LIBRARY AUTOMATION & NETWORKING
SOFTWARES IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW
Application
of library automation & networking softwares in Indian libraries has improved
the efficiency of library services.
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Anil
Singh
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INTRODUCTION
The information is the key for any developing economy to develop
further. The important feature of today’s information society is the efficiency
with which the data can be collected, collated, repackaged, transmitted and
disseminated.1 The need for information is growing and libraries
"the store house of information" play a major role in the collection,
organisation and dissemination of information. Availability of precise and
timely information is critical. Keeping this in mind, libraries in India are
also being computerised and automated to meet the growing needs.2 To
accomplish the job of library automation; the creation of bibliographic
databases became one of the essential and key activities of library automation.
To address such initiatives and accomplish the jobs, library softwares were
developed, initially to address basic jobs of the library, and now varying
dimensions and degrees integrating whatever is possible. And hence they have
become the most powerful tool for changing the scenario of libraries from
tradition to automated, automated to electronic, electronic to digital, digital
to virtual. Software has become increasingly more powerful and the introduction
of new applications has increased. Producing customised programs has become
easier with software development packages.
There have been a number of softwares developed for use in data
management and dissemination in libraries. Some of these softwares have been
developed by commercial agencies, while others have been developed indigenously
by institutions for in-house use, yet there is another class where the
customised applications have been generated on the existing available software.
The basic features such as automating the day-to-day functions of the library,
creating databases of holdings, and providing access to users online are now
the common features. In India also many softwares are available for these
activities and many libraries have automated their various functions. This
paper discusses about some of the software used by the Indian libraries for
computerisation of their libraries.3
LIBRARY AUTOMATION SCENARIO IN INDIA
With the advent of electronic information era and network based information services, libraries all over the world are computerising their services and converting their library resources to electronic form. India is estimated to have around 65,000 libraries which include public libraries, college libraries, University libraries, departmental and other libraries. Computerisation of library services has been slow in India so far and it is expected to turn into a movement in the coming years given the requisite attention and fillip. INSDOC (Indian National Scientific Documentation Centres) vision of how the libraries are evolving the world over and the current status in India are summed up in the following table:4
|
S.No. |
Library Type |
Characteristics |
Current Status |
|
1. |
Traditional Library |
Holdings in hard copy form. No computerisation |
> 97% libraries |
|
2. |
Automated Library |
Automation of library functions. Computerised catalogue, circulation, acquisition etc. Holdings mostly in print form. A few electronic resources. |
< 3% libraries |
|
3. |
Electronic Library |
Fully automated functions. CD-ROM networking. Resources in Electronic and conventional form. |
< 100 libraries |
|
4. |
Digital Library |
Fully automated. All resources in digital form. High-speed optical fibre LAN. |
Experimental |
|
5. |
Virtual Library |
Library without walls. Provides access to resources. Library without resources. |
Research |
LIBRARY
AUTOMATION & NETWORKING SOFTWARES IN INDIA
The automation of libraries and their networking have become a
very important task of today for effective resource sharing among libraries.
Thus there is a need of good hardware and softwares which libraries can use for
automating their day-to-day functions, creating databases of their holdings and
providing access to the users online. In India many softwares are available for
these activities and many libraries have automated their various functions.
Some of these are integrated packages covering many functions while others
concentrate on specific functions including cataloguing and management of
information. Computers are gaining popularity with libraries and libraries of
today should take advantage of computers for computerizing their activities.
Among the available softwares, some of the important softwares are described
below.5
CDS/ISIS - CDS/ISIS (Computerized
Documentation System/Integrated set of Information System) is a menu-driven
generalized information storage and retrieval system, designed specifically
for computerized management of structured non-numerical databases. It has been
designed and developed by UNESCO's Division of Software Development and
Applications Office of Information Programs and Services. NISSAT (National
Information System for Science & Technology), Department of Scientific
& Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India, is national distributor
of this software in India, who is distributing this software at nominal cost to
interested libraries. NISSAT is also financing and giving grants to various
organizations for conducting training of library personal in use of CDS/ISIS.
