Chapter

LIBRARY AUTOMATION AND NETWORKING - SURVEY OF

RELEVANT LITERATURE

This cl~aptcr liigliliglits tlic inlportatit conccpts and con1l)oncnts of automation

and networking relevant to l~brarics based on literailire ssurvcy. This chapler is

divided into four sections, iianiely, A. Library nutonlatian and networlcing - cut~cnt

sitnation, B. Inrormation systems and netwosl<s for library sewices - current

situation, C. Internet, and D. Libraries 111 electronic infor~nntion environl~lent

Section A: Library automation and networking - current situation 2.A. 1. Introduction

Change is a conslant fcah~rc of life. The notabie difference between cmrtnt

changes and changes in the past are the speed with which they tal(e place at present

and the greater awareness oftliis fact by the uffected. It is the iivailability of relevilnt

a i d up-to-date information thal contributes to the quality and speed of dcvelopri~e~it

in tlie present day infor~i~attion society. Tilerefore, changc is felt lnorc stro~igly in tile

processes involvi~lg iiifor~ilation handling. Libraries which are centres of informaliorr

have to get adjusted to the changes causing diffe~enl and more sophisticated

deinunds for inCormation; by equipping themselves with tlie tools and teclmiques of

inforniatioii technology.

2.A.2. College libraries - the existing situation

College libraries cannot be i~nniune fro111 the altern~liolis in slructt~re coming

about because of the direct impact of tecll~iology on library opernlions artd tlie

educatio~ial environment. It is tlie libraries that collect, store and kansmit up-tedale

infor~~mlion lo tenoheis, students, of ail subjects tind tl~ose engaged in research.

Hence all expert bodies on higher education all over the world have pointed onl that

higher educatioti needs to change ils patterns, provisio~i, and the services il delivers,

more mpidly than ever before.

2.A.3. Information and education

Availability and utilization of up-to-date information on topics deull with in

college in teaching and learning is essential to maititail1 the quality and relevance of

collcgc education. The college library which has to collcct, organize, rctricve and

dissetnillate information is a complex system in the teaching environment. Our

college libraries are yet unable to satisfactorily solve the fundamental proble~iis

associated with tlie provisio~~ of inforniatio~i support requircd for the teacliing-

learning process in higlier education. In a study carried out recel~tly the problems of

our collegc libraries wcre listcd as: 1.lack of a good libraiy policy 2.higI1 rate of

u~il~lanned growth 3.in.elevant collections 4,poor organization of mnterials 5.high

cost of collection and storage 6,uuqitalified staff 7,inefticient retrieval systenis

8.diversioa or u~iscientific use of finds, etc.

Fu~tlier, it is an accepted fact that transfer and litilization oi'i~iforrnalio~i is an

inseparable 1,al.t of mode111 teaching-learni~~g process. Bur our college libraries lack

teliability in giving teaclie~s atid studelits tlie information support they rcquire. The

tcaching learning mcthod followed is also obsolete, for which inforination sc~vices

are not essenlid beyond u Inere lending of textbaol<s. This is also a major factor

contributing to tlie under-fi~nctionilig of libraries. Despite the wide spread awareness

of thc need for efficient library and informati011 services to mailltail1 the quality of

cducalion, and the awacliess of the tools and techniques of i~~foriliatioil tech~~ology

available for developi~ig library and i~~formation services will1 minitnull1 finalicial

commitment, libraries retliain still the ~liost disregarded division i n colleges.

Today, the college libruies have a large quuantum of reading material, a major

portion of which is totully il.l.elevant or obsolete expressillg the poor perlormancc of

the existing system in idenliEying and acq~irillg materials, which users need.

Mailpower is inaii~ly mean1 for clerical or physical labour ill libraries, wl~ich are built

an ti tradition of mere custodianship. Hence a vitalizatioti of library services requires

a total reorganization of tile system retaining wl~atever is useflll ill the existing

system and discarding what is unwa~~led, as a first step. Whatever the cost, a new

foundation is to be laid with all care and quality to build and bear a strong and

efticient structure, This has to be dolie as speedily as possible taking care that tl~ere

is no undue expenditure. So wc have to check haw far and in what aspects tlie new

information technology call be used by colleges La build a good library systcln that

enablcs improved utilization of i~lfor~natioi~ by tcacbcrs and slr~dcnts.

2.A.4. College libraries - information technology

Info1.1nation technology has revolutionized thc methods of i rcordiy

Itnowledgc, keeping records, indexiilg documents, and infomiation, co~nmwiicatio~~.

Tlle new teclttlologies compete not ot~ly with the traditional teciinologies but also

with olie another. Further, the new technologies can choose to attempt to emulate thc

existing mealis of funclio~iing or to offer completely 11cw mealis of operation.

Technologies, however, that go beyond emulation of the traditional approaclies offer

some of the most exciting prospects and most difficult challenges.

Application 01 iilfor~ilatio~i Lechnology gives rise lo tlie application of

coinpulers wid teleco~nmunicoliolis for traditio~ial olieratioas iii a libray system.

Therefore, this s11;dy examiiies the followilig coiicepts relatilig to tlie application of

infornialion Lecln~ology :

1. Libra~y ailtomation,

2. On-line access to iinfon~itatian,

3. Libraty network.

2.A.4.1. Library automation a. A s t o m a t i o n - c o n c e p t a n d definition:

The term automation was first introduced by D.S.Harder in 1936, who was

then with general 111otor company iii United Stoles. He defined il initially as "Tile

auto~i~atic handling of parts between progressive ploduction processes". This

definition was modified and revised in 1956 by LOII~OII Goodman thus: "Autumntion

is tlie technology of automatic working in which tlie hatidling method, the processes

and thc design of processed material arc illlegrated tu utilize as is economically

justifiable of nieclianization of thouglit aiid effort in order to achieve an automatic

and in sonic cases a sclf regulating chain of process".

Today the scope o l automalion is so vast thni it ~iiclr~dcs ~ n e c h a l ~ ~ z u l ~ o ~ ~ of

various processes and their operation as well as the use of machines, equipnients,

tools, all sort of mechanical devices, automatic machines, electronic equipment and

also systellis.

Automation ii~cludes the following:

b Imnl>lementation of lrrocesses liy aritoniation means;

b T11c theo~y, art, or tech~iiquc of niaking a process more a~~totomatic;

> Investigation, design, development, a ~ d application of ~nelliods of rendering

l~rocesses automatic, self-moving or self-co~it~nlling;

b Co~lversion of a procedure, a process or equipment to automatic operations.

Thc Encyclol>edln Brl!nnnicn defines the tcrni 'Automation' as an automatic system

of worlcing, the differelice between at~toniatio~l R I I ~ ~necl~anizatioi~, a related term,

bei~ig mainly one ofdegree".

b. Library automation-concept and def ini t ion:

The present day information society which has to be illore respo~isive to the

needs of potential users, libraries, infarmati011 and docunieiitatiol~ centres, therefore

must offer a higher level of informatioil service taking into consideration the 16

infonnation secking behavioiir of the users rather than adjusting with the exis t i~~g

system. The ability lo retrieve, analyze, compare and co~nbine, manipulate

conimunicale is a process that is far lnore importarit than mere access to ioforniation

for llle potenlial users. Therefore, sharing resources and infor~l~ation is the prime

slogall of thc prescnt day library environmcnt, as the acquisition of books and

jou~lials has become very expensive, and financial resources and their allocatiotls are

diniinishing vely fast.

Owing Lo knowledge explosion, society is deluged with ~llultifaceted and

moltidimensioni~l informati011 lo such an exlenl that not only sloriige of iilfor~natioli

has becollie a challenge, but the organization of the huge mass o r inrormatio~~ has

also becollie unwieldy. The gravity of tlie situatioll call he gauged From the fact that,

according to an estimate, Inore t l~an five thousand pages are being jxi~~ted evely

minute in the world. It is inlpossible for the @aditionally managed libraries to bring

these to the notice of users. The ieasou for this lapse is that the library staff does not

have time to select the respective documents, index them, and get these typed for

onward transmission to the respective user or all users. By the time the staff

complete accessioniiig I entering and technical processing of a particular batch of

documents, the second batch arrives, and no time is left for use hy all the users.

Computers can salve these problen~s, because once, at tlie acquisition or recording

stage, information about the documents is fed into tile computer, with sirnplc

comnnlands it generates and produces a printed copy of the list of additions ilicluding

tlic SDI for each uscr by co~nputerized matching UIC uscr proiile with documents

profile. I t is difficult for a library to organize this flood of i~iformatioil manually.

Library autorllation aims at processing the operatio~ls, which are of a routine

and repetitive nahlre, a ~ d cover mainly such coninion functions as acquisition,

serials control, cataloguing and circulation. No doubt, library ai~too~atiool~ cxte~lds

bcyond these functions in retrievilig informati011 stored in lbe library.

Library autorniition means "Al~plication of corn]~uters and other technology to

library operalions arid services". ' According lo Data Coii~ii~iiiticalions Diclioimr)i, library autornatio~i is "Tile

application of machines, especially computels but includi~ig otl~er devlces such as

microfilm and photo copying machines, to improve librmy scrviccs by i~lcrcasing the

qt~nlity and q~iuiltity of tile work performed by the librn~y staff. Some uutomatio~~, as

in circulation conirol systems, i~lcrel~ses the ninolint of work acco~nplislied per rlunn

hour; other kinds of automation, as in the on-line selrieval sesvlces, greatly increase

the capabilities of libra~y in meeting user tiemands". "

c. Library automation - a brief history:

The University of Texas was perhaps the first to use punclied cards in 1936

for circirlhtion co~~trol and further, for serial control in the mid-1940's. In 1942, thc

Mo~itclair public libraty in New Jersey installed two specially designed book-

charging machines for recording il~dividual transactions automatically on punched

cards. Thc Libruy of Co~igress used unit rccord machines for the production of

catalogucs for the first limc in 1950. Until tlie 1950s, mechanization in libraries was

primarily achieved by using only unit record machines,

Tlie developmetits of library autolnation in the second era during the 1960s

are listed below:

b Thc MEDLARS Project-a project to mechanize tlic handli~rg of medical

literature at tlie National Library of Medicine, USA,

a The pioneering work on serial control by the Southern Illilloiv University of

California at San Diego.

b Thc devclop111ent of a circulation system by the Soulliem llli~iois Unive15ity

at Curbondille.

P Ontario New Universities libra~y project of the Uaiversity of Toroiilo in 1963

(Ll~e project was aimed al producing cu~i~puterized book catalogues for five

new university libraries ill Ontario).

Ttlitiatioil of the project MARC by the Libruy of Co~~gress to provide a

format for cataloguing data that can be:

- Coniputer readable,

- Accepted as a national standard, and

- Uscd 011 different computers.

The first report on library autom~tion entitled 'hllomation i~lid the Librnry of

Congress', was published in 1963.

f i e next ern of library automation began in !he late !960s, with ti18 success

of tbc INTREX (Information Transfer Experimental) and U!e MARC projecls.

During this era, on-line, real-time interactive computer systems were introduced in

the libraiy and information field.

On-line systcms were i~liplc~nented at the MIT undw its techoical

information project. In 1967, both the OCLC (Ohio College Libtn~y Center) 1111d

BALLOTS (Bibliogmpl~ic Automation of Large Library Opernlions using a lime

shilling syslem) became operative. 111 tile early 1970s on-line syste~iis wwe in

oper8.tioii in severd libraries in Americd. The Bell-Telephone Laboratories and

Eastern Illinois University had on-line serial conlrul systelil, and Lhe Washiiigton

State University had on-line acquisition system. ' d. Need for Iibrxry automation:

The following factors emphasise the need for librnry automation:

b Explosioll of knowledge resulti~lg in numerous specializations aid flow of

al~iiost non-stop infor~i~ation;

b hlability of users to explore thmugh conventional mcti~ods literatlire and

informalion or interest, wl~icli are unlirniled;

b Wastage of a lot of ~)~.ecious time of the staff in i~nnciling routioc and

repetitive library opel.ations;

b I~npossibility of a single library to acquire and make available worldwide

published material; ' b In addition to the above, as the roading habits of readcrs are also undcrgoiug

changes greatly, multimedia sources arc fkst becoming important;

D Acquisition and preservation of new for111ats of rcnding niaterials arc gaining

ground in libraries. T11cy arc creating ]]ewer problems, wllicll the libraries

had not faced earlier.

1 The cost of paper documents, both rno~~ogmphs and serials, has been

increasing abnor~i~ally. This has become a l~nrdle in the acquisition of

docume111s in libraries. Cheaper mnlcrials which will lest longer should be

the medium for carrying h~11no11 messages. ' b Elinlil~ation ofl~uman errox, while performing roulil~e 1ibrru.y works.

b Improved infor~natioii retrieval Lhrougli aulomnted search tecl~~iiques, such us

key-work andlor Boolean searches;

> Excellent control over oiro~~latian

- easy access to infonuation regarding who borrowed what aud when

- lncilily to answer at l l ~ e desk all users' queries regardillg availability o r

books,

- easy operations of charging, discharging, renewal, recall, resetv8ti011,

computation of fines, etc.,

20

- notification to users, library starc, etc.

