BLI 221
BLI-221: LIBRARY, INFORMATION AND SOCIETY
TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Coverage: Course Code: BLI-221
Course: Library, Information and Society Assignment Code:
AST/TMA/Jul.19-Jan.20
Note: Answer all questions.
I) Answer the following questions in not more than 500 words each.( 4X10= 40 Marks)
1) What is Information Society? Discuss its different perceptions.
Ans: Information Society: An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution,
diffusion, uses, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic, political, and
cultural activity. The knowledge economy is its economic counterpart whereby wealth is created through the economic exploitation of understanding. As Beniger shows, this is one of many dozen labels that have been identified to suggest that we are entering a new phase of society.
The markers of this rapid change may be technological, economic, occupational, spatial, cultural, or some combination of all of these. Information society is seen as the successor to industrial society. Closely related concepts are the post-industrial society post-fordism, post-modern society, knowledge society, Telematic Society, Information Revolution, Liquid modernity, and network society.
Perceptions: There are various kinds of perceptions of the information society but Webster distinguishes and presents only five perceptions based on the technological, economic, occupational, spatial and cultural criteria. These perceptions of information society are as follows:
Technological. The most common definition of the information society emphasizes spectacular
technological innovation. The key idea is that breakthroughs in information processing, storage, and
transmission have led to the application of information technologies (IT) in virtually all corners of society.The major concern is the astonishing reductions in the costs of computers, their prodigious increases in power, and their consequent application anywhere and everywhere.
Because it is now economical and feasible to put computers in typewriters, cars, cookers, watches,
factory machines, televisions, and toys, it follows that we are certain to experience social upheaval of such magnitude that we shall enter a new era.
Economic. There is an established subdivision of economics that concerns itself with the economics of information. As a founder of this specialism, the late Fritz Machlup (1902-1983) devoted much of his professional life to the goal of assessing the size and growth of the information industries. Machlup’s pioneering work, The Production and Distribution of Knowledge in the United States (1962), has been seminal in establishing measures of the information society in economic terms.
Occupational. A popular measure of the emergence of an information society is the one that focuses onoccupational change. Put simply, the contention is that we have achieved an information society when the predominance of occupations is found in information work. That is, the information society has arrived when clerks, teachers, lawyers, and entertainers outnumber coal miners, steelworkers, dockers, and builders.
Spatial. The spatial conception of the information society, while it draws on sociology and economics, has at its core the geographer’s distinctive stress on space. Here the major emphasis is on the information networks that connect locations and, in consequence, have dramatic effects on the organization of time and space.
Cultural. The final conception of an information society is perhaps the most easily acknowledged yet the least measured. Each of us is aware, from the pattern of our everyday lives, that there has been an
extraordinary increase in the information in social circulation. There is simply a great deal more of it about than ever before.
2) Write an essay on the Information Technology Act, 2000. (10) Ans In 1996, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) adopted the model law on electronic commerce (e-commerce) to bring uniformity in the law in different countries. Further, the General Assembly of the United Nations recommended that all countries must consider this model law before making changes to their own laws. India became the 12th country to enable cyber law after it passéd the Information Technology Act, 2000. Objectives of the Act The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides legal recognition to the transaction done via electronic exchange of data and other electronic means of communication or electronic commerce transactions. Further, this act amended the Indian Penal Code 1860, the Indian Evidence Act 1872, the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act 1891, and the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934. The objectives of the Act are as follows: i. Grant legal recognition to all transactions done via electronic exchange of data or other electronic means of communication or e-commerce, in place of the earlier paper-based method of communication. ii. Give legal recognition to digital signatures for the authentication of any information or matters requiring legal authentication iii. Facilitate the electronic filing of documents with Government agencies and also departments iv. Facilitate the electronic storage of data v. Give legal sanction and also facilitate the electronic transfer of funds between banks and financial institutions Features of the Information Technology Act, 2000 a. All electronic contracts made through secure electronic channels are legally valid. b. Legal recognition for digital signatures. c. Security measures for electronic records and also digital signatures are in place d. A procedure for the appointment of adjudicating officers for holding inquiries under the Act is finalized e. Provision for establishing a Cyber Regulatory Appellant Tribunal under the Act. Further, this tribunal will handle all appeals made against the order of the Controller or Adjudicating Officer. f. An appeal against the order of the Cyber Appellant Tribunal is possible only in the High Court g. Digital Signatures will use an asymmetric cryptosystem and also a hash function h. Provision for the appointment of the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) to license and regulate the working of Certifying Authorities. The Controller to act as a repository of all digital signatures. Applicability and Non-Applicability of the Act Applicability According to Section 1 (2), the Act extends to the entire country, which also includes Jammu and Kashmir. In order to include Jammu and Kashmir, the Act uses Article 253 of the constitution. Further, it does not take citizenship into account and provides extra-territorial jurisdiction. Section 1 (2) along with Section 75, specifies that the Act is applicable to any offence or contravention committed outside India as well. Non-Applicability According to Section 1 (4) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Act is not applicable to the following documents: 1. Execution of Negotiable Instrument under Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, except cheques. 2. Execution of a Power of Attorney under the Powers of Attorney Act, 1882. 3. Creation of Trust under the Indian Trust Act, 1882. 4. Execution of a Will under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 including any other testamentary disposition by whatever name called.
