Status of public libraries’ automation in assam: an evaluative study on some selected district libra

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Status of public libraries’ automation in assam: an evaluative study on some selected district libraries of Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar district Mrs. Rashmi Rekha Buragohain Assistant Professor, Centre for Library and Information Science, Dibrugarh University e-mail- roshmighain90@rediffmail.com

Abstract: The present paper is based on the current status of the public libraries in some selected District Libraries of Assam.

The tremendous development in Information Communication Technology and their application in the libraries have opened a new door for the libraries and users alike. In the age of Information Technology, there is a large change in the methods and techniques of seeking the information and way of information dissemination on the other hand. The Public Library System is a type of information system which allows the information seeker to use the resources of its end user. But, unfortunately the public libraries of Assam are not fully automated, due to the lack of efficient IT infrastructure as well as IDL - International Digital Library

insufficient library staffs. So that Public Libraries of are not able to satisfy there users.

Keyword: Public Library, Information Communication Technology, Library automation, 1. INTRODUCTION: At present, the different areas of Libraries and Information Centers have undergone various changes due to the advent of ICT. Now a day the traditional services of library such as circulation, reference, acquision services have been shifting towards digital form.

With the implementation of digitization the libraries are able to fulfill the main objective of libraries i.e. to create, store, process and dissemination of information at local, regional, national, international level. It is 1|P a g e

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known that ICT enables to access digital information to anyone, anywhere and anytime. Through adopting ICT, the public libraries are also able to fulfill its main objective i.e. free flow information and knowledge at the doorstep of the library.

UNESCO defines Public Library as "the local gateway to knowledge, provides a basic condition for lifelong learning, independent decision making and cultural development of the individual and social groups". [7]

The National Knowledge Commission (NKC), of India which was constituted in June 2005 described libraries as gateways of knowledge and continued that a "Library is not a building stacked with books - it is a repository and source of information and ideas, a place for learning and enquiry, and for the generation of thought and the creation of new knowledge.

Public libraries in particular have the potential to bridge the gap between the 'information poor' and the 'information rich' by ensuring that people from all sectors and settings of society and the community across India have easy access to knowledge seeking". [6]

In the broader sense public libraries are those service providers which serve the general people as a whole irrespective of their age, gender, profession and socio IDL - International Digital Library

economic background. In Assam, the public libraries are being run under the Ministry of Culture. In Assam different district headquarters are known as district libraries and under district libraries, there are some sub divisional libraries as well as rural libraries etc.

2. OBJECTIVES STUDY

OF

THE

The objective of this is study to examine how public libraries are responding to the challenges of library automation in present day’s context. The major objectives of this study are as follows: 2.1. To study the present status of automation of some selected public libraries of Assam 2.2. To study the challenges in the implementation of ICT based operation and services in different selected public libraries of Assam.

3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of the topic is considered to be very significant in the sense that implementation of automation in public libraries are important for achieving the objectives of public libraries. The scope of the study deals with the present status and challenges of public libraries automation in some selected district libraries of Assam.

This study highlight the procedure, 2|P a g e

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techniques use, the drawbacks in conducting library automation libraries, special emphasis is given on the District Libraries of Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar District.

4. AREA OF STUDY There are many college libraries in Assam but it is not possible to cover all libraries for study. Therefore some selected public libraries of Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar District, Assam have been chosen specially for this study.

5. LIMITATION OF STUDY I have tried my best to collect data from the public libraries (District Libraries) with the help of the librarian and also the staff. I have found articles in certain journals and books which consist of information on my topic.

But it may not possible to study in detail and not possible to get a logical solution in a limited time.

Actually it requires a broad study from the grass root levels, which may not be sufficient to have such data visiting only four district libraries within a limited frame period.

6. METHODOLOGY The study has been conducted on some selected district libraries of Dibrugarh, Golaghat, IDL - International Digital Library

Jorhat, Sivasagar. In this study primary data has been collected by using survey method. A structured collected questionnaire was designed to satisfy the objectives of the study which was distributed among the library professionals in all four district libraries. The investigator receives 100% responses from the respondents.

Here secondary data has been collected from the journal articles and internet sources.

7. NEED AND PURPOSES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY AUTOMATION: With the introduction of internet facilities, we can able to search and access different types of information through website, social networks as well as e mail etc.

Now a day in every aspects of filed are shifting towards ICT based services even the public libraries are not living far behind. In present the information seeking behavior of users have been changed, so that application of ICT should be introduced in public libraries to satisfy the need and requirement of the users and also to provide better services to its users. It will help to access different types of important very easily with less effort.

In the changing scenario, librarians of public libraries have to equip themselves with the newer information technologies to enhance their status and also to help the users meeting their 3|P a g e

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information need. Also knowledge on IT is very much essential for librarian to give the right information to the right user at the right time.

rural libraries, 1 branch library and one children library. [3]

8. PUBLIC LIBRARIES OF ASSAM:

Analysis of data means study of the tabulated material in order to determine an inherent facet on meaning it involves breaking down existing interpretation.

The State of Assam, situated in the north-east corner of India, has its capital in Dispur, Guwahati. It has 23 districts covering an area of 78,438 sq km.