The software is highly useful and fast in creating bibliographical databases
for information storage and retrieval. But, the menus provided in the package
are not sufficient for housekeeping operations and other services such as
acquisition and circulation. However, the software allows creation of
additional menus and writing programmes for all these activities through Pascal
turbo language.6 Website: http://www.nissat.org; E-mail: [email protected]
|
SOUL (Software for University Libraries): University libraries are complex entities, having large collections and serving a huge clientele. To carry out various operations in a library effectively, there is a need for automation. Computer and Communication Technologies have brought revolutionary changes in India in the information acquisition, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination. Keeping in view the latest trends in Information Technology (IT), INFLIBNET (Information Library Network) Center of UGC (University Grant Commission, Government of India) has developed a Windows based Library Management Software "SOUL", which provides total solution for Library Automation of university libraries in India. SOUL is designed using Client-Server Architecture, which imparts extra strength to storage capacity, multiple access to single database, various levels of security, back up, and storage facilities etc. This software has been designed after a comprehensive study of different library related functions practised in university libraries. It has MS-SQL Server 6.5 RDBMS as the back end. This user-friendly software is quite easy to work with. The software comprises various modules like Acquisition; Catalogue; Circulation; OPAC; Serial Control; Administration. The in-built network feature of the software will allow multiple libraries of the same university to function together as well as access to the distributed databases installed at various university libraries and union catalogue mounted at INFLIBNET using VSAT network.7 Website is http://www.inflibnet.ac.in |
GRANTHALAYA- Computers
have made foray into the libraries world over. Almost all the operations in a
library can be computerised to achieve more effective functioning. Library
automation has been an area of specialisation of INSDOC for many years in
India. Several projects for the automation and modernisation of libraries of
prestigious institutions have been taken up and successfully completed by
INSDOC. In many cases, INSDOC library automation package, Granthalaya has been
used to meet the computerisation requirements of libraries and information
centres. Granthalaya is a state of the art library automation package designed
and developed by a unique blend of professionals at INSDOC including
information specialists, software personnel and the library professionals. The
package has been designed using an object oriented approach and uses a
directory concept that facilitates easy data input and brings about better data
integrity. The package uses a modular design, which offers flexibility for
libraries to go in for selective automation. Granthalaya can also be customised
to meet library special functional needs. The package is available on a variety
of platforms like DOS and WINDOWS. LAN version of the software package is under
development. GRANTHALAYA is
developed in FOXPRO. This package has
CCF compatibility. Exporting and importing of data to and from ISO - 2709 and
ASCII format is also possible in this package. It has powerful query and search
facilities. The package has seven modules - data administration query, circulation,
acquisition, serials control, technical processing and library administration.
INSDOC is also marketing and promoting this package for library automation in
India.8 Website is: http://www.insdoc.org
LIBSYS - LIBSYS has been developed by
Libsys Corporations, New Delhi. It is a fully integrated multi-user system
incorporating the latest in information technology. It is GUI based (Graphical
User Interface) software. Libsys
follows international standards such as CCF, MARC, and Z39.50 etc. It can be
run on client server as well as open system architecture and web based access
is also possible. Libsys runs on a wide spectrum of hardware and operating
systems, providing also an option to base it on a preferred RDBMS such as SQL
Server, ORACLE or any other standard. It is a set of acquisitions, cataloguing,
online public access catalogue (OPAC), circulation control and serials control
modules. Additionally, it provide for
analytical indexing of journals, and an advanced user-friendly OPAC interface
to access all library materials through a web browser.9 Website is: http://www.libsys.net; E-mail: [email protected]
Alice
for WINDOWS - It
is an International software package of Softlink International Co. and is
marketed worldwide through various agencies based in USA, Australia, New
Zealand, Britain, Iceland, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka. It is a
complete, integrated library and information management system, which brings
powerful automatic document and resource control within the reach of all
organizations, regardless the size of organizations. The package is available
in four versions, i.e. school library versions, academic library versions,
special library version and public library version for different types of
libraries, so that libraries can select according to their requirements. This package has some of the important
features like rapid retrospective cataloguing module; based on GUI (Graphical
User Interface) technology; compatibility with multimedia; supports barcode
technology.10 Website is: http://softlink.com.au;
E-mail: [email protected]
SANJAY - SANJAY is an extended and
modified form of CDS/ISIS Version 2.3. It has been developed by DESIDOC
(Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre) as a project of
NISSAT (National Information System for Science and Technology). CDS/ISIS lacks
programmes for housekeeping activities such as circulation, serial control
etc. Programme for each of these activities can be created in it and integrated
by Pascal programmes, which is a difficult job for a librarian who is not
skilled in programming with Pascal language. In order to overcome this
limitations of CDS/ISIS, in SANJAY through 25 Pascal programmes facilities for
library house keeping jobs have been provided.11 Website is: http://www.nissat.org; E-mail:
[email protected]
PALMS – PALMS (Prasad Automated Library
Management Systems) is a menu driven software package developed by Dr. R.C.