- sunin1al'y slalistics

- faster cataloguing, and instant access to new cataloguing records

e. Benefits of library antomntion:

The be~iefits ollibrary automatioil can be mtmmarised as follows:

P To improve colilrol over collection;

a To have effective control over the entire operation;

b To ilnprovc the existing serviccs (from the view point of quality, user

friendliness, regularity elc.) as wcll as to inkoduce new services:

b To share the resources effectively with other libraries in a give11 region;

b To avoid duplicatiou of worlc;

$ To use the services of tile exisling stallmore effectively;

To link tlie system with other existing systems;

P To use funds economically;

Ian Lovecy has spelt out the two aims of libra~y autoluation in tlie UK as

"Cost-cutting, in teriils pai.ticularly of inmnbers and grades of staff, and llle

inlprovement of the visible services to readers, If that sounds cynical, there is

nevertheless a good deal of huth in it, automation of cataloging provides both

elements (records can be bought in by fewer, less-qualified staff, and an OPAC can

give readers better access than bcfore); and autotomatcd circulation clearly not only

affects readers directly but can also reduce the time spent by staff filing slips. In

acquisitions, the benefit to users is indirect and iliain benefits would be to library

s t a f ~ . ~

2.A.4.2. Online access to information a. Concept:

Rapid developme~its slid advances in teleco~nmunicatioli tcchnology,

especially with the introductioti of communication satellites, liew services sucil as

telex, teletext, facsimile, etc., have brought diffcrcnt countries closer thro~lgb

information transfer. Thus, teleco~i~mu~iicatio~is have liciped libra~ies to have online

access to iofor~nation.

Literally [lie term "Online" iileans that the user is it1 contact with tlie

computer through the same direct linkage either by a direct line or over the telephone

network. It also means the state of being in direct, inmediate co~nnlunicatiot~

(online-to) with the database one wishes to iiiterrogate alld with the coniputer on

wliich this database is loaded.

Dnlilie is a combination of three tecli~iologies: coniputer, information and

cornmnunication. It has emerged as a cost-effective solutio~i to the problerns posed by

informatioil explosion, problems in organized storage for efficient retrieval and

transfer 1 disseniioation of infol~iiatiou. Today, the oliiine inforlllatioll systenl has

become a well-established channel for infomation hatidling. It is a new techniq~~e

and tool that can be exploited and used to provide new aud improved services to tile

infornialio~i seeking coni~nunity.

Online inforniatioii access empliasises the need for database technology.

Thcrcfore database technology has gathered rapid momentum in tile field of

coiiiputer and infolmalio~l scieoce. This tech~iology is a boo11 to libraries and

infoimation centres in collecting, retrieving, and dissemination of information.

There are mainly four components in an oilline system:

Database producers that oreale conlputer-readable files;

P Online vendors (also called search serviccs) that ~nake the files accessible on

large co~upi~tels for searching by many people simollaneously;

Libraries and infornlation centres that search vendor's files on behalf of end

uscrs, and

Elid users who rcquesc and receive iofo~~~~mation.~~

b. Definitions:

According lo Suresh !3aamdru1I, online processil~g means "Direct

coe11nunication with the computer and a11 u~liliter~~lpterl flow of input data with

special hardware devices. 011line processi~~g is used wl~en delay in ha~~dling data is

undesirable".

Thc phrase 'online starching' is "The proccss of dircctly interrogating

computes systems to resolve particular requests for information, The research is

t~seelly condocted by means or a keyboard and screen, that co~nmunicate with a

computer system, possibly remote, which coiitains files of data. The search process is

dynamic and interactive. The results are made available alniost immediately to tlie

searchel. who call then, according to tile usefulness or otbe~wise of the infor~~lation

retrieved, rcflne tile origi~ial request aiid co~itinue thc interaction u~ltil the bcst rcsult

possible is obtained. Some searches may take n few minutes: others mny Inst half ail

hour or more. Some may request for one precise piece of infonntltion, which others

niay seek a lot of relevant iii~for~nation or might need io browse thraugh the slored

dala." l2

c. History:

O~lline itlfonnation retrieval systems werc pioncered in thc United Slates by

two companies, tlie Syslem Developme~lt Corpolation (SDC), and the Lockl~ecd

Spacc and Missile Corporation, now callcd DIALOG I l ~ f o r n ~ a t i o ~ ~ Services Inc. The

Erst ilntionwide experimental nctwurk was ii~troduccd in 1965 ulida a series of

grants h n ~ the ARPA (Advancctl Rcsearcl~ Projects Agcncy), as US Govcr~m~cntal

researcli agency.

The MEDLINE (Metlical Analysis and Retlieval Service onlinc) service was

developed in the year 1963.

Locklieed's o~i l i~ie retrieval nctivity coniinenced in 1964 with experimental

work a11 their DIALOG system. This started as a self-financed researcli project, nl~d

thc development co~itinucd under a US goverlnnental research colllrnct as the

NASAIItICON system (US National Aeronaulics and Space Ad~i~i~iistratio~i/l<e~~lOLe

Console). In 1967, it lau~iclled tlie ORBIT (On-line Retrieval of Bibliogral1liical

lnformi~tion Timc-sharcd) online scrvicc system.

The Europe Space Agc~icy 1 Space Developlncnt Service (ESNSDS)

estahlisbed the RBCON system at Barnlastadt in 19G8. Tile Delltsches Iostitcttes for

Medisinische Docu~nentation and Infol~llation (DIMDI) were started as o~iline search

scrvice, initially via a special telcco~nmunications network (DIMDINET) to nicdical

databases, such as the MEDLINE in the early 1970s. Telesyslen~ -- QUESTEI, is a

Pre~ich on-line search service, which started to operate during tlie 1970s. Mead Data

Central (MDC) is a part of the America1 Mead Corporation, which was started in

15'73. Dowjones and Con~pany Inc., set up its Dow Jones NewsIRctrieval (DJNR)

inrorrnaiion service fur Amesican stock brokers in 1974. The Jtlpnn Infor~niltiun

Center of Science and Technology (JICST) J a ~ m OOine I~lforiiintion System (JOTS)

was set up in 1976.

The British library online inforlnatian facility called BLAISE (British Library

Auto~ouled InComnation Service) was iritroduced in April 1977. In 1982 thc BLAISE

divided its series into BLAISELink, a link with the US nalialial libraly ofmedicine,

for searching bion~edical and related databases, and BLATSE-Line, which contiilues

LO offer lion-medical databases. Tcxt line I News lint / Data lint o n l i ~ ~ c busi~~css

scarch services wcre sct up ia 1980 by thc British firm, Finsbury data scrviccs.

The EURONETIDIANE (Du~ent Infor~nalion Access for Europe) service, the

planoing of which conin~e~lccd in 1971, finally became operational in 1980." Data-

stat was set up by Radio swissc, Switzerland in 1'180.

The PFDS (Perga~non Pina~lcial Data Services) is a Britain-baser1 onli~le

service started in tile year 1988 and ai111s to provide i~iformatio~l services to tile

Europcan busincss comnlunity.

The European Co~urnission I-lost Organisation (ECHO), was set up in 1980

by thc Co~n~nission of tlic European Co~nn~u~iit ics (CEC) to contribute actively,

cncournge a~ld s~~ppor l Uie use of online inlbl.nlntion in ~ u r o ~ e . ' ~

d. Advantages of online access:

Coii~puter searches are likely to be rnore accurate tllatl nlanual searclies;

1 Online searches pcrnlit browsing;

I The online system usually has [he capabiiity oldisplaying its own co~itrolled

b Access to databasc makes the search for information more wide and

cxhaustive. Online searcli often offers illore acccss points than the

correspondiiigpoi~lted index;

p In multi-disciplinay research areas, on-line searclies offer a special

advantage by bringing together several subjects and up-to-date

informatioi~;'~

b Tile whole database CHII be acccssed in a single operation;

h I1 is lielpful for a user with n conlplex multi-lopic search;

It can retrieve information on topics, which are not included in subject

indexes;

P An onli~ic search produccs an intiividuulized bibliography dcsigncd for a

specific query:

P An onlinc scnrcli provides citations lhal arc more current 111a11 those fou~ld

ma~lually; '" b It has the abilily to ofler ~uultiple products or services (e.g. printed i~lclexes,

SDI retrospective scarch) from n singlc intelleclual input;

It has the ability to producc a database in ~ i ~ a c l ~ i ~ i e ~.eadablc form, on

lilagnctic tapc, that can be easily duplicated and sent to othcr inlbrniation

centres, tlius facilitating the development of networks and other cooperative

vcnturcs;

2.A.4.3. Library network a. Network -concept:

A llctwork is u collectio~~ of co~i~pl~ters which can comti~unicatc with e11c1i

other, usually over a cable, which can also bc radio or infrared based. Thc original

idca was to share expeii~ive equipment, for exa~ilple, instcad of havmg a printer 011

every desk, which is idle no st of the lime, so that there could be one to operate io t l~e

centre of tile office used by evely onc.

An intercont~ected collectio~i of autono~i~ous comnputers is culled 'co~iipnler

oetwork'. Two computers arc said to be interconnected if they are able to exchange

information, the coli~~eclion need via a copper wire, fiber oplics, microwaves, and

comm~~nication satellilcs.

b. Network - definitio~is:

According to Schmeber, nelwork is "A conimunicatio~i thal support many

~ s e r s " . ~ ~

~ t c v e o s ~ ~ defi~ied n nelwork "As a formal organization of th~ee or more

IILIIOIIOIIIO~S 01.gani7,atio11 interconuected to acltieve their common purpose througlt

thc joint use of co in~u~~~~ica t ion and computer technology.

~ u ~ s e r " ddincs network as physical nelwork, which is said to consist olall

i~iter~lal switcl~ing nodes, their inter-co~mecting links ant1 the leading to external

c01111ecled dcvices. The exter~~al devices tl~enlselves compulei- and terminals

collectively referred to as Data Ter~nittal Bquipment (DTE).

~ i r e z a ~ " defines nctworkiltg as "A fornlal organization amotlg libraries for

coo]~eiatio~t snd sharing of resources, in which the group as a wliole is organized into

sub groups with the exception that nlost of the needs of a libra~y will be satisfied

witlii~~ tile subgroups orwliicli it is a nienibel"'.

c. Library network-co~lcept:

Owing to knowledge explosion and tlie conscqoent flood of infor~nntion, no

library today, howcvcr big, can dream of becoming self-sufticient. Itiformalion is

being p1'0duced at such grcat spced and in such bulk that even tlic biggest libraries

are 1101 in a position to procure all of it. Tile goal of self-suCficiency has tlicrerore

become unrealistic anrl impracticable. It is for tllis reason that some one has wisely

suggested t l ~ t the slogan, "No library can stand alone" should be adopted as the

'sixtll law' of libraly science. Therefore, cooperation and sharing of resources among

libraries is v c ~ y esselitial for effective library service.

The main goals of resource sharing are, to have

P I~lcreased access to i11fortt1atioti and services at existing cost; and,

3 Access to existing inforniation and smvices at less cost.

Earlier resources were shared through l ibmy coopclrition by iuter-library

loan with Lhe hclp of union cfltalogues aid union directo~y of pcriodicals. Nowadays

generally library resource sharing is achieved in two ways.

P by tclecomtnunicalio~~ network;

b by tlatabases in optical medin.

Idibrary resourccs are shared tlirougl~ automation and networking with 1I1e use

of telccomn~unication t c c h n ~ l o g ~ . ~ '

tl. Library network - definitions:

The UNLSIST defined i~librn~ntion network as "A set of interrelateti

i i~fu~l i~at io~l systems associatcd with commn~~i~ication facilities ruliich arc cooperaling

tlirougli niore or less for~nal agreements, in order to jointly i~npleii~e~lt informati011

liandling operation, with a view to pooling their sourccs sand betler services to the

user". Basically informati011 network is "A nlixture or co~iil~uter and co~~i~nunication

technology where distributed processiclg on intelligent machines in differei~t

locations cooperate by means of network^?^

~ i l l e r ' ~ defines libra~y network as "A coaperalive system established by

libraries and infornlation centers which are brot~ght together by common subject,

geographic proximity to sharc itlfonnatiot~ resources, liuma~l resources, equipment

and nll olller elements essenlinl for yrovidi~~g effective informntion service".

Getle~xlly a network is developed when a group of libraries 1 information

centres decide to exchange information tlirough compotes applicntioil. It can be

defincd as a set of inter-related info~i~lation systenls associatcd with coinmu~licstion

facilities, which are cooperating through Inore or less forrnal i~nplemetll informatiun

handling operations wit11 a view to pooliilg their resources and to offer better services

to tile users. A library Network is n colleetivc or cooperative activity linking

nlenibetslusers to the computer resoumes by means of telecomnu~licatiocl

colniections.