3) Describe the activities and services of INFLIBNET. (10)
Ans: INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) is the major IUC of the University Grants Commission (UGC) started in 1991 with its Headquarters located at Gujarat University Campus, Ahmedabad. The Programme is directed towards modernization of libraries and information centers, and establishment of a mechanism for information transfer and access, to support scholarship, learning and academic pursuits. It is also aimed at establishing a national network of libraries and information centres in universities, institutions of higher learning and R and D institutions in India. It is basically a co-operative endeavor in resource development, sharing and its utilization at national level.
The users are exposed to the uses of Internet and other benefits like collecting new information worldwide, ideas and data in their respective fields of the study. They keep themselves abreast of the rapidly changing scenario in the electronic, medical biotechnology, business and engineering fields through the net.
The cyber world has helped to a great extent in solving the unemployment problem. Lots of professionals have been absorbed worldwide in the field and are doing very well financially and socially.
Activities: The main activities taken up by INFLIBNET includes the following:
(1) Developing of standard and format of INFLIBNET;
(2) Development of databases;
(3) Human Resource Development;
(4) Onsite Support to Universities;
(5) Annual national conventions;
(6) Development of an integrated package for libraries management; and
(7) INFLIBNET services are the services provided by INFLIBNET with the available databases like catalogue-based services, communication based services and COPSAT service in collaboration with NSCL.
Services: The different services offered by INFLIBNET are as follows:
(1) Library Automation: INFLIBNET has developed a library automation package called SOUL (Software for University Libraries). It has all the necessary modules, which a library needs. Besides SOUL, INFLIBNET has developed several small utilities for day-to day libraries operation. It also develops solution on demand by university libraries, like retro conversion, preparation of catalogue cards, duplicate checking of library records and so on.
(2) Human Resource Development: INFLIBNET runs several short-term courses for professionals in order to train them with new automated tools and techniques. It has conducted many programmes for working university library professionals. The course contains training module in computer application for library and information centres.
(3) OJAS: Open Journal Access System (OJAS) is an open source journal management and publishing software developed any freely distributed by the Public Knowledge project at the University of British Columbia. INFLIBNET has installed and configured the software at its server and provides the facility of uploading the e-versions of journals of universities and even individuals for open access.
(4) Document Deliver: INFLIBNET provides inter library loan and document delivery services from the comprehensive collection of subscribed journals under JCCC@UGC-INFONET. It has designated 22 libraries to fulfill ILL request from the users, affiliated
to 149 universities covered under UGC. The ILL libraries together subscribe 2000 plus
journals that are not available through consortia. Universities can request for articles from the journal holdings of those libraries wherever they find useful articles in JCCC search.
4) Discuss the role of IFLA in the development of LIS profession (10)
Ans: The IFLA was founded in 1929 with the aim of promoting international contacts among library associations and LIS professionals. Since its inception, it has effectively been involved in various activities and services viz., core activities – Action for Development through Libraries Programme (ALP), Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters (CLM), etc.; divisions – General Research Libraries. Special Libraries, Bibliographic Control, etc.; sections – National Libraries, Public Libraries, Cataloguing, Bibliography, Document Delivery and Resource Sharing, Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning, etc.
Objectives: IFLA is an independent, international, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation. Its aims are:
“To promote the international support, cooperation, exchange of information, education, research, and development within the scope of the library and information services sector in general. In addition, the Foundation seeks to protect, preserve, and document written and printed cultural heritage and all that is in connection with these purposes”.
In pursuing these aims IFLA embraces the following core values:
1) the endorsement of the principles of freedom of access to information. ideas and works of imagination and freedom of expression embodied in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2) the belief that people, communities and organisations need universal and equitable access to information, ideas and works of imagination for their social, educational, cultural, democratic and economic wellbeing
3) the conviction that delivery of high quality library and information services helps guarantee that access 4) the commitment to enable all Members of the Federation to engage in, and benefit from, its activities without regard to citizenship, disability, ethnic origin, gender, geographical location, language, political philosophy, race or religion.
Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPD&WL)
Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPD&WL) is one of the important sections of IFLA to promote the professionals. Before August 2002, this was known as Continuing Professional Education Round Table (CPERT). The CPD&WL section embraces all aspects of professional development and learning in the workplace through conferences, workshops, seminars, mailing lists, discussion forum, etc.
The objectives of this are :
keep LIS professionals abreast of new developments and trends in information and communication technology;
make the professionals to meet higher expectations of users, requirements of employers and managers of libraries and information centres;
emphasise the imperative for associations and institutions to be ‘learning organisations’ to meet the competition from information professionals in the broader information industry; and
develop their staff by providing opportunities for continuing professional development and training in the workplace; and for individuals to be responsible for their own career planning and development.
The following are some of the important features of this :
It offers membership for institutions, organisations and individuals in a community of practice which supports practical and research-related activities within our area of subject expertise; and
It brings together those who are interested in and responsible for the quality improvement of systems for delivering continuing professional development and workplace learning programme.
Resources: Many librarians and information professionals throughout the world, who contribute their time, expertise and financial resources, make its achievements possible. About 80% of IFLA’s income is derived from membership fees.
II) Answer the following questions in not more than 250 words each. (6x5= 30 Marks)
1 Describe the activities and products of information analysis centers. (5)
Ans: This type of information institution provides the most user-oriented information service, in a timely,
Authoritative and evaluated form, convenient to the user. In this service, the user wants the data and information contained in the literature and not the documents themselves. His needs are informed collected from different sources and supplied in a form that could be used directly.
An information analysis centre is a formally structured organizational unit, specifically established for the purpose of acquiring, storing, retrieving, evaluating, analyzing, synthesizing, a body of information and/or data in a clearly defined specialized field. The purpose is to compile, repackage, organize and present pertinent information and/or data in a form most authoritative, timely and useful to a group of specialists.
The distinguishing characteristics of this type of centres are as follows:
(i) The key activities of these centres are analysis, interpretation, synthesis, evaluation and repackaging of information for the purpose of enabling users to assimilate the information or numerical data of a specific field.
(ii) An information analysis centre-uses subject specialists to perform the analysis, evaluation and synthesis.
(iii) An information analysis centre produces new, evaluated information in the form of critical services, state-of-art monographs or data compilations and usually provides substantive evaluated responses to queries.
(iv) An information analysis centre provides assistance to a community of users and not just assistance to ‘in-house’ personnel.
Fig. Activities and Products of Information Analysis centre
2) Discuss the services of a virtual library. (5)
Ans: The Services of a virtual library are as follows:
(1) Patron(user) account service: This service area addresses user activities including accessing account information through the network, use the service to order materials, or pay the resources.
(2) Reference service: Both cost and quality of service are important considerations for establishing reference service. With the limited resources made available for reference service, the library must consider priority of service, the library must consider priority of serving various user groups.
(3) Access service: Once the user has discovered the resources, the access service addresses getting the information to the user. It depends on the user’s paying capacity.
(4) Resource discovery service: This type of service in virtual library provides users with a variety of tools and approaches for discovering the existence of appropriate resources. Typically, a user will search one or more repositories of metadata, full text or images to identify and select resources. Three types of searches are possible, i.e. Single Database searching, Broadcast searching and Integrative searching.
(5) Instruction service: This service focuses on appropriate training and instruction activities to assist users. Users will need to know how to use the new and emerging technologies. But more importantly they may need help in understanding what resources are available, their costs and their authenticity.
3) Discuss the financial provisions in the public library acts passed in India. (5)
Ans: With increase in the number of readers and use of libraries, the public libraries seem to be in growth.
The financial provisions in the public library acts are:
(1) Andhra Pradesh: The total expenditure on Government Libraries will be borne by the Government. The establishment charges of Zila Granthalaya Samstha will be met by the Government. The expenditure on other items such as books, periodicals, buildings etc. will be met from library fund of the City/Zilla Granthalaya Samsthas. They will provide some grant-in-aid to private libraries.
(2) Maharashtra: Maharashtra Act does not levy any library cess. However, the State Government has to provide for at least 25 lakh of rupees as grant-in-aid for library development. This does not include administrative and establishment expenditure. Five divisional libraries and eight district libraries in Vidarbha are fully financed by the Government of Maharashtra.