There is a State Library in Guwahati and District Libraries in all the Districts. The eighth All Assam Library Conference was held at Guwahati in 1964, and Dr S. R. Ranganathan was invited to the conference. In connection with the conference Dr S. R. Ranganathan prepared a draft of Public Library Bill for the State of Assam. The conference discussed the Bill at length and resolved to request the Government of Assam to have a Public Library Act enacted in order to integrate the library service, already available in the State, and to develop a public library system in the State. After the conference, the AssamLibrary Association referred this Bill to the Government for consideration.

Nothing has come of it as yet.[ 3 ]

In Assam, there are 23nos. of District Libraries, 14 nos. of sub divisional libraries and 204 nos. of given below.

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9. DATA FINDINGS

ANALYSIS

AND

In this paper, the analysis of data of the surveyed Public libraries are represented in tabular form and diagram/figures whenever applicable.

9.1 Organizational surveyed libraries:

status

of

Taking into consideration the implementation of library automation as the theme of survey, the population taken for study includes the college community .As such; the public libraries are aimed at collecting data for analysis. Hence, the study is undergone taking into account four selected public libraries of Sivasagar and Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Golaghat. The general information of that selected college library is reflected in the tabulate form as

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Table 9.1: Information about Public libraries Sl. no.

1 2.

3.

4.

Name of the Libraries District library,Dibrugarh District library, Golaghat District Library, Jorhat District Library, Sivasagar

Yr. of Establishment 1955 1968 1955 1968

From the above table, it is seen that the establishment year of District Library of Dibrugarh and Jorhat are same as well as Golaghat and Sivsagar are same.

Table: 9.2. Organisational Information of surveyed District libraries

Sl. no.

Name of the Libraries

Name of the librarian

Qualification

1

District library, Dibrugarh

Joyshree Devi

B.Lib.

1

Non Professional 9

2.

District library, Golaghat

Dr. Mehtab Hussain

M.A.,M.Lib, P.hd

2

6

3.

District Library, Jorhat

Subham Sharma

M.A.,M.Lib

3

4

4.

District Library, Sivasagar

Munindra Nath Deka

B.Lib

2

6

Professional

From the above table no.

10.2 it is seen that in district library of Jorhat have maximum number of professional staff than other three district libraries and in district

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Staff

library of Dibrugarh, there are less number of professional staff

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than other four district libraries. In the district library of Golaghat the qualification of the more than other

librarian of Libraries.

surveyed

District

9.2. Status of Library implementation of ICT Table-9.3: Library automation scenario in surveyed Public Libraries of Assam Name of the Libraries 1 2.

3.

4.

Computer

District library,Dibrugarh District library, Golaghat District Library, Jorhat 6 District Library, 9 Sivasagar

7 8

Software Barcoding Internet

Printers

KOHA KOHA KOHA KOHA

4 3 2 4

Nil Nil Nil Nil

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Fig. 9.1: Library Automation Scenario in Surveyed Public Libraries of Assam

60 50 40 30

District library, Dibrugarh

20

District library, Golaghat District Library, Jorhat

10

District Library, Sivasagar 0

The above table 9.3 (fig 9.1) explain that most of the district libraries have in adequate computer IDL - International Digital Library

systems, printers and other relevant infrastructure in library automation. It is seen that all 6|P a g e

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surveyed libraries have more or less computers and printer. The surveyed district libraries have installed KOHA software with the help of RRRLF. But it is only in a processing stage, where they only enter the data of library sources, it is not used for the work of circulation. In Sivasagar district library the data entry is less than other surveyed libraries, it only happened due to the insufficient knowledge on KOHA Software by the library staff. KOHA software is no processing without internet, so

that in the surveyed district libraries, there have internet facility. It is also noticed from the above table that the barcode system is not done in those libraries.

10. FINDIGS OF THE STUDY On the basis of study undertaken to fulfill the objective of study during the whole period following are the finding drown upon:

10.1. The present status of the ICT infrastructure of all libraries are depressive.

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10.2. The libraries are serving the public in traditional mode in the age of ICT, although they install KOHA Software but it only in a initial stage.

10.3. There are insufficient library staffs that have good knowledge on the practical field of KOHA 10.4. RRRLF does their best on the implementation of library automation in public libraries. But sometime, some of the staffs of public libraries are not so actively participant to do automation in public libraries.

10.5. All surveyed public libraries are not able to fully implement ICT in their library systems because of shortage of staffs, inadequate infrastructure to support ICT and lack of training facilities for the existing library personnel.

library automation and enact library legislation. To the overall development of the public libraries especially in the field of library automation, there is a need to enact public library act in Assam.

To solve the problem of public libraries some organization provides financial support to libraries. In Assam, there is a financial support from RRRLF for the implement the automation in public libraries. With the help of RRRLF the public libraries of Assam are able to install and do their library services on KOHA Software.

But it is not sufficient because though the public libraries of Assam install KOHA software but they are not able to work properly because of the lack of training as well as insufficient library staff. So, proper training should be provided to run that software and also Government of Assam takes some steps for the improvement along with the implementation of automation in the public libraries of Assam.

10.6. There is a lack of library legislation act in the state 11. SUGGESTION AND CONCLUSION: Now a day peoples are interested in getting more and more information to meet the solution of their problem along with borrowing library documents which only happen because of the advent of information technology. In order to fulfill the needs of the user, the implementation of automation in public libraries is essential. But in Assam, automatons in public libraries have to travel a long distance due to the willingness of the state government to support the causes of IDL - International Digital Library

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Assam . Retrieved 11 August 2016

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