In the words of ~ o e l a m e g n i ~ ~ , information network is "An asrangemei1t to

link i~~formntion resources and information scckersiusers such that the latter can

28

obiaio the inl'osmation they nced or seek B o ~ n tllc infor~iiation resources. Thc basic

objective is t l ~ c sliaring of inror~i~atiun resources among the participating entities and,

wit11 digital oeiworks, also enabling computer mediated conimunication, web

publishing and provision of otlicr information selviccs by and among l l~c

participating entities irt ail affordable cost".

e. Need and purpose of library network:

Accorrling to Ma~iohnran and ~ a ~ a r z ~ i a i ? ~ the purpose of library ~nctwork is:

r To cvolve a national network, intcr-connecting various libraries and

il~forriiatioi~ celilres in ihe couiiiry and to iiilpmve capability of infor~iii~tio~i

handling;

To provide nliablc access to docunic~it collection of liblarics by crcating

onlii~e uiiioli cakalogues;

r To provide docun~ent ilelivety service by centres and to optimize inro~matioo

resource utilization;

b To im]>lcmcnt comnputerization of operations and scrvices in the libraries and

i~iformation centres, following a unifnrni standard;

To cnable users scattcred in rural arcas, irrespective of location and distance,

to have access to acndc~iiic infonimtioi~;

p To develop a database of ilcademic information and to maintain electronic

cornrni~l~icatioii of info~n~atiol~ for delivering academic illfo~ll~ation.

Bliatt and ~ r o r a ' ~ listed the followi~ig fnctors ~iecessitated libraries and

i~iformatio~l centres to go for libra~y network.

b Infor~ilation explosion: Post-War prolileration of scientific literature caused

by expa~ision of scientific itsearch and technology rest~lted in such R flood

of scattered infos~nation that scielltists were riot in a position to scan

regolarly and co~~sislently all publications thal migilt contain i~ifor~iiatio~i

which would intcrcst thcm. Thc ratc ol'growth of iniirnnation [riggel-ed OK

>liter the war is still continuing and is raster than ever.

P I~~creascd workload: The illcrease in the number of documents being

publislied has nladc it very difficult for libraries Lo kcep alert to ncw sources

of inllonnation. Communly, this incrensed workloatl !nay linve to be hon~e

with the existing or decreasing staff,

> Ecooo~~?ic oecessity: The subscsiptio~l ratcs of periodicals arc illcreasing

conti~luously. 111 contrast, budgct ullocalions to tlie libri~rics, especii~lly in

the developing cou~dries, are ga~eruliy l i u z e ~ ~ at a give11 lcvel. Most of tile

libraries work on meager fi~~ancial resources. In India, the finallcia1 crisis

has furtl~cr bee11 aggravated due to tile sharp devaluation of the rupce

against foreign currency, and becnusc of llie heirvy finnucia1 cuts in~pused

on all government-funded bodies.

P Mulli-disciplinary reseaxh: Multi-disciplinary research lias become an

integrated feahlre of modern scientific enterprise, which is a !natural

reflection of the con~plexities, scale and cost of rnode~i~ investigations. More

and more scietltific research is being attempted with inlra-and intcr-

laboralory, inka-and ii~tes-i~lstitutiotiol and eve11 i~i ten~utio~~al

collaborations, requiring inputs on tliflere~~t aspects of various subjects.

Thus, even special libraries dealing with research in specific disciplines

cannot afford to acquire everything that their users might itquire. Resource

sharing, using modes information tcchllologies seellis to be the only

solution to this problem.

Availability of online and CD-based databases: With the advent of conlputer

and con~niunication technology, it is now possible Lo log in to an online host

and conduct an online search in an interactive ~llode via a microcomputer

30

evcn from a emo ole location. Thc use of c o ~ i ~ ~ i i u ~ ~ i c a l i o ~ i tccl~nology for

infol.iiiation retrieval activities gaincti nio~iientum wit11 the creation of

sevc~al largc databases iiiude ilvnilable OII oliliiic for shared use through

vendors likc DIALOG, Datastal; etc. A number of bibliographic databiises

are now increasingly appearilig on cornpact discs (CD-ROM). Onliiic

dirtubi~ses can be used o~ily tlirougli co~n~iii~iiicutiu~i networks.

t Aclde~nic il~formntion ~lseful to colleges through librnry nctwork:

Acadc~iiic inibniiution is ~iluch widcr and diversc and is quitc different tiom

sciel~lilic informatino. Tlie cliffereiit types ofacademic i~iforinatio~i available through

library lietworlts for colleges are:

P List of educlitional institutions ai local, slate, tiational and i~iternatio~~al level;

P Courses offered in educatio~ial iiistitutions;

b Notifications about ad~iiissions to colleges and universities;

b List of centres with addresses which provide info~liiation services, guida~icc

s~irl counseling services;

b Scliolarsliips available at different levels of education;

Educational loans for higlicr education;

b Reservation of scats iii different courses of study;

b Provisio~i of book grailts and study materii~ls;

b Concessio~is on tuition fees, exat~ii~iatio~i Fees and travels;

b Career opportunities in India and &broad, selection procedures and

qualificstio~~s required;

b Schemes of coachiiig for competitive exninination for getting job and for

different adlnissioli tests;

b Infon~iiatioi~ about academic research and development."

g. Library [letwork services:

Tlie lollowi~~g t11.c some of llie information services, whicli can lie providcd

ilirough libra~y networks:

P OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogues) scrviccs: The machine-readuble

catalognc-OPAC of library cat] be made available througl~ intcrnal wcb or

LAN.

r Online circulation transaction: In ordcr to provide timely infor~iiutiun about

status of every document, the outptd file gclicrhted for daily transactions is

pr~blisi~ed on web. This e~iebies the user to watcii the status of the docunlent

from hislhcr work placc and to reserve thc parliculiu. docui~lent, i T required,

througli ~ietworking service.

b Curreut Awareness Service (CAS): List of the latest additions of books,

journals, tlie CD-ROMs and other documents to the librely can bc displayed

virtually on the LANIWAN for the user's attention.

b Selective Disseminatio~i of l~ifor~natio~l (SDI): User's e-niail requests may be

collected and tilatched against Llle latest documents and the rnacched olies

can bc sent back to the rcquired uscr, whiclt is possible only ihrough

~ietworks.

b CD-ROM lietwork service: The CD-ROM is one of tile best optical

inror~nation storage systems of clcctronic publishing, which has iliflue~~ccd

vely ~ n t ~ c l ~ library and i~iformation scieiice all over tlie world because of its

durability, capability to hold large volumes of data, compatibility and

affordability.

b E-mail service: &mail is the lifeblood of nelwork-bascd inforniatio~i service,

tlie internet in paiiicular. It is as useful a form of comnlunication as the

Leiephone.

3 Bullctin board selvicc: A bulletin board is a public discussiun area wliele

people call post nlessages, without sending them to allyone's enlail address,

alld call be viewed by anyone who entcn the area.

b lndcxing and abstracting scrvice: For the benefit of research scholatx and the

teaci~ing commilnity indexing and abstracting services (or the latest

electronic texts and journals may be provided through network.

Co~ltent page scrvice: Content pagc scrvice of electronic publishing as wcll as

inlporlenl X ilnd D oriented books a~id journnls ciln be provided tlllnugh

web.

# Internet service: The internet is a boon to the user grou~p. It is a worldwide

web of ilitcrcon~iected university, business and science ~ietworks aud is a

i~rfworls nEcoml~ute~nelworlo. If is made I I ~ I of tl~rcc types: little Local Al.ea

Networks (LANs), citywide Metropolitan Area Networks (MANS) and huge

Wide Area Networks (WANs) conllecti~ig cotilputers of organisotions all

over the world. These networks ate hooked together with everytl~ing fi'on~

reg~ilar dial-up plione line to high spccd dedicated based lines, satellites. The

three basic 111temet applicutio~ls or Alncliotls are clcctronic mail, relnotc

logon and the file transfer. The inter~let has two tl~aiil LISBS; one is person-to-

person com~nunic~tion and the atlies finding info~niation?~

Section 8: Information systems and networks for library services - current situation

lnforlnation technology has enriched thc services of inforn~atioll system and

networks extellding nlaximum informalioii service to all types of libraries in thc

world. Hence the i m p o ~ l a ~ ~ t national and inlernational illformation systems and

networks established for purpose of information collection, prcscrvation,

dis~ributio~i, and excllalige around the world are ~)rcsented briefly in the followi~~g

1JO@S

2.B.1 In India

2.R.l.a INSDOC (India11 National Sciel~tific Ducumentation Centre):

The INSDOC is the first ~iatiolial docu~iientation ccntic in the field of science

untl tcch~~ology established in 1952 ~i~ider the aegis of the CSIR by tlie government

o r India with tech~iical assistance from ihe UNESCO. It occupies the sanie positio~i

ill India as thc VlNITl in the fortiicr USSR.

Thc INSDOC's 111ain objeclives are: (I) 1'0 rcccivc and retain all scientific

periodicals required in India; (2) To inform scientist e~igineers of articles wl~icli may

be of value to them by issuing monthly bulletin of abstracts; (3) To answer specific

qucrics fbr information available at the centre; (4) To supply photocopies of

t~anslatioii o r articles required by laboraluries or individual workers; (5) To be a

~laliunnl depositoly for reporls or the specific work of the ilalian, both published and

unpublished; (6) To be a chatinel through which tlie scietitific work of tlie nation is

made known and available to the rest of the world.

The sc~viccs of INSDOC arc: (1) It acts os national resource centre in tile

counl~y, (2) I1 procures at least one copy of every worthwl~ile scientific publicatiull

witl~in tlie country. (3) It l~rovides access to information covering a wide ralige of

subjects dealing with scie~ice aiid technology by co~npiling bibliographies on

demand. (4) It providcs Lsa~islatlon services enhblilig scientists have access to works

pi~blishcd in non-English languages. (5) It acts as a national centre for the

Inlernational Serial Data Syste111 (ISDS) slid it is responsible for rcgistcri~~g the

seriais published in tile counily. (6) It publishes a Few important jounials namely (i)

India11 Science Abstracts (se~iii mmtllly), (ii) Natio11n.1 Illdcx of Translations

(monthly), (lii) Annals of Library Science atid Docull~enlntion (quarterly), (ivj

Co~r tc~~ts of tile List of Soviet Sciet~lific Periodic;~ls (monthly), (v) Russien Scientific

and Tccbnical P~iblicdtions - An Accessio~~ list (bi-monthly). (7) It provi(lcs access

io suci~ lcading dataliases as the CA searcl~ (Clie~nical Abstracts seaucll), the

COMPENDEX (Computerized Engineering Index) and the INSPEC (Information

Se~vicc fool. Physics, Elector-teclinology and Conkol). (8) It conducts both s1101.t-term

and long-tenn training courses in documentation sciences. (9 ) It publislies

infornlation tools on (IiCfere~lt ilreas oC science and technology. (10) It also makes

linkage with national, regio~lal and ii~ter~iational agencies including the NISSAT,

DSIR, DESIDOC, IARI, VINITI, UNESCO, FID etc.. (11) It participates as tile

~ ~ o d a l point in the SAARC documentalion system.

2.B.l.b. DESIDOC (Defence Scientific Information and Docu~nentatiori Centre):

DESIDOC is a highly specialized i~lforrnalion ce1itol.e in the field ol'derence

studies in India. When i t was establislied ia 1958 it was know11 as 'Scientific

Illfor~iiatio~i Burcau' (SIB) intended to provide indexing o r curre~lt'literaturc arid

translution services to dclence scientists worlcing on various projects. Lakr on in

1967, when it was reorganised and its functio~ls were streanllined its nanie was

changed to DESIDOC.

Thc basic objectives of DESIDOC me: (1)To provide information lo the units

at the headquarters, tlie laboratories 1 establislnlnent of Lhe DKDO end otlier ngencies

of the ministiy of detente. (2) To coordinate scientific i~iforrnation programmes in

tlie DRDO. (3) To develop a data bank. (4) To provide consultaticy services Lo t l~e

TICS at~d other defe~lce organizations. (5) To organize training programnines. (6) To

sovi vide translation services. (7) To provide reprographic services and. (8) To ~n~blisli

scientific and tecliilical jot~rnals of the DRDO i~~cluding books and nio~~ograylis.

The basic services of DESIDOC are the following: ( I ) I1 providcs l ~ ~ l l y

computerized inlormation services cotnprising scanning, i~ldcxing, absaactitig,

prepnralioi? of input sheets, data enhy into computer, database creation and

devclol)mctlt, dalabasc searching, corrcnt awareness serviccs ctc. (2) It provides

translation facilities for some of the major la~tgunges i.c. Russian, German, French

and Japanese. (3) I1 conducts in-house Lraiiiing programme for to eltable tliern keep

ab~tas t of the latest dcvelopnlents in infoinlation science. (4) Its piiblications arc: (i)

Defense Sciencc Journal (quarlcrly), (ii) Popular Sciencc and Tccli~~ology (half-

yei~rly), (iii) DESIDOC Bulletin (bi-niontllly). (iv) DRDO Newsleller (monLhly), (v)

Science Abstracts from foreign languages journals (quarterly). (5) It lteeps a close

l i~~kage with other organizations. It is an institutional menibcr of the ILA, IASLIC,

GILA, SIS, MCT, FID, ASLIB, ASIS etc.,

2.B.l.c. NASSDOC (National Social Science Documentation Centre):

The NASSDOC is an apex body in tile field o f social science information in

India, established in 1970, ul~der the aegis of the Indian Couilcil of Social Science

Rcsearch locatcd at Delhi.

Tlie objectives of NASSDOC tire: (1) To provide illfo~matiol~ to scholars

about the ~uaterial available in the field of social sciel~ce and other allied areas. (2)

To assist research institutio~is in creating docunlentatio~~ and bibliograapliical

services. (3) To maintain linkages wit11 other documentntion and infor~~ililation centres.