(3) West Bengal: In West Bengal, since there is no provision for levying library cess, the entire expenditure on public libraries, started through the provisions of the Act, will be met from the consolidated fund of the state. Every Local Library Authority shall maintain library fund out of the grant received from Government, contribution of gifts, income from endowments, etc. However, a few private libraries will get grant–in-aid from the Government, for their maintenance.
(4) Karnataka: The State Central Library is funded fully by the State Government. The libraries at District and City level including Branch Libraries are financed from ‘Library Fund’. Under the provision of this Act, Library cess is levied as surcharge on properties tax, motor vehicle tax, entertainment taxes.
4) Discuss the issues and problems in designing an acceptable ethical code for LIS professionals. (5)
Ans: Apart from the difficulties in designing an acceptable ethical code for professionals, there are also many other issues and problems which emerge with professional ethics. Some of these are:
1) Image of the library and information profession in society;
2) More than one professional body;
3) Authority in implementation with provisions for disciplinary action in case
of violation of the ethical principles enunciated by ethical codes;
I Professional Image - The image of the library profession, particularly in India, is not very high in society as library and information work is considered auxiliary to education, research, industrial or business development etc.
ii Professional Bodies - In many countries, there are more than one professional body each of
which may have different goals and objectives, although there may not be any serious conflicts between them.
iii Authority in Implementation - Even assuming a central professional authority, it is not always possible to penalize anyone who may violate professional ethical - codes. There are no legal validity to these ethical codes. Conforming to ethical codes are invariably more voluntary individual effort arising out of personal belief or faith in ethical values.
iv. Expanding Dimensions - The dimensions of professional activity have expanded unprecedentedly in the last quarter of 20th century. The conventional and traditional functions of a library have undergone a tremendous change.
v. Professional Quality - Today’s insistence on quality assurance has been a major concern of those involved in every human activity. Consumers’ societies have been asserting their right to have quality in whatever they buy and seek legal protection in consumer courts to ensure quality
vi. New Entrants - Library and information activities are attracting persons with different educational and professional backgrounds and qualifications.
5) Explain the need and objectives of resource sharing. (5)
Ans: Need of resource sharing -One of the significant aspects that needs attention is that each participating library should have a clear cut policy as regards the type of resources it would be in a position to share' with other member libraries. In other words, the library will necessarily have some books and journals which are very much used by its own clientele and cannot be lent out of the premises: Such documents do not fall under the purview of resources sharing. Therefore, for effective resource sharing among libraries, it is important to reach an agreement on some of the under mentioned issues:
Agreements On.
● type of material to be shared;
● acquisition policies both to ensure consistent development of holdings and also to avoid duplication when this is considered to be non-productive by the member libraries;
● loan periods, renewal procedures, payment for materials lost during transactions, etc.;
● cooperative cataloguing or shared cataloguing;
● maintenance of up-to-date catalogues, etc.
● In addition to the aspects mentioned above; it is necessary that there should be : positive procedures for delivering materials and their timely return;
● bibliographic access to local holdings and on order and in-process records of the participant libraries;
● establishment of facilities for storing little used or discarded materials, their maintenance and use as and when required.
Once material of interest has been' located elsewhere, it becomes necessary to determine whether it is indeed available, or is in use by others. Resource sharing requires access to circulation information to avoid disappointment and to accelerate the process of locating the required material in another library.
6) State the Five Laws of Library Science. Explain the implications of the Fifth Law (5)
Ans: The Five Laws of Library Science are as follows:
First law: Books are for Use
The first law constitutes the basis for the library services. Ranganathan observed that books were often chained to prevent their removal and that the emphasis was on storage and preservation rather than use.
Second Law: Every reader his or her book
This law suggests that every member of the community should be able to obtain materials needed.
Ranganathan felt that all individuals from all social environments were entitled to library service, and that the basis of library use was education, to which all were entitled.
Third Law: Every book its reader
This principle is closely related to the second law but it focuses on the item itself, suggesting that each item in a library has an individual or individuals who would find that item useful.
Fourth Law: Save the time of the reader
This law is a recognition that part of the excellence of library service is its ability to meet the needs of the library user efficiently..
Fifth Law: The library is a growing organism
This law focused more on the need for internal change than on changes in the environment itself. He argued that library organizations must accommodate growth in staff, the physical collection, and patron use.
Implications of the Fifth Law:
(i) Book Stock: The growth of books and periodicals will be fast in the initial stages of development.
(ii) Readers: In keeping with the spirit of the first law of library science, the readers of the library are bound to grow where the library functions properly.
(iii) Classification and Catalogue: The Classification scheme adopted should be hospitable to new subjects. It must enable the classifier to allocate a unique class number to each subject and must facilitate easy retrieval.
TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Coverage: Course Code: BLI-221
Course: Library, Information and Society Assignment Code:
AST/TMA/Jul.19-Jan.20
Note: Answer all questions.
I) Answer the following questions in not more than 500 words each.( 4X10= 40 Marks)
1) What is Information Society? Discuss its different perceptions.
Ans: Information Society: An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution,
diffusion, uses, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic, political, and
cultural activity. The knowledge economy is its economic counterpart whereby wealth is created through the economic exploitation of understanding. As Beniger shows, this is one of many dozen labels that have been identified to suggest that we are entering a new phase of society.
The markers of this rapid change may be technological, economic, occupational, spatial, cultural, or some combination of all of these. Information society is seen as the successor to industrial society. Closely related concepts are the post-industrial society post-fordism, post-modern society, knowledge society, Telematic Society, Information Revolution, Liquid modernity, and network society.
Perceptions: There are various kinds of perceptions of the information society but Webster distinguishes and presents only five perceptions based on the technological, economic, occupational, spatial and cultural criteria. These perceptions of information society are as follows:
Technological. The most common definition of the information society emphasizes spectacular
technological innovation. The key idea is that breakthroughs in information processing, storage, and
transmission have led to the application of information technologies (IT) in virtually all corners of society.The major concern is the astonishing reductions in the costs of computers, their prodigious increases in power, and their consequent application anywhere and everywhere.
Because it is now economical and feasible to put computers in typewriters, cars, cookers, watches,
factory machines, televisions, and toys, it follows that we are certain to experience social upheaval of such magnitude that we shall enter a new era.
Economic. There is an established subdivision of economics that concerns itself with the economics of information. As a founder of this specialism, the late Fritz Machlup (1902-1983) devoted much of his professional life to the goal of assessing the size and growth of the information industries. Machlup’s pioneering work, The Production and Distribution of Knowledge in the United States (1962), has been seminal in establishing measures of the information society in economic terms.
Occupational. A popular measure of the emergence of an information society is the one that focuses onoccupational change. Put simply, the contention is that we have achieved an information society when the predominance of occupations is found in information work. That is, the information society has arrived when clerks, teachers, lawyers, and entertainers outnumber coal miners, steelworkers, dockers, and builders.
Spatial. The spatial conception of the information society, while it draws on sociology and economics, has at its core the geographer’s distinctive stress on space. Here the major emphasis is on the information networks that connect locations and, in consequence, have dramatic effects on the organization of time and space.
Cultural. The final conception of an information society is perhaps the most easily acknowledged yet the least measured. Each of us is aware, from the pattern of our everyday lives, that there has been an
extraordinary increase in the information in social circulation. There is simply a great deal more of it about than ever before.
2) Write an essay on the Information Technology Act, 2000. (10) Ans In 1996, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) adopted the model law on electronic commerce (e-commerce) to bring uniformity in the law in different countries. Further, the General Assembly of the United Nations recommended that all countries must consider this model law before making changes to their own laws. India became the 12th country to enable cyber law after it passéd the Information Technology Act, 2000. Objectives of the Act The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides legal recognition to the transaction done via electronic exchange of data and other electronic means of communication or electronic commerce transactions. Further, this act amended the Indian Penal Code 1860, the Indian Evidence Act 1872, the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act 1891, and the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934. The objectives of the Act are as follows: i. Grant legal recognition to all transactions done via electronic exchange of data or other electronic means of communication or e-commerce, in place of the earlier paper-based method of communication. ii. Give legal recognition to digital signatures for the authentication of any information or matters requiring legal authentication iii. Facilitate the electronic filing of documents with Government agencies and also departments iv. Facilitate the electronic storage of data v. Give legal sanction and also facilitate the electronic transfer of funds between banks and financial institutions Features of the Information Technology Act, 2000 a. All electronic contracts made through secure electronic channels are legally valid. b. Legal recognition for digital signatures. c. Security measures for electronic records and also digital signatures are in place d. A procedure for the appointment of adjudicating officers for holding inquiries under the Act is finalized e. Provision for establishing a Cyber Regulatory Appellant Tribunal under the Act. Further, this tribunal will handle all appeals made against the order of the Controller or Adjudicating Officer. f. An appeal against the order of the Cyber Appellant Tribunal is possible only in the High Court g. Digital Signatures will use an asymmetric cryptosystem and also a hash function h. Provision for the appointment of the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) to license and regulate the working of Certifying Authorities. The Controller to act as a repository of all digital signatures. Applicability and Non-Applicability of the Act Applicability According to Section 1 (2), the Act extends to the entire country, which also includes Jammu and Kashmir. In order to include Jammu and Kashmir, the Act uses Article 253 of the constitution. Further, it does not take citizenship into account and provides extra-territorial jurisdiction. Section 1 (2) along with Section 75, specifies that the Act is applicable to any offence or contravention committed outside India as well. Non-Applicability According to Section 1 (4) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Act is not applicable to the following documents: 1. Execution of Negotiable Instrument under Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, except cheques. 2. Execution of a Power of Attorney under the Powers of Attorney Act, 1882. 3. Creation of Trust under the Indian Trust Act, 1882. 4. Execution of a Will under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 including any other testamentary disposition by whatever name called.