Prasad, Scientist (Library & Documentation) at G.B. Pant Institute of
Himalayan Environment & Development, Almora, India. The package is very
useful especially for small libraries. Most of the databases used in managing
library and information centre have been covered in the package. The package
provides the facilities of Selective Dissemination Of Information (SDI),
Current Awareness Services (CAS) and Bibliographical Services. The facilities
of Appending, editing, browsing, reviewing, searching and printing of the
record(s) of each of the databases like Book, Journal, Member enrolment,
Purchase order, Reservation and Budgetary control databases have been provided
in the package. The package is available both in single version as well as
network version. It has also compatible with other database management
softwares like dbase, Foxpro etc.12
Website
is: http://business.vsnl.com/librarysoftwarepalms/nsp.htm;
E-mail: [email protected]
WILISYS
- WILISYS (Wipro
Library Information System) has been developed by Wipro Computers Ltd. It
consists of two major components: WILIMAX : Wipro Library Management System;
and WILITRAX : Wipro Library Abstracts System (Bibliographic Search). Both these
packages are developed in `C' language using UNIFYRDBMS for data storage. A
conscious effort has been made to make the design flexible enough to
accommodate any changes. A judicious combination of fixed and variable length
fields has been made for optimum utilisation of the available resources and a
speedy response. This package is aimed at computerisation of different
housekeeping operations, information retrieval, and etc.13
DEL-WINDOWS
& DEL-DOS - Del-Windows is developed by DELNET (Delhi Library Network), which is based on
Windows operating system. This software consists of two modules, i.e. database
creation and maintenance module for creating and managing databases using
Common Communication Format (CCF) and Machine Readable catalogue (MARC) format
for OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) module for retrieving information
using various search approaches like title, author, subject, keywords, etc. The
software is developed using visual basic as front end. Del-Dos is also
developed by DELNET on DOS platform for creating records of books published in
English as well as in India languages (using GIST card) in MARC Format. It is
developed in ‘C’ Language. Its salient features include defining global values
in the worksheet during data entry, variable format, import/export of data into
and from ISO 2709, deletion and printing of Selective or range of records etc.
Web site is: http://delnet.nic.in; E-mail: [email protected];
SUCHIKA - It is an integrated library
automation package which has been designed and developed during 1996 by
DESIDOC, Delhi for its Defence Science Library and other libraries of DRDO
(Defence Research & Development Organisation), Ministry of Defence,
Government of India, scattered all over India. It has facilities for all
library housekeeping operations and services. The package has been developed in
C++ language in MS-DOS and Unix versions keeping the requirements of big and
small libraries of DRDO. The package is menu driven and quite user-friendly.
The package conforms to international standard like CCF, ISO-2709, and AACR2
and allows data conversion from CDS/ISIS, etc. This package has been developed
in modular form, which includes acquisition, circulation, OPAC, serials control
modules. The package has been implemented at Defence Science Library, New Delhi
and in some other DRDOs Libraries and Information Centres.14
TROODON
– Troodon is an
integrated package linking all the relevant functions in the library. It has
been designed to suit the government of India library procedures and financial
rules of the government and so is ideally suitable for the libraries government
libraries. Troodon 3.0 is user-friendly multi-user and multitasking. The
package is developed to work on Windows 95/Windows NT. The package is user
friendly and can be operated by library staff without much prior knowledge of
computer operations. Some of the special features of the Troodon software are
that it is Multi-user, Multi-lingual package; Web enabled to work perfectly on
intranet/internet; GUI Based (Graphical User Interface) and also compatible
with Barcode technology and Multimedia.15 E-mail: [email protected]
CONCLUSION
Presently many good software packages are available for library
automation and their networking in India. It is observed that during 1990s,
there had been spectacular developments in the field of library computerisation
all over India. However librarians should be prepared to meet the new
challenges. They shall have adequate understanding about the hardware and
software options available. Individual efforts have to be replaced by
coordinated and collective national/regional efforts. The CDS/ISIS Mini micro
version, if accepted for use in all libraries in India, will be significant
step in establishing national uniformity in bibliographical databases and
services. All libraries and information centres should use standard software
packages for automation and database creation to facilitate exchange of
bibliographic records between groups of libraries. All databases may be
created either in CCF or MARC and the software used should have the facility to
convert records in the required format for effective resource sharing.