(4) To bridge the gap bctween professionals and illfor~nation teclmology.

The services of NASSDOC are: (1) Building up reference materials and

works on research melhodalogy, collecting (a) ui~published doctoral tl~eses approved

by Indian ~u~iversities and foceign theses on India, (b) rcsearcl~ reports of tlic projects

undertaken by the ICSSR and olher social science reseicch institutions assisted by

the ICSSR, (c) working papers presented at the ICSSR lunded seminars and

confcrc~iccs, and (d) periodicals of rcscarcli standards in socisl sciences. (2)

Providi~ig bibliograpliical infoonnilation about Indian publications in social scielices lo

intertiational docurnent;~tion agencies. (3) Providiilg select bibliographies on request.

(4) Awarding study grants for working at libraries of thcir i~itcrest in India. (5)

Co~lducting praCessional Waining courscs lt~ider continuing edi~calio~i progratnrne. ( 6 )

Processing projccl proposais itivolvi~~g Einanciai assistance to docu~iientation and

bibliograj~hical projects for consideration by the ICSSR ca~i~tliittee 011 docunientation

sc l~ ices and research information. (7) Enteritig ililo agree~inelits with national and

i~iternatio~lnl organizetions Lor ni~rtt~al excliiinge of publicatioos. ~ l l d 8. Pru~noliitg

the sales oCICSSR publicalions.

2.B.l.d. SENDOC (Small Enterprises National Documeaintioi~ Centre):

The SENDOC is a highly specialised information ccntrc i in the field of sniall

e~ttctprises in hldii~. It was established in 1971 onder the aegis o r llie Nalionsl

histilute of Small I~ldustries Training (SIET), 13yderabnd. Tlie SENNDOC undertakes

inforniation activities as an integral cornpotlent of the SIET, which aims at

pl.oinoting ~iiajor areas sllcll as small ilidustly develop~i~ent, mauageme~it, ex ta i s io~~

and i~iformation for developme~it

Tlie SENDOC's objectives are: (1) To collect and store information, data and

documentation ~ ~ s e f u l for the tcchnological and rnaii~igerii~l odva~iccment of sniall

induslries. (2) To disse~ninate infornlalian to pervoiis or orguniznliolls engaged in

activities relating to small-scale industries deveiopnient, and (3) TO act as nalio~ial

centre for coordinating mid collaboratitig with the information activities of other

~naliot~al illstitutions and effecting liaiso~i with similar cetitres in other countries.

The services of SENDOC are the followil~g: (1) It acts as a clearing house of

information in the field of small enterprises in India, (2) It identifi~q, collects and

orgaoizes inforinntion on variolis aspects of s~nall industry development such as

~~ia~ingemcnt, prod~iction, personncl, finance, marI<cting, technology including

cl~cmical e~igineering techniques and sltills; niachiiicry equipment, govcrnmcnt and

institutional progralnnies i ~ i ~ t l policies, statistical data regarding types of illdust1 ies,

ciq~ncity i~roduction, exliort, employment, capital i~~veslnlent etc. (3) It m a i ~ ~ t a i ~ ~ s a

iiiglily spec~alizecl library wit11 coml)rehensivc collection of books, periodicals, trndc

lilcratu~c, Lcchtiical notes, reports, newspaper clippings, unpublished literature etc.,

cover i~~g a wide field of iodustry, technology, management nnd other beliavioural

sciences. (4) It provides ~ ~ l n p r e h e l l ~ i ~ ~ documentation services and rcspo~isive

docunle~~tation sc~vice which are orgniiized in i~~iticipatioil of the needs of clinltele

by b~.inging out the SENDOC bulletin, the SENDOC chronicle, appropriate

docume~itatioii bulletin, the SDI, Status o r Tecl~~lology reposts (ST), Eco~~nniic

Survey reports (ES), the SENDOC library and infoilnation b~~l le t in elc. (5) It

providcs consulta~icy services in building up necessary iiifrastructurc, orga~iizing

docu~neiituiio~i services, desiglling inforn~alion systenl and conducti~ig training

proguammcs at cliffere111 levels in any other organizntions, librnries, documentation

tiid i~iror~natio~i centres. (6) It organizes training progra~nnies also. It has bee11

conducting regularly a training course 011 'iiiformation storage and retrieval system'.

(7) 11 brings out a number of publications such as the SENDOC cl~mniclc (a

rortniglitly bulletin), the SENDOC bulletill (monthly), Appropriatc Technology

Docu~nentation B ~ ~ l l e t i ~ i (4-biniontlily) etc. It lias also bro~~glit out various

publication such as tlie SENDOC survey series, i~idex to prud11ct proiiles at the

SENDOC, directory of raw-materials and manufach~ses aild manufacturing

equipment, directory of training courses offered by different institutions,

polylecl~~~ics ctc. in cliffercnt trsdeslindustrics, directory o r entrepreneul.shi11

developnleiit training and research ins(itulions in India.

38

2.B.l.e. N I S S A T (Na t iona l l n f o r ~ n a t i o n System f o r Scient i f ic a n d Tcchuology):

Tlie NISSAT is a dece~itlslized diswibutcd i t i f~m~al ion nctwoi.l( Iannclied by

the department olscie~icc and technology, Cover~iinent of India. Though its planning

bcga~i io 1975, it came into operation only in July 1977. It is an imporlant and u~l iqi~e

inforii~atioti network, whicli involves active pat'ticipation of different informatiol~

cciitres across tlic niltion.

The objectives of NISSAT arc: To dcvclop a mcclianis~n to transforni various

information systems and services illto an effective nelwo~k u ~ ~ d e r an overilll

coordinating agency. It aims al fulfilling two types of ob,jectives, broad and specific.

a. The broad objectives include: ( I ) Optiniu~n ulilizatio~i of tlie existing

information services slid systems and the developnient of new ones. (2) Promotion of

iiational am1 i~~ternational cooperation and liaison for exchange of information. (3)

Provision of support and active cncouragciiient for tlie developnieiit of facilitics for

education and training in infor~iiation science and technology and in conimunicatioii

to provide qualified manpower for tlic implcmentatio~i of tlie national scieiice

inforiiialio~i policy. (4) Support and actively participate in reseiircli, development and

in~iov~tion in infoniiation scie~ice and comiiiunication to ellhalice both the efficiency

of information services and the qliulity of the information proviclcd by tlicse scrvices,

and (5) Support and pronlote research, developmelit and innovalioti in infor~nation

b. Tlie specific objectives are: (I) I~ifor~natio~i resource development such as:

(i) Aliocatio~i of respo~isibility to insti t~~lio~is for buildi~ig stroiig collectioi~s in

specialized subjects; (ii) Ensuring that tliere is in the co~mtry at least one accessible

copy of cvery wortliwhile scie~itific publicatio~i for use by specialists, policy m&ers,

etc.; (iii) Establisl~ine~~l o l clata bank for scientific, technical environmental slid

socio.economic data; (iv) Establishment of regional deposilories for information

39

ahout spccialists and cxpcrls in diffcsc~lt subjects who may serve as successful

sources of i~iforrnnliom~ tlod as consultants. (2) ldentiiication of infor~nation users: (i)

Idcntilicatiori of !lie present and potcl~tial users of scicnce and rna~lage~ncnt

i~~formation; (ii) Crcatioii of illformation consciousiless ilrnong scia~ce, technology,

intluslrial and business and rna~~agerne~il personilel. (3) Providim~g inforniation

service: (i) Establishnient of a liaiio~lal le~iding libraty service; (ii) Establishnlent oEe

niltiotial referral centre; (iii) Provisio~~ of transli~lioli facilities in various largl~ages;

(iv) Provision of adequate seprography facililies and promnotion of tlie use of

mlwog~spliy copies; (v) Pmvisioli of adequate computer facilities for in for ma ti om^

access and retrievals; (vi) Establislimelit of subject oriented national iiiformatio~i

grids with adequate cornrn:mication facililies; (vii) Coopaation with othcr nalionsl

and intcmationnl o~gamiizatians ellgaged in infom~ation and 1 or related type o r

services; (viii) Developilig necessaiy tools, technirll~es and services adeclunte lo meet

users ii~lormation needs and demna~tds as these cliange from tiliie to time. (4)

Ma~~power develop~i~ent (i) Building up expertise iind making lriovisio~i for

education acid training for adequate number of professional personilel of different

categories in information sciencc, rcprography tilid Lra~islation; (ii) Supporting

11rojecls in information scinice; (iii) Supporling researoh progriilnlnes in info~malion

scieiice (iv) Supporting conferences, sy~nposia, seminars, workshops etc.,

The senices of NISSAT are: (1) Infiastructr~re Development: It promotes and

devclops necessary infrastructure by establishing iafornmtion centres wch as

scctoral, regional, atid others in priority areas of specialized disciplines of science

and technology, textiles, energy, transportation, aeronautics, sinall-scalc indi~stry,

health and nutrition, natural resources and power and allied subjects. (2) Manpower

Development: T l ~ e NISSAT urganizos a nlrmber of short-tom courses at diffelw~t

places on imiforrnatioii sciencc md Leclinology including reprogmpl~y,

40

tc lccom~~~u~~icat io~is , colnputer, indexing, storagc techniqnes elc. (3) Uaci~~iient

Coilectioo: It provides lil~nnciul st~l~porl to dircerent sectoral centres in their

coiicction builili~lg so tlial they may be able to render their services on a natio~iai

scale. (4) Equipmeilt Acquisition: It makes efforts to equip the sectoral centres wit11

modern and sophisticated technologies at every operational l~oint such 11s storage,

disscn~ii~otion of inrormation, processing of Lcxts, micrnfnrm prepa~mtio~~ and other

conrpuling services. (5) Seminars and Workshol)~: The NISSAT holds seniinars ant1

wol.ksliops 1.egulasly aL various intervals. It has conducted Indo-US joint scn~inars

bcsides a nunlber ol' other workshops at different places in India. (6) I~i ter~la t io~~al

Cooperation: Bililteral co-operation 1s another area where the NISSAT tias nmde a

heatlway. The Indo-US joi13t cornniission on science and teciinology identified many

areas of bilateral co-operation between India and the USA, The NISSAT has made a

nomber of agreements with cor~~~tr ies like the USSR, France, elc. (7) Publicatio~is:

The NISSAT has undertaken a publication progranlmc also. It stalted tlic NISSAT

newsletter (q~wterly) in 1979 highlightiag the state-of-art in illformation science

and technoiogy.

2.B.l.f. BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre):

The BARC is a prestigious research orga~~ization in the field of nuclear

sciences in India. It was know11 as the atomic energy eslablishme~lt when it was

established on Jan 29, 1957. But in 1967 it was rel~amed as Bhnblia Atomic Research

Centre (BARC). Its prinlary objective is to promote reseiu-ch and developme~~t of

atomic energy for peaccful 1nlrposes. IL has other objectives. It no[ only generates

info~matio~l but also pe~.fonns a number of activities sucl~ as identification,

collection, orga~~ization aud disselnination of i~ifom~ation covering n wide range of

subjects incli~ding nuclear cl>emistry, nuclear desalination, radio metallurgy, radio

biology, agro-indusll.ial complox, nuclear ship propulsioa, hospital physics, radiation

~xotcctioil eic.

The services of BARC are: ( I ) It maintains one of thc richest collections of

i~lrormation on ~iuclcnr sciences in the world. (2) 11 acls as the national in-putling

ccnlre fur t l~e INIS involving a inomber of activities sucl~ as scanning, selecting,

categol.izing, indexing, abstracling and preparing machi~ie-readable input in thc

standardized for~nat of all scientific documents publisl~ed ia India falling witllili the

scol~c of titiclear scicncc and technology. (3) It rctltiets Currelit Awareness Senice

(CAS) by bringing out "Cun.cnt awareness service on rcilciors" nnd "Ni~clcar lleutroll

physics" and "Nnclear il~for~natio~l bulletin" since 1971. (4) It n~aintains a

"Translation unit". (5) It has linkage with the international ~ g e ~ i c i e s conl~ected with

International Nuclear Illformation System (INIS).

2.B.l.g. ENVIS (Enviro~lmentnl Inforn~ntion System):

The Environ~i~ental Infor~nation System (ENVIS) was set up by the Minisky

of Enviro1111le11t and Forests, Goven~~ne i~ t of I ~ ~ d i a , in Decenlber 1982. It has been

Eu~~ctioi~ing since the11 aud provirling environme~~tal iofo~matiou to decision-makers,

policy-pian~~ers, scientists, engiileers, research workers and the public all over the

countly.