3) Describe the activities and services of INFLIBNET. (10)
Ans: INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) is the major IUC of the University Grants Commission (UGC) started in 1991 with its Headquarters located at Gujarat University Campus, Ahmedabad. The Programme is directed towards modernization of libraries and information centers, and establishment of a mechanism for information transfer and access, to support scholarship, learning and academic pursuits. It is also aimed at establishing a national network of libraries and information centres in universities, institutions of higher learning and R and D institutions in India. It is basically a co-operative endeavor in resource development, sharing and its utilization at national level.
The users are exposed to the uses of Internet and other benefits like collecting new information worldwide, ideas and data in their respective fields of the study. They keep themselves abreast of the rapidly changing scenario in the electronic, medical biotechnology, business and engineering fields through the net.
The cyber world has helped to a great extent in solving the unemployment problem. Lots of professionals have been absorbed worldwide in the field and are doing very well financially and socially.
Activities: The main activities taken up by INFLIBNET includes the following:
(1) Developing of standard and format of INFLIBNET;
(2) Development of databases;
(3) Human Resource Development;
(4) Onsite Support to Universities;
(5) Annual national conventions;
(6) Development of an integrated package for libraries management; and
(7) INFLIBNET services are the services provided by INFLIBNET with the available databases like catalogue-based services, communication based services and COPSAT service in collaboration with NSCL.
Services: The different services offered by INFLIBNET are as follows:
(1) Library Automation: INFLIBNET has developed a library automation package called SOUL (Software for University Libraries). It has all the necessary modules, which a library needs. Besides SOUL, INFLIBNET has developed several small utilities for day-to day libraries operation. It also develops solution on demand by university libraries, like retro conversion, preparation of catalogue cards, duplicate checking of library records and so on.
(2) Human Resource Development: INFLIBNET runs several short-term courses for professionals in order to train them with new automated tools and techniques. It has conducted many programmes for working university library professionals. The course contains training module in computer application for library and information centres.
(3) OJAS: Open Journal Access System (OJAS) is an open source journal management and publishing software developed any freely distributed by the Public Knowledge project at the University of British Columbia. INFLIBNET has installed and configured the software at its server and provides the facility of uploading the e-versions of journals of universities and even individuals for open access.
(4) Document Deliver: INFLIBNET provides inter library loan and document delivery services from the comprehensive collection of subscribed journals under JCCC@UGC-INFONET. It has designated 22 libraries to fulfill ILL request from the users, affiliated
to 149 universities covered under UGC. The ILL libraries together subscribe 2000 plus
journals that are not available through consortia. Universities can request for articles from the journal holdings of those libraries wherever they find useful articles in JCCC search.
4) Discuss the role of IFLA in the development of LIS profession (10)
Ans: The IFLA was founded in 1929 with the aim of promoting international contacts among library associations and LIS professionals. Since its inception, it has effectively been involved in various activities and services viz., core activities – Action for Development through Libraries Programme (ALP), Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters (CLM), etc.; divisions – General Research Libraries. Special Libraries, Bibliographic Control, etc.; sections – National Libraries, Public Libraries, Cataloguing, Bibliography, Document Delivery and Resource Sharing, Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning, etc.
Objectives: IFLA is an independent, international, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation. Its aims are:
“To promote the international support, cooperation, exchange of information, education, research, and development within the scope of the library and information services sector in general. In addition, the Foundation seeks to protect, preserve, and document written and printed cultural heritage and all that is in connection with these purposes”.
In pursuing these aims IFLA embraces the following core values:
1) the endorsement of the principles of freedom of access to information. ideas and works of imagination and freedom of expression embodied in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2) the belief that people, communities and organisations need universal and equitable access to information, ideas and works of imagination for their social, educational, cultural, democratic and economic wellbeing
3) the conviction that delivery of high quality library and information services helps guarantee that access 4) the commitment to enable all Members of the Federation to engage in, and benefit from, its activities without regard to citizenship, disability, ethnic origin, gender, geographical location, language, political philosophy, race or religion.
Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPD&WL)
Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPD&WL) is one of the important sections of IFLA to promote the professionals. Before August 2002, this was known as Continuing Professional Education Round Table (CPERT). The CPD&WL section embraces all aspects of professional development and learning in the workplace through conferences, workshops, seminars, mailing lists, discussion forum, etc.
The objectives of this are :
keep LIS professionals abreast of new developments and trends in information and communication technology;
make the professionals to meet higher expectations of users, requirements of employers and managers of libraries and information centres;
emphasise the imperative for associations and institutions to be ‘learning organisations’ to meet the competition from information professionals in the broader information industry; and
develop their staff by providing opportunities for continuing professional development and training in the workplace; and for individuals to be responsible for their own career planning and development.
The following are some of the important features of this :
It offers membership for institutions, organisations and individuals in a community of practice which supports practical and research-related activities within our area of subject expertise; and
It brings together those who are interested in and responsible for the quality improvement of systems for delivering continuing professional development and workplace learning programme.
Resources: Many librarians and information professionals throughout the world, who contribute their time, expertise and financial resources, make its achievements possible. About 80% of IFLA’s income is derived from membership fees.
II) Answer the following questions in not more than 250 words each. (6x5= 30 Marks)
1 Describe the activities and products of information analysis centers. (5)
Ans: This type of information institution provides the most user-oriented information service, in a timely,
Authoritative and evaluated form, convenient to the user. In this service, the user wants the data and information contained in the literature and not the documents themselves. His needs are informed collected from different sources and supplied in a form that could be used directly.
An information analysis centre is a formally structured organizational unit, specifically established for the purpose of acquiring, storing, retrieving, evaluating, analyzing, synthesizing, a body of information and/or data in a clearly defined specialized field. The purpose is to compile, repackage, organize and present pertinent information and/or data in a form most authoritative, timely and useful to a group of specialists.
The distinguishing characteristics of this type of centres are as follows:
(i) The key activities of these centres are analysis, interpretation, synthesis, evaluation and repackaging of information for the purpose of enabling users to assimilate the information or numerical data of a specific field.
(ii) An information analysis centre-uses subject specialists to perform the analysis, evaluation and synthesis.
(iii) An information analysis centre produces new, evaluated information in the form of critical services, state-of-art monographs or data compilations and usually provides substantive evaluated responses to queries.
(iv) An information analysis centre provides assistance to a community of users and not just assistance to ‘in-house’ personnel.
Fig. Activities and Products of Information Analysis centre
2) Discuss the services of a virtual library. (5)
Ans: The Services of a virtual library are as follows:
(1) Patron(user) account service: This service area addresses user activities including accessing account information through the network, use the service to order materials, or pay the resources.
(2) Reference service: Both cost and quality of service are important considerations for establishing reference service. With the limited resources made available for reference service, the library must consider priority of service, the library must consider priority of serving various user groups.
(3) Access service: Once the user has discovered the resources, the access service addresses getting the information to the user. It depends on the user’s paying capacity.
(4) Resource discovery service: This type of service in virtual library provides users with a variety of tools and approaches for discovering the existence of appropriate resources. Typically, a user will search one or more repositories of metadata, full text or images to identify and select resources. Three types of searches are possible, i.e. Single Database searching, Broadcast searching and Integrative searching.
(5) Instruction service: This service focuses on appropriate training and instruction activities to assist users. Users will need to know how to use the new and emerging technologies. But more importantly they may need help in understanding what resources are available, their costs and their authenticity.
3) Discuss the financial provisions in the public library acts passed in India. (5)
Ans: With increase in the number of readers and use of libraries, the public libraries seem to be in growth.
The financial provisions in the public library acts are:
(1) Andhra Pradesh: The total expenditure on Government Libraries will be borne by the Government. The establishment charges of Zila Granthalaya Samstha will be met by the Government. The expenditure on other items such as books, periodicals, buildings etc. will be met from library fund of the City/Zilla Granthalaya Samsthas. They will provide some grant-in-aid to private libraries.
(2) Maharashtra: Maharashtra Act does not levy any library cess. However, the State Government has to provide for at least 25 lakh of rupees as grant-in-aid for library development. This does not include administrative and establishment expenditure. Five divisional libraries and eight district libraries in Vidarbha are fully financed by the Government of Maharashtra.