Preferably databases may be created in MARC format because at international
level most of the libraries follow it. There is continuous need for further
improvement of the existing library softwares or development of new suitable
softwares for meeting the future needs of libraries automation because users in
future will prefer to use networked information or resources at national and
international levels through LANs, WANs, Intranet and Internet.
Library networking has been around since libraries began their
cooperative activities. Computer networks effects on libraries began with the
bibliographic networks. Networked information retrieval tools work for
libraries in many ways. Nationally networked databases help form the need for
an easy to use interface for end-user access. Campus wide Information Systems
allow for time-critical information to be utilised.
REFERENCES
1.
Mujoo-Munshi, Usha. Library Networking Softwares: Trends and Issues. In: Kaul,
H.K. Library and Information Networking (Proceedings of the National Convention
on Library and Information Networking, NACLIN 99, October 11-14, 1999, New
Delhi). New Delhi, Delhi Library, Network, 2000. 340p. Chapter 18, p.249-252.
2.
Doctor, Gayatri. Software for Library Automation Database Creation and Search.
In: Gopinath, M.A. and Rama Reddy, E., eds. Information Access Through
Networks (Papers presented at the
National Convention for Automation of Libraries in Education and Research,
Feb10-12, 1995, CALIBER-95). Hyderabad, Booklinks Corporation, 1996, 219p. ISBN
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Mujoo-Munshi, Usha. Library Networking Softwares: Trends and Issues. In: Kaul,
H.K. Library and Information Networking (Proceedings of the National Convention
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Delhi). New Delhi, Delhi Library, Network, 2000. 340p.
Chapter
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5.
Saxena, S.C. and Srivastava, R.K. Software Packages for Library Automation and
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Sharma, Pandey S.K. Library Computerisation: Theory and Practice. New Delhi,
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7. http://www.inflibnet.ac.in
8.
Brochure on GRANTHALAYA - a library automation package (ver 1.0) New Delhi :
INSDOC.
9.
Brochure on Libsys - a library automation package (ver 1.0) New Delhi : Libsys
Corporation.
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Brochure on OASIS. Softlink Asia Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
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Sharma, Pandey S.K. Library Computerisation: Theory and Practice. New Delhi,
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Saxena, S.C. and Srivastava, R.K. Software Packages for Library Automation and
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ABSTRACT
This paper provides an overview of various library and networking
softwares used in Indian libraries. Need for library automation software
arises in India because general purposes packages can't meet the requirements
of library computerisation. Paper also discusses present library automation
scenario in India. Recommends that CCF or MARC format should be used to develop
library database for effective resource sharing.
Anil
Singh is a
Professional Assistant in the Division of Library, Documentation and
Information, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT),
Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi - 110016 (India).
Tel: +91(11) 6961745, 6863154; Fax:
+91(11) 6961745; E-mail: [email protected]
CURRICULUM
VITAE OF AUTHOR
Name : Anil Singh
Official
Designation : Professional Assistant
Address : Division
of Library, Documentation and Information (DLDI),
National Council of Educational
Research and Training (NCERT),
Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi -
110016 (INDIA)
Professional : 1. Post Graduation in Library & Information Science
from
Qualification School of Studies
in Library & Information Sciences,
Jiwaji
University, Gwalior - 474011, M.P. (INDIA)
2. Also pursuing PhD in Library
& Information Science from
Jiwaji University, Gwalior - 474011,
M.P. (INDIA)
Past Experience : Served
in G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan
Environment & Development
(Ministry of Environment &
Forests, Government of India),
Almora, Uttaranchal, India, as
Library Assistant from November
1995 to September 1997.
PHOTOGRAPH
OF THE AUTHOR