The objectives of ENVIS are: (1) To build up o respotisible dissen~i~~ation

centrc in environmental sc i a~cc and engineering. (2) To gcar up ~nodcrn

technologics of acquisition, processing, storage, relricval and dissemination of

infomation of environme~~tai nature, (3) To suppod a~ ld promote researcli,

develupme~lt and innovation in environment infortnation tech~~ology. (4). To provide

nnt~onnl enviro~unenl inrornialion service, relevant to present needs and ciipable of

devolop~~ient to meet ihe future needs of tlie users, originntors, processors and

disssminalors of illformation. (5) To build up storage, retrievd and disseminatio~~

c;lli~lbilities with the ullimate objectives of disseminating infor~iintion speedily to

1lsel.s. (6) To promote national and internatio~~al cooperntion and liaison for exchange

of environment relatcd iiiformatio~i. (7) 7'0 p1.omote exchange of information

amongst the develoliing countries. 29

The services of ENVIS ale: (I) Docr~~iieiitation services: Tile E W l S also

looks after the various activities undertake11 by depa~imeiitnl libraries, which act as a

documc~ils rcl>osito~y of the ENVIS network. (2) Tile query I answer service: The

ENVIS as Lhe tnalional focal point of INFOTERRA (An international refemml system

for sources of inforniation I UNEP (United Nations Environnicnt Programme) atid as

regiooal service centre of INFOTERRA responds to various queries tkom tlie

INFOTERRA users and those from South Asiaii sub-region couillries by providing

substantive information in the form of biblio~.apliies, reprints I reporis etc. (3)

Liaison with olher information systems: Tne ENVIS maintains a close liaisoii with

other National Infomiation Systems on Science and Techiiology (NISSAT),

Bioteclinology Informalion System (BTIS), etc, for exchanging elivironmental

infor~nation and to avoid duplication of efforts in co~~cerned fields concerned; 4.

Press clipping service: The ENVIS focal point brings out I prel~ares its press clipping

scrvice by scnlining all environment related information from tile natiollal dailics and

~iiagazines. About 30 newspiipers und 10 magazines are scanned regularly and Inore

than 500 clippings related to enviro~imeiil are doccn~ented every muntli as a

secondary information base for quick and easy retrieval. ( 5 ) Abstracting service:

Abstracts of various research papers I ariicles are compiled in the quarterly journol,

the Paryovarai~a Abstvacls. The abstracts are arranged under 12 liiajor categories

like air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, e~lviro~imental iianagerneat,

ecology, health and toxicology, environmental legislatioil, forest~y, wildlife etc. For

prccise retrieval of infom~ation, subject key words index is also give11 at the end of

43

cacli issuc. ( 6 ) Coordination with [lie ENVIS centres: The ENVIS focal poitit

coordiiiales, ~no~i i io l rs ant1 reviews the activity of ENVIS centres to e~tsurc cffectivc

fu~ictionillg of the ENVIS network. Attempts arc also beit~g made by llle roc81 [ J O I I I ~

LO ensure conslalit inflow o r inrormatio~t from the ENVIS centres, so that a cetitl.al

repository of environmental information on various subject areas is developed I

updatcd for easy and quick 1,ctrieval and dissemination. The focal point is also

responsible for identifying priorily nreas and potential institutio~is for setting up new

ENVIS centres.

2.B.l.h. NICNET:

Govern~tie~it of India established the National l~lfor~~thtics Centre (NIC) at

New Dclhi itt 1975 along with its rcgio~ial ccntrcs at Plme, Bhnbancswar and

liydernbad. T l ~ e NIC sstablished h e NICNET in 1977. 11 is 11 snlellile-based

infor111ation nelwork, which ensures a systelnatic protocol for i~ifortuation exchatige

among various depa~t~nwlt / niinistries of state illid central governlnetits and other

organizations. Thc purpose of setling up the NICNET is to collcct, compilc, store,

process, atld disseminate infornlution Lo various deparlmetits 1 ministries and

orga~lizations oFGover11nient of Illdin which is highly usefill for decision making and

p la~~n i~ lg , to achieve efficie~lcy and productivity in the various sectors of the

Ths objectives of NICNET are: (1) To design, develop ~ n d impleme~it,

advanced coitllniter based syslem. (2) To promote atloplion of cornpuler-based dalu

tl~at~agentent techniques. (3) To generate specialized manpower to work Inlore

erfectively in Lhc ficld of infotmatics. (4) To develop inter-city networks and connect

them in such a way that it can work as a distributed govcr~rmental i~ifowation

~ ~ s t e i n . 3 ~

Tlie services of NICNET arc: (1) The ICMR-NIC centre: It is located at the

~iatio~inl information ccnlre, providing services to users in India the MEDLINE and

POPLINE databases since April 1988. (2) The NIC also has dcvcloped a

co~nputeriscd online patait inforn~ation system bused on bibliographic clali~ available

ii.om the I~~lernnt ion~~l Ritenl Doci~~iientatio~i Centre (INPADOC), Vienna. (3)

Doonnatics services: doordarsha~i and tile NIC have together launched a telematics

project called INTEXT. (4) Dial for data scrviccs: P~OIII 1989 otiwards tbc NICNET

has been ofrering dial for dulu servlce wllicl~ is accessible from p ~ ~ b l i c boollis wit11 I

billion bytes of information in tliis systcni called GISNIC (Get~eral 111formatioo

System Te~nlinals of NIC) and with another 150 n~illioii hytes being added evety

month. This services is now spreading to cities, tow~is incli~ding about liuridred coin-

operated public bootlis. (5) NIC's election inforrnatio~i scrviccs: Prom 1989 onwards

tile NICNET is olferillg this service For two Iol(sab1ia elections; 6. NCRMS: the NIC

also has developed a standardized distributed database for hazard lnallagement called

Natural Cala~nities Relief Management Systeni (NCRMS).

2.B.I.i. INDONET:

Tlie INDONET is the first cornn~erc~al computer-based network engineered

by Computer Maintenance Corporation Ltd. (CMC). I1 is llle first public data

processil~g network in India. It was a step towards revolutionizing data processing in

India. Thc INDONOT ailns to provide facility for distributed data ))recessing on a11

all Illdin basis to largc organizations in tlic ~iclwork using of the CMC computers for

their d a b processing operations. "

The objectives oCINDONE'I' are: The main objectivc of the INDONET is tile

establishinent of a network of computer centres accessible to remote parts of the

coul~lry so as to deliver the benefits of informalion resources managcmellt to a wider

cross scction of users in the country. Tile otlier objectives of t l ~ e project are: (1)

I'iovid~ng rc~nole ucccss c o o ~ p l ~ t ~ n g facilities for thc development and cxport of

soflwa~c, specializctl applicatioil packages in the areas of e~iginccring tlcsign,

m;magement scrviccs, cnergy and computer networkii~g, etc. (2) To help in the

export of sor(wa1.e. (3) To l~ave a distributed data processing system, so t l~et local

queries nre answered aker scanning locally available databases and global queries

are routed to their destinations hind snswered niter the respoilse is receivetl. (4) Tn

process large amount of scientific and industrial data ce11Lrally and effectively. (5) To

facilitntc access to rcrnotc uscr terminals. (6) To maintain conimoi~ interest databases

l ~ k e stock excliange and foreign currency conversion rates cenlrally. (7) To help to

promote key computer-related technologies like database management programmiag

techniques, computer graphics. (8) To colincct through inte~r~ationul gateways to

SPPRINTNET (earlier ielnet) and TYMNET commu~~ication networks of t l ~ e USA.

The seivices of INDONET are: (1) Distributed data l)rocessing facility. (2)

Compute? service bureau consultancy. (3) Proi~iotior~ of advanced networking

technologies. (4) Providing computer power to users across the cou~~i ry ( 5 ) I'oblic

database service. (6) Software export.

2.B.l.j. ERNET (Education and Research in Computer Network):

Project ERNET was initialed as a result of ide~~t i f ical io~~ o r computer

networking as a thn~st area by the Deparlnient of Electro~lics (DOE) New Dellii,

during the seve~itll pian period (1985-90). The ERNOT was launched in November

1986 by Lhe DOE during the same plan, It is a computer nctwork intended for the

academic and researoh community will1 the initial participation froni eight leading

acadcmic and research i~lstitutio~is includi~lg the Department o f~ lec tmnics . '~

The objectives of ERNET arc: (1) To enhmce ilational capabilities ill the

areas of design, development, rcsearcll, education and training in statc-of-art

concepts of computer networking und related cmergi~lg tcch~iologies, (2) To

pr~grcssivcly set I I ~ a i~alio~iwide network for the academic and research community.

(3) I'u carry out education, co~ltinuing education, trailling and consnltancy

progixmmes to generate control nlanpowcr nceded by industry and usets in this field.

The services of ERNET are: (I) Electro~~ic mail. (2) File transfer; (3) Refnote

login, (4) Mailing lists, new groi~ps and billletin boards. (5) Bibliograilpliic database

acccsu. (6) lnfor~natio~i retrieval tools (Gopher, WAIS, WWLs). (7) Audio and video

plus conferencil~g

2.B.l.k. DELNET:

In Fcbrr~a~y 1989 the NISSAT coiiiniissiol~ed the CMC ltd, to conduct n

feasibility stlldy of lletworking (lie libraries in Delhi. This was completed in 1990.

'The DELNET was conceived for the networking of about 30 libraries in Delhi in its

first phase. Registered as a society in June 1992, it has its headquarters at the India

international centre, New Delhi.

The objectives of DELNOT are: (1) To promote the sharing of resources

anlong tile libraries in Delhi by developing, the DELNET which will collect, store,

and disselninate information through colilpiiterized services to the clie~ltele. (2) To

undertake scieiltific research in the area of iiiforniatioil science and technology, for

which, the DELNET will crcatc new systems in the field, apply tlie reslilts of

rescareh and publish thcm. (3) To offer technical assistance to the participating

libraries in collecting, stuling, sharing and disseminating information. (4) To

coordiilate efforts for suitable collectiou development and reduce unnecessary

duplication wlienever possible. (5) To provide hclp in establishi~lg refe~ral research

cenires, 111ailllai11 a ce~~iral on-line uiliotl catalogue of books, serials and 11nn-bonk

malerials of the entire metuber librarics. (6) To promote delive~y of documents

~ilanually or electronically. (7) To develop specialized bibliographic database of

books, serials and non-book materials. (8) To develop databases of projects,

spcc~alisls and ~~istilutions. (9) To possess and maintain electronic and mechanici~l

cqoipmc~~ts ror spectly com~~lunication of infol~iiation and delivery of electronic

mail, and (10) To coordinatc with otl~er rcgional, national and it~ternationnl networks

and librarics lor cxcliange ol'inforn~~~tion and documents.

Tllc services of DELNET: With the laulchi~ig of the DELNET e-mail on

l9"', March 1991, Delhi altained the distinction of being thc first mctropolita~i centrc

to establish a11 electronic link among libraries, li~arking the beginning of resowce

sllari~ig venture?' The e-mail facility enables libiaries to proinole librasy mailing,

inler-l~brary requests, d~stribulion of q~~estionneires, activisation of professional

contracts and denionstretion of file transfer with R view to eventually connecting die

DELNET to national and international databases and netwo~.ks.

It also offers the following services to laember libraries: (1) Acquisitio~i and

fund accounting. (2) Serials control. (3) Books and jo~irnals mainienancc. (4)

Circ~~lntion. (5) Uscr service (6) Calc~~lation and mainlennnce of bibliographic

database (7) Inter-slibrary user services; (8) Docu~ilent copy and iral!sfer facililies.

(9) Access to national and in(omalionnl databases. (10) Uniol~ catalogue. (11)

Current awareness and the SDI. (12) Authority daia. (13) Subject profiles. (14)

Abstracts etc.

2.B.1.1. CALIBNET (CALCUTTA LIBRARY NETWORK):

Thc CALIBNET was inaugurated on 21 September 1993, with a mandate to

hi l i ta te the provisio~i of brow1 iiifor~i~atio~i services in the countly. Tlie Calcutta

Library Network (CALIBNET) is one of nietropolitan libraly ~ietworks it] India.

The CALlBNET adopts two routes to rcallzc its ohjcctives: ( I ) The network

route with a libray ~utomation atld networking usi~ig ils own applicatiorl software

MAITMYER. (2) The e-mail route to provide member libraries with, (i) Online

access to inforrnrition available through internet, tho DIALOG I knight-sidder, and

tile CD-ROM resources tllrough tlic ERL, (ii) Onliiie access lo various databases

with~n thc network, (iii) Full-text documel~ls tlirough the British library document

supply centre, the ASTINFO, the UNCOVBR and other agencies, (iv) Olectronic-

mail facility for casy i~itcractions (v) Ce~~traiizcd bibliographic support for name and

subjcct authority control, and (vi) Training and consultnncy.

Thc services or CALIBNET are: (1) To significantly improve resource

utilieatioii ilnd service levels to patrons at the individual libixries by providing

automation facilities for all housc-keeping functions and uscr scrviccs such as, (i)

Acquisitio~i and fi~nd accou~iti~ig (ii) Serials control (iii) Ch~talogl~ing (iv) Circulation

(v) User services. (2) To operatio~ially enhance resource shariog by pl.oviding

iadividual libraries and their access to co~iiposite databases through, (i) Union

catalogue, (ii) Pa~tial STlS databases, (iii) Current awareness and the SDI, (iv)

Subject profiles. (3) To provide efficieiit and rcliablc means of, (i) 111tcr-library user

scrviccs, (ii) Docume~it copy and transfer facilities, (iii) Access to ~iational and

international STlS databases. (4) At the i~idividual level, t l~c cnd-uscrs of its serviccs

are, (i) Scienlists, e~igiiieers, technologisls, scholars and researchers, (ii) R and D

personnel, (iii) Industrial entrepreneurs, (iv) University professors and other

academics, (v) Consultants and specialists, (vi) Official fu~~~ctioiiaries and executives,

and (vii) Practitioners of sciencc, engineering and technology, medical science,

~nformation and library science, humanities, social sciences and management,

2.B.l.m. INFLIBNET:

The I~ifo~~nation and Lib~ary Networlc (INFLIBNET) p r o ~ a ~ n n ~ e was started

by the University Grants Cotnnlissio~i (UGC) in April 1991. It is a major programrnc

towards the n~odemization of libraries and information services it] U1e cotuitry, using

computer and com~nuiiication technologies. The TNFLIBNET will includc

participants from colleges, universities, R and D iilstihites OF higher learning,

illlbl.rnatin~~ ccntres, institute of natiolial importance iind Document Resource

Centres (DRCs).