(3) West Bengal: In West Bengal, since there is no provision for levying library cess, the entire expenditure on public libraries, started through the provisions of the Act, will be met from the consolidated fund of the state. Every Local Library Authority shall maintain library fund out of the grant received from Government, contribution of gifts, income from endowments, etc. However, a few private libraries will get grant–in-aid from the Government, for their maintenance.
(4) Karnataka: The State Central Library is funded fully by the State Government. The libraries at District and City level including Branch Libraries are financed from ‘Library Fund’. Under the provision of this Act, Library cess is levied as surcharge on properties tax, motor vehicle tax, entertainment taxes.
4) Discuss the issues and problems in designing an acceptable ethical code for LIS professionals. (5)
Ans: Apart from the difficulties in designing an acceptable ethical code for professionals, there are also many other issues and problems which emerge with professional ethics. Some of these are:
1) Image of the library and information profession in society;
2) More than one professional body;
3) Authority in implementation with provisions for disciplinary action in case
of violation of the ethical principles enunciated by ethical codes;
I Professional Image - The image of the library profession, particularly in India, is not very high in society as library and information work is considered auxiliary to education, research, industrial or business development etc.
ii Professional Bodies - In many countries, there are more than one professional body each of
which may have different goals and objectives, although there may not be any serious conflicts between them.
iii Authority in Implementation - Even assuming a central professional authority, it is not always possible to penalize anyone who may violate professional ethical - codes. There are no legal validity to these ethical codes. Conforming to ethical codes are invariably more voluntary individual effort arising out of personal belief or faith in ethical values.
iv. Expanding Dimensions - The dimensions of professional activity have expanded unprecedentedly in the last quarter of 20th century. The conventional and traditional functions of a library have undergone a tremendous change.
v. Professional Quality - Today’s insistence on quality assurance has been a major concern of those involved in every human activity. Consumers’ societies have been asserting their right to have quality in whatever they buy and seek legal protection in consumer courts to ensure quality
vi. New Entrants - Library and information activities are attracting persons with different educational and professional backgrounds and qualifications.
5) Explain the need and objectives of resource sharing. (5)
Ans: Need of resource sharing -One of the significant aspects that needs attention is that each participating library should have a clear cut policy as regards the type of resources it would be in a position to share' with other member libraries. In other words, the library will necessarily have some books and journals which are very much used by its own clientele and cannot be lent out of the premises: Such documents do not fall under the purview of resources sharing. Therefore, for effective resource sharing among libraries, it is important to reach an agreement on some of the under mentioned issues:
Agreements On.
● type of material to be shared;
● acquisition policies both to ensure consistent development of holdings and also to avoid duplication when this is considered to be non-productive by the member libraries;
● loan periods, renewal procedures, payment for materials lost during transactions, etc.;
● cooperative cataloguing or shared cataloguing;
● maintenance of up-to-date catalogues, etc.
● In addition to the aspects mentioned above; it is necessary that there should be : positive procedures for delivering materials and their timely return;
● bibliographic access to local holdings and on order and in-process records of the participant libraries;
● establishment of facilities for storing little used or discarded materials, their maintenance and use as and when required.
Once material of interest has been' located elsewhere, it becomes necessary to determine whether it is indeed available, or is in use by others. Resource sharing requires access to circulation information to avoid disappointment and to accelerate the process of locating the required material in another library.
6) State the Five Laws of Library Science. Explain the implications of the Fifth Law (5)
Ans: The Five Laws of Library Science are as follows:
First law: Books are for Use
The first law constitutes the basis for the library services. Ranganathan observed that books were often chained to prevent their removal and that the emphasis was on storage and preservation rather than use.
Second Law: Every reader his or her book
This law suggests that every member of the community should be able to obtain materials needed.
Ranganathan felt that all individuals from all social environments were entitled to library service, and that the basis of library use was education, to which all were entitled.
Third Law: Every book its reader
This principle is closely related to the second law but it focuses on the item itself, suggesting that each item in a library has an individual or individuals who would find that item useful.
Fourth Law: Save the time of the reader
This law is a recognition that part of the excellence of library service is its ability to meet the needs of the library user efficiently..
Fifth Law: The library is a growing organism
This law focused more on the need for internal change than on changes in the environment itself. He argued that library organizations must accommodate growth in staff, the physical collection, and patron use.
Implications of the Fifth Law:
(i) Book Stock: The growth of books and periodicals will be fast in the initial stages of development.
(ii) Readers: In keeping with the spirit of the first law of library science, the readers of the library are bound to grow where the library functions properly.
(iii) Classification and Catalogue: The Classification scheme adopted should be hospitable to new subjects. It must enable the classifier to allocate a unique class number to each subject and must facilitate easy retrieval.
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