IMPACT OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON

LIBRARY SERVICES: AN OVERVIEW WEB BASED LIBRARY SERVICES

Srinivas, K

Documentalist

Institute for Social and Economic Change

Nagarabhavi, Bangalore-560072.

srinivasa@isec.ac.in

Introduction:-

•Libraries have undergone considerable change in the past decade.

•Increasing use of technology to organize and disseminate information, the ICT has become an important tool for accessing information.

•Libraries should provide access to scholarly digital resources and a growing number of electronic databases.

•Libraries provide different tools to its patrons for maximum utilization library resources and to meet their information needs.

•The librarian’s role has changed rapidly in recent years, in response to new forms of information and new methods of teaching and learning.

•Increased patrons numbers have spread existing staff more thinly; widening modes of access have brought in more part time patrons; more patron centered learning demands a greater variety of teaching skills; and the explosion of electronic information (from CD-ROM to the Internet) requires continuous updating of knowledge and skills.

•Academic libraries are facing many challenges posed by the contemporary environment, most of which are the result of ICT and digital revolution.

Impact of ICT on Library and Information Centers

It is a genuine fact that every development makes an impact on library and information service. The ICT has also made impact on library and information services. This age is being termed as Information Age, Information Explosion, and Paperless Society. In the field of library and information service ICT technology includes computers (computer hardware and software), computer networking, telecommunications, internet including WWW, search engines, computer and networking security, computer software methodologies, software engineering, scanner, digital camera, photocopier, network authentication and access control, automated language processing, automatic text retrieval, data base management system, relational DBMS, artificial intelligence, library automation system, etc

Library Services through Information Communication Technology

Data Processing : In the data processing libraries can do Data Entry, Data Coding, Data Transformation, Data Translation, Data Summarization, Data Aggregation, Data Validation, Data Tabulation, Statistical Analysis, Computer graphics, Data Warehousing, Data Mining

CD Rom Searching : Library has also subscribed to CD ROM database provides for online Access.

On-line Networking: Networking is one of the most effective ways of serving users’ needs comprehensively. Networked access to databases would help get newly-published information to library users.

On-line Information Service: The various services include News Paper clipping, Abstracting/Indexing Services, Current Awareness Services, translation services, referral services, photocopying services and computerized services

News Clipping Scanning service :Print media is useful for research needs but many organization and individuals are turning to online newspaper clipping services and some are organization do this by their library.

On-line Reservation Service :User can place a reservation at the Issue or Information Support Desk using the request option on the on-line catalogue.

Database Searching Service: The databases are in CD ROM or computerized form which saves their valuable time and energy, as the information available here is pinpointed and readily accessible.

Audio-Visual Service: One of the major sources of information is audio-Visual services this service enhance the user interest of effective utilization of library materials which gives outlined information about particular topics.

Internet Access: Usually internet enabled terminals are provided in the library that can be used for internet access and email etc.

E-Query Services: Library together handle queries received in person or by e-Mail. E-Queries may sometimes need to be followed-up with telephone, fax, regular mail, or personal interactions.

WEB BASED LIBRARY SERVICES

OPAC: It allows users to search for the bibliographic records contained within a library’s collections.

Gateways: Gateways provide a simple search facility and a much-enhanced service through a resource database and indexes

Portals: Portals are either commercial or free web facilities that offer information services to a specific audience. The facilities include web search to communication to email to news etc. There are three kinds of portals; Consumer (or horizontal), Vertical and Enterprise.

Subject Portals: Two prime UK subject portals are SOSIG Social Science Information Gateway, covering social science resources and OMNI Organizing medical networked information covering medical resources.

Electronic Journals: Today many journals are available electronically - some are full text and some contain only bibliographic information with abstract. Major advantage of electronic journals is that they are constantly updated and easy to access but disadvantage is that breaching of copyright law is very easy.

Online Databases : These are large collections of machine-readable data that are maintained by commercial agencies and are accessed through communication lines. Many libraries subscribe to them for easy access and use 431 of current information.

Search Engines: Search engine indexes every page of a website and subject directories linked only homepages. Search Engine is the popular term for an information retrieval (IR) system.

Subject Directories: Subject directories are basically index home pages of sites and can be classified as general, academic, commercial or portal. Among the well known subject directories are the Argus Clearinghouse (www.clearinghouse.net) and Yahoo (www.yahoo.com).

NEW WEB BASED LIBRARY SERVICES

Virtual Library Tours: Virtual library tours are also using new technologies such as QuickTime movies etc and are beginning to replace image maps on main campus Web sites.Ask-A-Librarian : Most “Ask-a-Librarians” services have a web-based question submission form or an e-mail address or both. Users are invited to submit their queries by using web forms or through e-mail. Real Time Services: These are real-time, interactive reference services in which the users can talk to a real, live reference librarian at any time, from anywhere in the world. Bulletin Boards : The messages may be directed to all users of the bulletin board or only to particular users. But all messages can be read by all users. Several libraries are using bulletin boards for their web-based library services.Web-based User Education : The library web sites can use web-based user education for imparting training to users in teaching the basic library skills along with glossary of library terms, using Library OPAC, locating books, magazines, biographical data and other library materials.Web Forms : Web Forms are available on web that may be an Indent form for acquiring some publications, interlibrary loan request form for document delivery, Ask-a-Librarian forms, on line reservation form or user survey form etc.

Thank You