The objectives of INFLIBNET are: ( I ) To evolve a national network of

libraries and inforn~atioa centre in the coullt~y and to improve infonnation llandlit~g

capabilily. (2) To provide reliablc access to docu~ncnt collcclio~~ through online

t111io11 catalog~~c oi' 1110110graphs, serials and ~OII-book materials. (3) To provide

better access lo worlbwhile bibliogsapl~ic inforn~ation sources, with citations and

abstracts, such as articles ill periodicals, confere~ice papers, reprints, tecl~nicai

reports, standards anti specifications, patents and monographs, through indigenously

created databases of the sectoral infor~i~ation ccntres of tlic NISSAT and the UGC

info~miation centres and by cstablishiilg gateways for onlinc accessi~~g of

internnlional dnlabnses held by inle~~~utiunol inCormatioil niethods and centres. (4) To

provide document delivery service by eslabiisliing resource centres around libraries

having a rich collection of documents. (5) To optimize information resaurce

utilization through shared catalagui~ig, inter-libiaty laan service, catalogue

production, collection developme~~t and avoidii~g duplication in acquisition to the

extent possible. (6) To computerize operations of libraries and infor~nation centres in

t l~e country followiog a unifotm standard. (7) To facilitate co~~lmunication alllong

sciei~tists, cnginccrs, researchers, social scic~ltists, acadenlicians, faculties and

studa~lts tllrough electronic mail, bulletin board, file tr&ilsfcr ctc. (8) To enable

readers, irrespective of distuce nnd location, Lo have access i ~ r f o ~ ~ n a t i o ~ ~ rcgarding

books, monographs, serials and other reading materials, through new communicntiion

tecli~~oiogies. (9) To encourage cooperation antolig libraries, docurnenlation cenlses

so tl1a1 pooled resources can augment weaker rosource centres, and. (10) To evolve

standards and unifor~n guidelines in techniques, methods, proccdures, hardware,

software and services and promote their adoptios.

Tile services of INFLIBNET are Lhe following: (1) Catalog~~e board scrvlces:

( i ) Sllared catalogr~ing of books, serials and non-book matcnais, (ii) Union cnlalogt~e

of books scrials and lion-book rnuterials, (iii) Online catalogue access for shared

cataloguing and location identification, (iv) Catalogue proiluction in card, book,

~iiagnclic tape I floppy, CD-ROM form, book processing and preparation. (2)

Database services: (i) Bibliograpl~ic database servlccs, (ii] Retrospective seiuches,

SDI, current awarclicss services, (iii) Databases of 110s-bibliographic infor~natiun

suc11 8s ongoing and completed projects, insiitutioi~s and specialists. (3) Document

supply services: (i) iliteriibra~y loan request processing, (ii) Docu~nent delive~y

(FaxMon-Fax). (4) Collection development: (i) Acquisitinli and assistance in

selectio~i and procurement. (5) Communication based services: (i) Electronic mail,

(ii) Trarsfer / xeceii~e messages, (3) Billletin board view I iipdate billletin board, (iv)

Academic communication th~ougli electro~iic mail, bulletin board, file transfer,

computcr I audio I videoconference etc.

2.B.l.n. I-NET:

The I-NET, fo~mally know11 as VIKRAM, is a bearer iietwork for fast,

reliable, flexible and cost effective transport of infomiation. The I-NET is a packet

switched public data network established by tlie Departnlent of Telecomiiu~iications,

Governnie~it of India. " Tliis network offers facilities for interli~~king ter~ninals and computers

through packet switches located in iniportant cities, and subscribers o r this network

cw niake international data calls to other networks abroad. This facility is provided

through the gateway packct switchi~ig system of VSNL at Bombay. Subsc~ ibe~s cn~ i

also get connected to subsccibcrs of thc reniole are8 busi~iess ~liessnge ~ietwork of Uie

Depa~lnienl of Telecommunications. Some emerging systenis ihat depe~id on data

switching capabilities of the I-NET are: (1) Corporate data I message system, (2)

~lcclrunics payment systems 1 clcctronic fi~nd transfer systems. (3) Maintaining

sysle~ns e.g., enviromiient, traffic. (4) Electronic mail.

The scrvices of I-NET arc: ((I 11nteracLive data c o n ~ ~ ~ ~ u ~ ~ i c a t i o n . (2)

Co~lncction to i~~tctnational gateway - GPSS, through Bombay node; 3 . Connection

to remote arca busincss message network. Tile followiiig facilities are available to

custoriiers: (i) Ptlst select, (ii) Closed User Group (CUG) facility, (iii) Reverse

charging, (iv) Permanent virtual circuit

111 nddilio~~ to Lhe above, the rollowing networI<s are also establislied for

specific pulposes by iiidepeiident depwt~nenis in Uie country. They are:

1. BTISNET (Biotechnology Information System Network): It is a

specialized science and iecl~oology networlc set up by the Departn~eiit of

U~olecl~nology, Government ofhidia.

2. SAILNET (Steel Authority Indin Limited Network): Steel Authority

of India liils set op a data cormnu~~ication system located in different SAIL factories

111 differen1 places through micro earth stations located at the SAIL headquarters.

3, RABMN (Remote Area Business Message Network): Du~ing the ei~rly

1991, the DOT cornmissio~ied the Remote Area Business Network.

4. OILCOMNET: It is a niulti-modcl, multi-tcr~niiial computing and

co~nmunication nctwork, and lias bcen installed to support, enl~ance and improve the

(eleco~iimu~iicution and computi~~g infrastructure of the oil industry,

5. RAILNET: At preswil the Indian railway, wl~icli is tlic biggest public sector

enterprise in the counhy has two coliiputer networks. Otie is the CIUS

(Computerized Reservatiot~ Infonilation Systen~) and tlle other is FOIS (Freibt

Opcration Information System).

6. IAN (Indian Airlines Network): At present Indian Airli~ies have the largest

and midwest proprietay network, which connects over 700 terminals all over India.

It connects different sperry mainframe computers located it1 Delhi, Bombay,

Calcutta, atid Cl ie~i~ia~ through microwave links. The networlc was comn~issioned in

1986.

7. SBINET: The message-switching lietwork of the SBI operates in parallel with

~ t s voice network but on a ~ i ~ u c h smaller scalc. Thc nctwork topologies have 6 nodal

\)oilits and 60 ter~~iinals located at 14 centres. The nodal switcl~cs receive, store and

then transmit data in the system. It is also pliiniied lo have a link wit11 intenlalionnl

centres (SWIFT) 011 the SBI overseas officc links throi~gli a VSNL getewuy through

Uiis nctwork, in order to speed up customer remitkl~ces and otlier fiiluncial inessages

bctwecn the SBI Coreign offices and its India11 branches.

2.B.2. Outside India:

2.B.2.a. FID (Federation International Docume~~tatior):

Tlie FID is one of important non-goven~mental agencies (NGOs) in the field

of documentatiotl atid infor~iiation sciences. Its origin call be trkced bnck to t l~e

es(ablis11ment of the Ilistihlte lnte'rnatio~~al de Bibliograllhic (IIB) in 1885 by two

e ~ n i n c ~ ~ t social scientists, Henri La Fountaiiie (1854-1943) and Paul Otlet (1869-

1944). Lntcr on in 1931 ihc lianie of IlB was changed to l~lstitute lnternatioilal (Ie

Docu~nentation (IID) and in 1938 to the Federation Il~ternational de Docu~nentation

(FID),

The nlain objectives of the FID are to promote, ttirougli international

cooperation research in and developnient of illformation science and documentatio~~,

which includes, inter alia, the orgai~ization, stoiage, retrieval, dissemination md

evaluation of information, however recorded, in tile fields of science, technology,

socii~l sciences, the arts and liumanities.

Tilo servicc of thc FID: The activities of the FID are carried on though a

nuliibcr of com~nittees constituted for these pulposes. However, in thc light of thcir

ii~ncliooing, the ove~all services of Ule PID can be sum~ncd up as follows: ( I ) It

provides an active Torurn for futidamc~~lal questions of general classificution theory

and thc nature and scope of inronnntion, Ii promotes, sponsors and engages ill

rescarcb in tile lield of inrlexing. It has also taken up the responsibility of tile

operation and sr~pervision of the Universal Decimal Classification, its revision and

further dcvclopmcnl. (2) It promotes docun~eiitatio~i activities especially in the

tlevcloping counlrics, brings out a bibliographical index of pl~blications 011

ioformation terminology, surveys and makes analysis of tern~inologies pertaining to

ioformation and documentation. IL also brings out a journal "Lirtguistic is

Docio~ieritarior~-C~i~'~'er~t Abslmcls". ( 3 ) Tile FID has taken up a ccrtain

n~echanization programme, wliich includes staildards for bibliograpliic data

intcrcha~~ge, the application of hardware and software in nleclianizcd information

syslenis kind teleco~nmu~iicatio~~s facilities. (4) The PID interacts with other

i~~ter~lational organizations suc11 as the UNESCO, FAO, ILO, IAEA, UNIDO,

CMEA, ICSU, ICA, WMO, ISC, ICOM, UIS, etc.

2.B.2,b. INIS (Intcrnatio~~al Nuclear Infor~natiol~ System):

Tllc Intcmationai Nuclear Informati011 System is n leading information

system on tlie peaceful uses of iluclear energy, which bcgan to operate under the

aegis of the inlemationol atonlic energy, Vienna ia 1170 in collaborntio~~ with its

meniber slates. The idea of the MIS was conceived ill 1965 when the IAEA decided

to foster the excliange of nuclear information a ~ l l o ~ ~ g s t its ~nember orga~lizatio~ls I

institutions.

The objectives of INIS are: 1. Its maill objective is to encollrage the exchange

anlong its mcmben of information relating to tlie nature and peaceful uses of atomic

energy and also, to seNC as an intermediary nmoag then1 for this puq>ose. (2) It oi~ns

at international control of the literature of ~iuclear science on maximun~

dccei~l~.aiiz:~tion, consistent with rct~sonable efficie~~cy. (3) To maximize tlie transfer

of infomiatiot~, il aims lo have some central coiitrol aod administratiotl. (4) Tile INIS

has the ~niajor responsibility to make all the literature of the nuclear sciences,

available to all of its mernbcrs so ns to supplcme~~t the present b~lnteral

arrangclnents.

The services of INIS are: The INlS as a cooperative compc~ter based

decentralized bibliographic iilfom~ation system, ainls at catering to tile i~icrcasing

nccds of thc inember coulltries in procuring, prucessing untl providing noclear

it~rorinatio~i for peaceful purposes. It also performs the followil~g services: (I) It

provides most effective methods of information ilandling ill difi'erenl langiiages 011

nuclear science. (2) It assists in improving the national infrastmcture in the menibcr

countries. (3) It makes comprehensive coverage oi'nuclcar infolmation literature. (4)

It helps in sharing L11e cast oldntn collection and processing eqliitnbly between large

and st~lall pmducers and users ofthe literato~c. (5) It publishes the INIS auto ii~clex- a

bibliographic reference journal, (6) It provides online access, machine-readable data

for distribution and printed products as o~itput. (7) It lias at1 extensive system of

liniso~i officers in ~ i ~ c ~ n b c ~ states who arc respo~lsible for suh~~~iss ion of appropriate

output lo the system and also offer tile INIS services the their rcspectivc countries.

(8) It makes tile provision of approlxiate guidelines for dati~base design and

standardizes data collection.

2,B.2.c. DEVSIS (Development Science Informittion system):

Tlle DEVSIS was liiunched in 1974 by l l ~ e InLematio~~al Development

Research Centre (IDRC).

The objectives of DEVSIS are: To provide improved access to ccano~nic and

social i~lformatian for individuals and institutions and otl~crs involved in

dcvclo~~mental activities. It has been pla~ined to act as a global decentralized

~nissia~l-oriented information network of national and regional centres l~sitlg a

sianilard methodology to feed io in foml ion and providing services to users,

togcthcr with an international centre for constituting the common DATABASE,

mainpaining t l ~ e system a~id training staff for the participating centres. It is regarded

as a sectoral application of tlie UNlSIST programme with which it maintuins close

links. I includes informalion pcliaining to areas like agricnltore, industry, Lranspori,

education, social welrare, and public health education. Eacll ilem of information is

classified not by subjects bul is covered under tile Collowing major headings: (1)

Facts, tlzuds and analyses; (2) P~ascription fo~.decisiou making; (3) Official policies,

lplans and programmes; (4) Developme~lt action and operatio~ial experience; aiid (5)

Consequences and evaluation.

