different kind of documents especially e-form, cataloguing amp; processing them appropriately, storing and giving access to its patrons not only in library premises, but on to the desk tops spread in three different campuses through laboratory LAN and also extending selected services through Internet for the benefit of any body from any part of the world. 13; Created and maintained by ICAST the Portal x2018;AeroInfox2019; (www.aeroinfo.org.in) serves as one window information search facility for Web sources in aerospace science and technology. This virtual library facilitates multiple approach to information seekers as the web sources are indexed and organised using different schemes of classification including NASA subject categories. Care is taken to cover Indian aerospace sources exhaustively. The ICAST site (www.icast.org.in), apart from giving detailed information about library sources including books, journals, E-journals, databases and technical reports makes available different search tools for its users. Other details like working hours, library rules, staff details, contact persons, etc are provided. One can submit an online query and suggest documents for acquisition using online forms provided. The Library Database (OPAC) is probably is single largest in the country with more than 3.25 lakh bibliographic records of books, technical reports, patents, standards, journals, etc. ICAST users can search International databases like Aerospace Database, NTIS, J-Gate, Medline, etc through campus LAN. Users can access more than 2500 full text journals covering titles published by Elsevier (ScienceDirect), ASME, AIAA, Springer, John Wiley, OUP, CUP, AMS, World Scientific, few Annual Series, etc. Created by ICAST an e-journals gateway with browse and search (alphabetical and subject wise) facility for titles provides access to more than 700 journals available free on the net. The Centre provides a number of web/e-mail based innovative information services including Journal Contents Service, News Clipping Service, Monthly Documents Additions Lists covering both Books and Technical Reports, Web Alert Service and Union Catalogue of Journals -CSIR and Aerospace Libraries, etc

General guidelines for designing bilingual low cost digital library services suitable for special library users in developing countries and the Arabic speaking world

The World is witnessing a considerable transformation from print based-formats to elec-tronic-based formats thanks to advanced computing technology, which has a profound impact on the dissemination of nearly all previous formats of publications into digital formats on computer networks. Text, still and moving images, sound tracks, music, and almost all known formats can be stored and retrieved on computer magnetic disk. Over the last two decades, a number of special libraries and information centres in the Arab world have introduced electronic resources into their library services. Very few have implemented automated and integrated systems. Despite the im-portance of designing digital libraries not merely for accessing to or retrieval of information but rather for the provision of electronic services, hardly any special library has started the design of digital library services. Managers of special libraries and information centres in developing countries in general and in the Arab world in particular should start building their local digital libraries, as the benefit of establishing such electronic services is considerably massive and well known for expansion of re-search activities and for delivering services that satisfy the needs of targeted end-users. The aim of this paper is to provide general guideline for design of special low cost digital library providing ser-vices that are most frequently required by various categories of special library users in developing countries. This paper also aims at illustrating strategies and method approaches that can be adopted for building such projects. Seeing the importance of designing an inexpensive digital li-brary as basic principle for the design accordingly, the utilisation of today's ICTs and freely avail-able open sources software is the right path for accomplishing such goal. The paper intends to de-scribe the phases and stages required for building such projects from scratch. It also aims at high-lighting the barriers and obstacles facing Arabic content and how could such problems overcome

Educating for Information Literacy : Assessing Indian Agricultural Sciences graduate’s knowledge and Information skills

The article makes as survey of graduate students knowledge on use of various library and learning resources and their information skills. Students across disciplines of Horticulture, Seed science, Vegetable science of G B Pant University of Agriculture & Technology were assessed, questions were posed to know how they perceived themselves capable of knowing information sources, arrangement, interpretation and location of physical items in library, knowledge of bibliographical database, academic search engines, use of library website, subject gateways, and library networks etc. The survey also makes an effort to know students attitude as to how they informed themselves about latest development in their subject and how they would like to be informed about library news and learning resources. The survey was made before the commencement of one credit course on information literacy, and the limited knowledge of graduate students was expected in skill areas. The finding reveals that there are notable gaps and students’ knowledge is digitally divided. Suggests that teaching of credit bearing IL courses is imperative to enhance graduate students knowledge and information seeking skills

Educating for Information Literacy : Assessing Indian Agricultural Sciences graduate’s knowledge and Information skills

The article makes as survey of graduate students knowledge on use of various library and learning resources and their information skills. Students across disciplines of Horticulture, Seed science, Vegetable science of G B Pant University of Agriculture & Technology were assessed, questions were posed to know how they perceived themselves capable of knowing information sources, arrangement, interpretation and location of physical items in library, knowledge of bibliographical database, academic search engines, use of library website, subject gateways, and library networks etc. The survey also makes an effort to know students attitude as to how they informed themselves about latest development in their subject and how they would like to be informed about library news and learning resources. The survey was made before the commencement of one credit course on information literacy, and the limited knowledge of graduate students was expected in skill areas. The finding reveals that there are notable gaps and students’ knowledge is digitally divided. Suggests that teaching of credit bearing IL courses is imperative to enhance graduate students knowledge and information seeking skills