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Explore information resources in key central university libraries in Delhi from 2010-2015. Assess IT infrastructure, budget allocation, and more for better understanding and decision-making.
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A Comparative Study of Information Resources in Central University Libraries: Delhi Ajit Kumar Library and Information Officer, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India), E-Mail: lioajitnmml@gmail.com, lio.nmml@gov.in • NACLIN 2017
Introduction: Information resources are vital source of knowledge for an intellectual society. A society can be categorized on the basis of information, i.e. information reach or, information poor society. The Library is store house of information resources, which is being used by the readers. • NACLIN 2017
Introduction (Contd…) The University library is back-boon of the higher academic system and main sources of information resources. The information resources are valuable if made it available at the right time for the right user. • NACLIN 2017
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY • To assess the different type of information resources available in the library. • To assess the budget allocated for procurement of information resources. • To evaluate the IT infrastructure available in the library.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of the study was limited to four central university libraries namely, Delhi University Library System (DULS), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Central Library (formerly known as JNU Library), Central Library JamiaMilliaIslamia and Central Library, IGNOU, New Delhi. The period also defined in this study i.e. five financial years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15.
CENTRAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN DELHI 1. Delhi University (Established in 1922) 2. JamiaMilliaIslamia University (Established in 1920 at Aligarh and was shifted to Delhi in 1925) 3. Jawaharlal Nehru University (Established in April 22, 1969), and 4. Indira Gandhi National Open University (Established in Sept. 1985)
1. Delhi University Library System (DULS) The Delhi University Library System (DULS) presently has major units under its system such as (i) the Central Reference Library, (ii) the Ratan Tata Library, (iii) the South Campus Library, (iv) Arts Library, (v) Central Science Library, (vi) Law Faculty Library and (vii) DUCC Library. Having more than 37 libraries in its fold, the DULS is accomplishing its task of reaching to a wider academic community. It provides advanced search of 63 high quality electronic databases being made available through a campus network to the readers.
Information Technology Infrastructure: A good computer infrastructure is desired in order to achieve the maximum use of e-resources. Delhi University Library System (DULS) has a good infrastructure of IT for their users.
Networking: • Good information and communication technology (ICT) network, which is directly connected by a dedicated wireless link. • Access to the Internet through a 1.0 GB band-width provided by the National Knowledge Network (NKN) to the two campuses. • The University Wide Network consists of a gigabyte fiber-Optic backbone, which provides connectivity to all the departments at the North & South Campuses of the University, all the Colleges in the campus as well as off-campus colleges. • Every reader has an individual electronic mailbox that can be accessed remotely from anywhere on the Internet.
Networking (Contd…) • Both the North and South campus have a dedicated e-resource lab to access electronic resources. • Troodon 5.0 Software is being used with Web OPAC facility. • The students’ hostels are well connected through a LAN facility which enables library users to access e-resources.
Computer Infrastructure: • The Central Library including the Arts Library has the maximum number of computers being 107 and 25 printers with 2 scanners. However the library has provided only 25 computers to access Internet and e-resources to the users. The Central Science Library has 75 computers but they have provided 50 computers to the users for using Internet facilities. • The Ratan Tata Library has a total of 53 computers of which 27 computers are offered to Internet users. • The South Delhi Campus Library is one of the other large libraries which have 60computers of which 20 have been put up for users to access Internet and e-resources. • In total, all the libraries of DULS have 464 computers, out of which 264 are provided to the users for accessing Internet and electronic resources. • NACLIN 2017
OBSERVATION: It has been observed that Delhi University Library System (DULS) had procured electronic journals and online databases. The Information Technology (IT) facility should be upgraded in term of hardware and good internet connectivity. More skilled human capital required for handle electronic resources.
2. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Central (formerly Jawaharlal Nehru University) Library, New Delhi The Central Library has rich collection mainly in Social Sciences, Humanities and Sciences. It is a repository of all Government publications and publications of some important International Organizations viz. European Union, World Health Organization, UN and its allied agencies. • NACLIN 2017
Information Technology Infrastructure: A good computer infrastructure is extremely necessary for a maximum use of the e-resources in a library. In order to achieve the maximum use of e-resources, Jawaharlal Nehru University has an excellent infrastructure of computer for their users. The Virtual Library Software is being used by the library for their automation work. Web OPAC is available to its users. The library web page has a list of e-resources subscribed by them. • NACLIN 2017
Networking: The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Central has a campus wide network in the academic complex of the university, which provides a 24x7 access to the Internet using 1 GBPS of Internet bandwidth through the National Knowledge Network (NKN). The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Central has a Wi-Fi enabled campus where the Library is participating in various consortia DELNET, INFLIBNET & INDEST.