The services of DEVSIS are: ( I ) It provides ilccess lo develop~?lnenl

ii~fornlation at the globril level. (2) It facilitates inrorlnation boll1 conventio~ial and

son-conventional on all aspects of economic and social development. (3) It

maintai~ls two databases, a bibliograpllic database using the ISIS format and software

with in-depth subject indexes of the documents, and a referral database containi~ig

tlie descriptio~~ of i~~formation and data source on ecoiionlic and social development.

(4) It acts as a sectorai application of the UNlSIST programmes. (5) It publishes

DEVLNDEX-A bulletin of thc printcd output and DEVPROFILE - a file of sources.

Z.B.2.d. OCLC (On-liae Computer Library Centre):

The online computer library centre is the largest computer a11d

telecommunication network of libraries and iofomiation centres in the world. It is

also the world's largest database of bibliogral~hic records and locatio~l i~ifotmation

known as the OCLC oiilitie catalogue. The OCLC was a regio~id cooperntive

network In thc state of Ohio, USA, known as Ollio college library centres, aiming to

serve 54 collcges and universities in the state of Obio. Its name was changed to tile

oCLC (Onliac Cornpl~lcr Library Centre) when it expanded from a rcgional

coopw~ilive network to a ilatio~lal network in the coutltry.

The objcctives of the OCLC are: (1) To incrcasc thc sharc and i~vi~ilnbility of

libraty resources among its meniben. (2) To pcrfonn certait~ computerized f~~nctions.

The services of the OCLC are: (1) It provides access to the huge collection of

inlbrmation sources across national bou~~dwies. (2) It ~ n n i ~ ~ t a i n s the world's largest

(lalabase of bibliogl.aphic records consisting of 18 million unique records ill cigl~t

formats: books, serials, sarund recoltling, audio visual niedia, scores, maps, archivcs

and ~naiiuscril)ts, and machine-readable data tiles. (3) Its online union catalogues

hold diffcrcnt libraries niaterials through out the world. (4) Its databases cover more

tllan 3000 liinguages. I-Iowcvcr, the English lnngl~age constitutes 68.9 percent of tlie

databases (5). It fncilitales inter-library cooperalion both within and across national

boundaries. ( 6 ) Its online sys te~ i~ helps libraries La share tlie wisdoll~ af catnlogues.

(7) 11 b~.ings economy in tcr~ils of time and cost. (8) It iiot only catalogues the c u ~ ~ e ~ i l

titles but also makes retrospective conversion of previous catalogued titles into

machine-readable form. (9) It offers usn internship programnie to internatio~ial

libra~ies enabling them to gain experienced at the OCLC for a ~niiiii~iutii of three

months. (10) It i~lai~itai~ls a researcl~ and developnient division, established in 1974,

to undertake mission.oriented research. At present the OCLC's research divisiol~

cotiducts research througli six established programme aseas: distlibuted processing,

electronic document delivery, human computer interaction, improved access

lechniques, miemcomnputer applications and online catalogues. (1 1) It participates in

several on-going national-level progrnm~ners i~icludiiig tlie CONSER (Conversion of

Serials), tlie ARL (Association of Research Libraries), the NFAIS (National

Federation of Abstracting and Indexing services project) etc,

'l'iius, tlie OCLC lies emerged as one of t11c important networks to iiieet tlie

cl~~tlict~ge of ioformation explosio~i through on-linc conlpater system, high-speed

tclcco~nn~u~iicatio~~, and other autoniatio~l devices and acts as an integaling agency

For linking ktiowledge and users at tlie global level.

2.B.2.e. BLAISE (British Library Automated Information Service):

The BLAISE became operational in carly 1977 and has established itself as one

of tile world's largcsl scrvices. Usi~ig a con~bi~ ia t io~~ of on-line and off-line comliuter

pmcessing techniques, tlic BLAISE has two 11;njor functions: ( I ) The provisiotl of a11

aulomatcd infoirnatial~ retrieval service. (2) The facilitation of libraly housekeeping

li.0111 catnioguc productio~~ through to inter-library loans

With regard to 1, tiles at preseiit accessible include tliose available fion~: the

US National Library of Medicinc (MEDLINE, SDILINE, CHEMLINE, elc.), the US

Nntional Canccr Il~stitutc (CANCERLIT, ctc.), the British library (UKMARC, Audio

visual n~atei'ials, Confcrcnce procccdi~~g indcx, British ediicntion index), and the

Library of co~igress (LCMARC)

Tile services of BLAISE are: Ut~til 1982, all of its services were made

available on an IBM colliputer at Harlow, Tlie MARC files and other files of British

origin t'emain oil this UK coniputer lo form the BLAISE-LINE services but a new

BLAISE-LINK service provides direct access to the US National Libray of

Medicine. This makes additioilal data bases, such as tile NAF (Name Authority File).

POPLINE (Population T~iforli~atioil Online) and the SERLINE (Serials Online),

avililablc.

Regavdil~g cataloguii~g sc~vices, an integral part of the BLAISE called the

LOCAS (Local CaEelogui~ig Services,) was introduced in 1974. If offew a coniplete

cataloguit~g service from data preparation to catalogue output for those libraries,

which want to takc advantage of n ce~itralized system. Other services, less

co~nprcl~c~isivc thmi tlie LOCAS, which &re available fro111 the British library iiiclude

tlic following: (1) The Selective Reco1.d Service. (2) The exchange Tape Service (3)

Micropsocessos syslems.

2.B.2.f. MEDLARS (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System):

The MEDLARS is olle of most publicised cornpliter based bibliographical

retrieval and information system operated by the Nalio~ial U b r ~ ~ y of Medicine

(NLM), USA. Its or~gin can be traced Eroni 1979 when an ofice of the surge011

genaral was eslablislied, among at organiz,ing and conrdinating the various activities

OT medical orga~iizutional under a11 authority in U.S.A. It stnrled publishing the

indexing joutcial "Index Medicus" 011 its own in 1980. Since then 'Index Medicus'

Ihas been considered the world's largest indexing service in the field of medical

sciences. In this way the MEDLARS came into existence in 1964. In 1970, an online

service namely MEDLINE was introduced by the NLM and it became operational in

Dece~nber 1971. Inte~national use of the MEDLINE has been orgat~ized in different

cotltllries illeluding Scandinavia, Canada, France, and U.K, etc.

The objectives of MBDLINE ale: It acts as an inlyorta~it system ill the field

of medical sciences at the global level. It aims at providi~ig inforination to any one

who is seeking informatio~i on ally area of medical sciences, by providing index

abstracts of leading articles, and bibliographical setyices on demand in anticipation.

The MEDLARS offers a variety of services: It has tlie unique ability to offer

infor~nation scrvices to a wide rniiging i~lternational biolnedical scientific and

professional colnlnu~lity which has acclninled 'Index Medicus' as ono of the finest

indexi~~g services produced by the MEDLARS. MEDLINE is another in~portant

service came into operation in 1971 with access via the TYMNET Network. It has

h e n offering a tiunlber of services since 1975 such as: (1) SDILINE - Access to

citniions to be printed in index medicos. (2) CATELINE- Access to bibliographic

il~fovmatiun used in the catalogoe. (3) SERLlLNE - Access to some current

biomedical serial labels available in medical librnrics. (4) TOXLINE - Access to

i~ifor~nation toxicology and pl~annacology relating to medicine, health and safety. (5)

CANCERLINE - Acccss to informalion perlaining to cnncer with cooperation of tlie

ontional canccr institute.

2.B.Z.g. AGIUS (I~~terni~tiol~al 111for111ation System for the Agricultural Sciences):

Tlie AGRIS is a comnputerized i~ifor~iiation system designed on tlie pnttern

sirnilar to thc INIS model, which began its operation in 1975 under the aegis of (lie

Food and Agricultmiil Orgil~iization (FAO).

l'lie AGRIS was co~iceived in accordance wit11 ilie F A 0 constitution wllicli

laid down that "The organiz,ation sl~all collect" analyse, inte~yret atid disseminate

i~ifor~iialio~i relating to iiutritioo, food and agriculhlre, food, forestly, fisheries and

rural developnle~it.

The services of AGXIS are: (1) It maintains con~puterized databases for

storii~g nnd retrieving large gemoimts of i~~for~nation using the CD-ROM. It collects

bibliographic references to materials, whicli m8y be either convelitianal joun~al

ilrticlcs, books or non-conventional sail~ities called gray literature, e.g., theses,

rcports ctc., not available tl~rougli nollnal commercial cliai~nels. The AGRIS

dalabasc is mentioned at i l ~ c computer centre of the Intert~ational Atomic D ~ ~ e r g y

Agellcy (IAEA) for online access. (2) It processes agricultural information received

from the parlicipating countries and other regional ce~ilres. (3) It provides AGRIS-

SDl service. The subscribcrs of this service (usually scie~itists, administm~tors,

cxtension workers etc.) reccive regular conlputer produced 1.efere11ces LO the

lilerature within their ficld of interest. Many countries such as Rrazil, India, Poland,

Bcllg;~ria, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Spain, New Zcaland have startcd tlicir known

AGRIS-SDI se~.vices. (4) It assists the member countrics in developing their national

inhrieation systenl it] the field of agriclllhlral scicnces. For instnllce countries like

Germany, USA, India and the Caribbean coulitries hnve developed tlieir ow11

infor~ilalion systcln as input centres to the AGlIIS. (5) It impacts in-selvice training.

(6) It liolds sen~inars and s y ~ n p o s i u ~ ~ ~ s for ilte puticipnting couotries. (7) It provides

on-line cornrnunicatioi~ to its database. (8) It allows retrospective searches througl~

the entire database. (9) It publishes 'Agrindex' - the AGRlS monthly bibliography

~ssued i n Etiglish, French and Spanish versiomls.

2.B.2.h. POPIN (Internatio~ial Population I~iformation Systems):

The POPIN is a dccentraiized network for promoting itlfo~nlation activities in

the iield of population and aIlied matters under the aegis of the population division

of the Depallnlent of Illternt~tional Eco~lo~nic and Social Arairs, UN secretariat. Its

genesis can be traced back to 1973 when (ha United Nutions Population Co~nrnission

recognized the need for t l~e establishmeut of an international information system on

population.

The main ol)jectives of the POPIN are as follows: (1) To identify and

establish better ways to ftcilitate the flow oC populatioll iilfor~nation arnoilg the

lniembers institutions tlirough t l~e developtnent 01 conunon goals. (2) To share the

knowledge of the activities of network memribers. (3) To enstire the compatibility of

Ihe system and services. (4) To fornlnlate working arrangement operations to

dcvelop and strengthen tile illformation flow. (5) To solicit the support from

govcrnmcnt for the smooth functioning of 1118 netwo~k

2.B.2,i. UTLAS (University of Toronto Library Automation System):

Tltc UTLAS is a bibliographic utiliw, which has been supplying cornputer-

bused systems, services, and products in boll1 English and Prench since 1973. More

61

rcceolly, it has won clietits in countries outside Canada, iiicluding the United Stares

i ~ ~ l d Japan, The on-Iinc user iietworlc inclltdes some 200 institutions and members of

consortia. Morc than 600 individual libraries receive products and services from the

system.

Using the Catalogue Sul~pol-t System of UTLAS (CATSS), libraries dcrive,

edit or input cataloguing data to create individually structured files. The database

now contains well over 10 millioli records, and includes files koni the Libra~y of

Congress, the national libraries of Canada, Iirai~ce and the UI<, and the US National

Libra~y ofhledicine.

Fro111 1978, the CATSS has been an offering authority convol facility to

enable clielits to create and maintai~i authorized ibrnis of nanies, uniform titlcs and

subject headings. An acquisition and serials co~~trol system has been designed to be

co~i~plelely i~itegrated with the CATSS. A REFCATSS ~iiodule offers public libraiy

staff at1 oa-line retrieval system designed to meet a variety of information needs,

including inter-library loan searches and customized bibliographies.

2.B.2.j. RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network):

The United States led the world in networking. It appcars tliat there has bceli

a selling down in the growth of the number of utilities, OCLC, RLIN and the WLN

(Washington Libr~ly Nctwo1.k) hwing been the only one on the US scene for

sometime.

The RLlN concentrates more on research libraries, whereas the WLN is

co~icerned with all types of libraries, confining its growth to tlie northwest region.

Nowever, U>c WLN is closely linked Lo the RLIN.

One of thc consortium's most powesfi~l drawing cads is the Research

Libraries Informati011 Network (RLIN), which c m provide members with ail on-line

calalogue of their own holding as well as tliat of the AACR 2 support, up and

ronniog s~lbsystem for acquisitions and i~iterlibra~y loan, and patron access to on-line

cati~logires.

In carly 1978 the RLG (Reseatch L~braries Group) announced its intention to

otilixc the BALLOTS system, (Bibliographic Autonlalion o r Large Libmy

Operalio~ls using a Titile sharing System), which was based in Stanford University in

California. It is an online combining somc of the fcatures of the OCLC, some of

LockI~eedlSDC and some of the features not avallablc on either of the other two

systems. The BALLOTS have a subject's capability; in 1979, K G aligned itself

with the regionally successful WLN and agreed to sharc databases and jointly

develop products and se~vices.