Computer Infrastructure: A Cyber Library having 200 computers is available for the readers. All the registered readers can are access internet & online resources.
OBSERVATION: The collection of library increased in term of e-resources and more skilled human capital required for handling these e-resources. The annual budget for e-resources also increased.
3. Central Library, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) was established with this objective of the introduction and promotion of the distance education in the educational system of the country.
The IGNOU Library is the most resourceful information center in the India in the field of “Distance Education”. The library has the huge collection of books, journals and other related materials in the field of distance education, throughout the country.
Information Technology Infrastructure: A good computer infrastructure is not only essential; rather it is mandatory for making maximum use of e-resources. In order to achieve the maximum use of e-resources, the Indira Gandhi National Open University has an excellent infrastructure of computers in place for their users.
Networking: The IGNOU provides various computing and networking services with adequate routing and switching devices coupled with a thoroughly protected gateway. The IGNOU library has implemented EZ proxy access system that contains functions for remote log-in, user authentication and authorization. With the implementation of this technology, Regional Centers have since been enabled for remote log-in from their respective centers and gain access online to e-resources through the Internet. In addition, IGNOU has obtained Associate membership of UGC-INFONET, INDEST consortia for e-resources & NODLINET.
Networking (Contd…) NODLINET is a national network of distance learning libraries for sharing collections, e-resources and services on a common platform. Currently, the access to the network resources is open to IGNOU Community and soon it would be extended to state open universities and distance education institutes. Apart from this, 90 mbps Internet bandwidth connectivity has been provided through Reliance Communication. A Campus networking of approximately 2000 nodes with various VLANS &Wi-Fi have been provided in the campus.
Computer Infrastructure: • The IGNOU Library has set up a separate & dedicated digital resource center having 44 computers to access e-resources & Internet facility. • Apart from this, 28 computers are available for the library staff. The central library has been using the LIBSYS, an integrated library management software package with all the modules for the library housekeeping operations. • Through Web OPAC, users can search the library online catalogue by Author, Title, Subject and Keywords. As part of its ongoing activity on e-journals acquisition, IGNOU library has procured sixty online databases..
OBSERVATION: The e-resources of the library have been increased and more I.T. skilled human capital required for handling these e-resources. The annual budget for e-resources also increased.
4. Dr. ZakirHussain Library (Central Library), JamiaMilliaIslamia, New Delhi • The Library has about 1275 setting capacity along with stack capacity for about six lakh books. • The library has facility to access e-resources. • For visually impaired students library providing services. The bibliographical information of the library resources (viz. English, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic and Persian books) are integrated and access through single window search i.e. EDS (Ebsco Discovery Service) and Knimbus, is available to search articles in multiple database.
Contd… • The current status of library shown in Table 9 and the collection development in JMI library during the five financial years shows in Table 10. • The Table 11 shows the annual budget of JMI library for print and electronic resources for the five financial years.
OBSERVATION: The budget of library has increased during the past five years. In view of large e-resources, trained and more IT skilled manpower is required to handle electronic resources.
COMPARATIVE PRESENTATION: A comparative presentation of electronic resources (Full text, Bibliographic Databases and Open Access Resources) and collections development are described below
Number of books and other printed material added in selected university libraries
Number of journals, e-journals subscribed annually in selected university libraries
Number of online databases procured annually in selected university libraries
CONCLUSION Libraries are playing vital role in any academic institution/ university. The resources available in the library are the main source for research and academic development in any academic institution / library. It has been noticed that these Central University Libraries are allocating more budget for the e-resources in compare to printed resources. Day-by-day these libraries are also procuring latest IT infrastructure and related software for access the electronic resources.
RECOMMENDATIONS: • Information resources should be user centric. • More Budget required for E-resources. • More IT Infrastructure is also required. • More IT Skilled Human Capital required for University Libraries. • More Training facilities should be provided by the University Libraries.