The advantages of the RLIN are: (1) The great speed with which databases

can be searched, (2) The user does not necessarily need to he within the physical

confines of a library environ~nont as the cornputer ter~iiinals pmvide the facility of

remote access if the user has a telephone. (3) The work is shared. Participating

libraries contribute records to centralized databases. 'Tl~e cost is shared ns the work is

doue by tin individual organization a11d users of thc selvice pay for acccss to thc

resultant data

2.B.2.k. EURONET:

Tile EURONET is a data nctwork, whicli was inaugurated in 1979 by the

telecommu~iication authorities of the member countries of the European Economic

Commuiiity. It is used to provide users in those countries with access to the

inCormation system DIANE (Direct It~formation Access Network in Et~rope).

The informalio~i available through the nctwork is aimed at rcscarchers,

engineers, scientists, inanngers, economists, the legal and medical professions. The

subject coverage is correspondingly brotid, cmbracing bibliograpliical data in these

areas (publication, documents etc.) reference aid handbook material (catalogrres,

dirccto~.ics, statistics case-law etc.), patents, compilations, from lists of research

projecls in Britaill to iists of national deiiiulters i n Italy. Tlle data are held on the

computers of various participating o~ganizntions, which ocigic~ally compiled the data

banks for tlicir own use, or. as a freestanding service. Tlle network essentially acts as

a publislii~~g 111ediu111 for ihcse organizations.

Tlic EURONET-DIANE is a private network. That is, users 11eed to sl~hscribe

to tile service, n~td the number of users is strictly limited. Useis are assumed hy t l ~ e

system to be able to forcnolate 811d cnrsy out tl~eir own searches, while on-line to one

of the perlicipating databases.

2.B.2.1. AGLINET (Agricultural Libraries Network):

The AGLINET is a cooperalivc libra~y ~ietwork in the field of agriculture. It

a i m at pfolnofi~,g mntual and aatio~~al exploitntiot~ of agsiculhual libra~y resonsces

for i11e bellefit of tile world's agricultural development througl~ systematic

collaboration among ilgricultural libraries. The basic co~lvention OII the AGLINET

was signed in 1974.

The network consists of a cllain of major ag~.icultural libraries in each region

or countly of tlle world supported by the international centre, FAO's David Lubin

Memorial Library, at the FAO's 11ead quarters UI Rome.

The objectives of AGLINET are: (1) Mulual and rational use of l i b u q ~

~ e ~ o i r c e s , not o111y for the be~~efi t of members of our constitue~~cies but also in

sul~port of other libraries wilhin the cou~~tryiregion through efficient delivery of

primary docoments, especially m~iquc material unavailable elsewhere, by tlleans or

inter-library loan provision of reptaductions (papers, micro frame or ally other

means), as well as bibliographic information, and (2) Realizntioli of comprel~ensive

resource coverage wit11 appropriate regional and subject specialization.

The services of AGLINET are: (1) Providing upun request, inter-library loan

service, including reproduction and bibliographic infoni~ation within the scope of

each participating centre to other AGLINET centres of a11 categories primary,

subject nlid iiitenu~tiooal. (2) Forwarding major bibliograpllic tools published by

each p~rticipnnl to all otlier centres whenever possible. (3) Notifying thc

international ceiitre of changes thal efrecl service operation of the AGLINET system

e.g,, thc liaison oMicer, service facilities and cautions etc.

In addition lo the above, there are the followillg inter~iational networks which

arc fi~lictio~li~ig as co~~l~llunication tietworh:

1. NELINET (New England Library Network) :It was established in

1966 and its membership is opcn to academic, state, public and other libraries. It has

a computer centre far handling telecomniunication with the OCLC and pcrfor~ns

otlier nctwori: tasks.

2. WLN (Wasliington Library Network): It is a small network opcrated by

the Washiiigtoli state libra~y. Its cotnputerized bibliographic database was

established in the year 1972 with iha coopelr~tion of Washington libraries. The onlilie

sysleln was slarted ihrougli this network iin 1975.

3. SCANNET (Scientific Information and Documentation Network):

This network was set tip by the Scandinavian Council for Applied Rcsearch a~id, i t

bccr~nie operational in 1976 with nodes in Copenliagen, Gutenbei.g, Helsinki, Oslo

and Stockhol~~i.

4, TYMNET: It is a nelwork operated by Tymsliare Inc. (USA). It was

establislied in 1977 and is at present the world's largest data carrying networl:.

5, JANET (Joint Academic Network): The joint acadenric network was

inaugurated in 1984. It is a distributed over a wide area nehvo~k in the United

Ki~lgdom, which was originally planned to inteslitiuk institutio~is of bighcr learning

65

;Ilrd rcseillcll organizatioiis to enable researchers to share curnputil~g and

co~~~~nunication resource. Of late, the services offered by the JANET also include

libl.z~ry itlid i~ifor~natiot~ oriented services. The JANET is a pl.ivale x.25 pacltet

switclied oetwork.

6. KICNET (Kansas Inlerlibrnry Co~nlnnnications Network):

KICNET is private electronic Inail WAN, adminishatcd by thc Kansas Stirte Library.

Tlie programme started in October 1989 and by the elid of tlie year, there were 77

participatiilg libraries it1 the network puogratnme. The KICNET participants range

from lhigli scliaol libraries in small towns, academic atid cornlnunity college libraries

lo universily libraries etc.

7. APlNMAP (Asia and Pacific Information Network on Medicinal

and Aromatic Plants): It is a new network set up in Bangltok in tile year 1985.

8. M1,NCO (Metropolitan 1,ibrnries Network of Central

Oltlnhomn): Tlie MLNCO was established in 1987, is a mulli-lype library

t~elworlt in the USA.

9. GULFNET: The GULF'NET, the first computer based tielwork in the Muslim

world, was established in May 1985. Its objective is to facilitate e x c h a i ~ e of

inforliration among the sciet~tists and researchers of tlie Gulf regio~i. Saaudi Arabia

and Kuwait universities and research centres are linked together to form this

network.

Section C: Internet 2.C. 1. Concept

The Intelnet is a network of nelworks spl.ead worldwide. It is a

coliglonreration of smaller networks and other connccted machines spannil~g the

elltile globe. Each country has at least one backbone network that operates at n vc~y

high speed and carrics bulk of the traffic. Other networks connect to that backbone.

2.c.2. Historical development

The Intcrnct got started in 1969 when the United Slates government funded

all know11 as the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network

(ARPANET) for research in electronic communication. In the 1970s the ARPA

developed a sel of the decade, and centres all over the world were connected to this

lletworli, During the 1980s the ARPA Net joined the MIL net (the Militiuy Network)

and some otlier networks, and the Intelnet was barn. Thus, the Internet is a network

of aetworks. There is no commercial enterprise supporting the Inteniet effort.

2.C.3. Internet services

The following are t11e various services available on Llie Internet.

b Remote logill (Telnet): The Telnet is tile rnain Intenet protocol for logging

co~n~ection with a remote machine, It is a utility, which will allow the user to

log 011 to anothcr systcm, and givcs liim an opporhinity to he on ooe,

computer systeni w d work on a ~ i o t l ~ a , wl~ich may be thousaiids of miles

away.

Moving files (FTP): File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is the pri~naly metllod of

trnnsfei~ing files ovcr the Internet.

b Finding files (Archie): This syste~n eellables locating files on the ananymuus

FTP sewers on tlle Internet. I1 is actually a collection of servers on the

Internet; each of these servers is responsible for keeping track of filc

locations in several different anonylnous ETP sites.

P Electronic mail (E-mail): E-mail facilitates exchange of messages across

computers.

) Mailing lisls (lists serve): A mailing list is maintained on a list server, a

special computer hosting such facility.

Network ncws (Usenet): The Usenet is a set of machines that cxchange

articles with onc or more u~iiversally recognized tasks called news groups.

p Bulletin Board System (BBS): Therc are thousands of bulletin boards on

variolls subjects. Normally they are of local interest to some geographical

area. St~bscribes reach the bulletin boards via telephonc lines.

P Finding some one (who is): There is I IO single unified Internet dictionary. The

main 'who is' database is maintained by the Network Infonnatioii Cetites

(NIC), The 'Who is' coniniund will let you search a database of evecy

registered donrain. Postntasters of web sites pcimarily use it.

P Fingel.: The Finger command gives inforination about each user who is

curreotiy logged in with reference to a specific machine of the internet. If

you want specific il~fo~matiol~ about a person, finger command has the

capability to give more informati011 about a user on Internet host; this helps

to find the complete e-mail address or tlie telephone number. of the person.

b Tunneling though the Net (Gol~her): Gophev represents the first generation

of allempts to replace the 'where' with the 'what' in cyberspace. It is a wily

of accessing what you want without having to know where it is. This is like

browsing the remote libraty card catalogue and autotnatically getti~ig the

w~nted material.

1 Veronica: IL is a search tool that allows one to quickly scan Gopher space for

particular files and directories. It is so programined that one call access

through Gopher.

World Wide Web (WWW): In the rccelit past, the WarId Wide Web or www

has completely reshaped the Intcmet. It is allowing the users to expcrie~~ce

sights and sound in an innovative style of navigation by introducing

graphical user interfaces to facilitatc acccss to the Intenlet. Tl,e tools for

68

locating relcvant information mentioned earlier like gopher, telnet, ftp etc.,

are bei~ig merged and arc bccoming uccessible tl~rough a single common

interface, with the ovelwhelrning popularity of the World Wide Web.

b Mosaic: A web browser like the Mosaic brings the way Internet is uscd into u

new era. It provides an easy way to rench audio, video, text a i~d graphics.

r WAIS (Wide Area Information System): It was developed by a company

called t21itlkilig i~~acl~ines. It allows useis to search indexed text on a number

of servers Wilh the WAIS, one uses a computer to search in natural

language among all the servers and indexed documents.

Tile ieternal Internet provides two types of services, Icnown as (a) Intranet

service (b) Extranet service.

t.C.3.a. Intranet:

Intraitel means a11 inte111al Inte~liet that utihzes, Ilite~liet technologies, TCPIIP

tech~iology and browsing technology, within a11 orga~iization. Internet refers to a web

moilel of network infixstructure that is run completely OII the inside of a private

network. Thc mode of transmission througl~ which the activities take place is similm

to lllat of browsing the World Wide Web.

Bm~efits of inhnets are:

(1) increased information efficiency; (2) t o w technological implementation;

(3) Ease of use; (4) Financial gains.

The term "Inlranet" has cvohled to describe the use of 111temet tecluioiogies

wilhin an organization for enhancing co~lneclivity and conu~~unications.

2.C.3.b. Extranet:

Extranet can be defined as "Collaborative network that uses t l~e Itlienlet

techl~ology to link businesses with their suppliers, cuslomers, or other business

l>arlners that sharc common goals. An extranet can bc viewed as part o f a comnpa~iy's

intranet that is made accessible to oiher companies"35

Thi: infiastmcture, wiiere specific trading partners forming part of the

exlended enterprise are given selective access to the organization's Intemel, is

known as an "Extranct" providing ently to corpolate information via on extract

in(rod11ce security issues requiring action to bc taken to restrict imaulhorized access

to sllecific applications and information, using some or all the following nicasurcs.

I . System passwords 2. Router filtering

3. Challenge 1 response authentication 4. Firewall techniques

The primaly luotivatioll to i~l~plcmei~t iintranets is to improve tlie flow and

timely access to informati011 within an organization as well as to facilitale

collaborative working on corporate projects. Inteniet tecl~nologies offer cost-wise

savlngs over competing alternatives as well as rcducc thc t~aining timc for

i~lrplementation. One-to-many publishing apl)lications can significantly reduce tlie

cost of producing, printing, shipping and updatillg corporate infomlation. Two-way

transaction driven applications can inlprovc infot~~lation quality a id provide a highly

efficient alternative to paper-based business prucesses. Finally, ma~y-to-many

intwaction facilitates the exchange of illforniation between inteltsted individuals,

perhaps, fonnillg a part of a iiewsgroup or workgrorip.

Whilst 0.11 intra~let scrvices the internal organization atid extranet extends the

capability to major tradi~~g partners, it is quite likely t ~ a t at some point ope^^ access

to tlie Internel will be rcquired.

SECTION D: Libraries in electronic information

environment

The large amount of iiifonnatioti prorlt~ced in the world posses many

probletiis in inforniatian handling, retrieval and disseminalion. The increased

70

iivailability uC CD-ROM products, the electronic publ~shing activity, the education

alld training activities in [lie count~y have focused 011 the application of new

,eell~~ulogy in libraries. This l~as resulted in the expansion of utilization of coniputer

atid their application it1 many areas. Computers and their ~nultiCurious roles have

evolved to such an extent that they have reached almost evely area of hu~nan life

including libraries. It is now possible through a coniputer to read and download

il~formation, texts of articles, reports, and otl~cr material. This has brought about u

revolutionary change in the way soiiie libaaries adapt and function shifting from print

to electro~iic information dissemination. Such libraries are called Digital libraries.

2.D.1. Digital libraries

The Digital libraiy could be referred to as a coniputarised networlc system

whcre all the information is stored in electronic fulinat, which can be accessed niid

transmitted tlirough networks enabling retrieval of desired i~iforniation by a large

number of users. Users will normally access Lhe infomiation they dcsire nsing a

terminal desktop coiiiliuter at their place of work,

(a). Definitions:

Digital libcuries have becn variously defined. They may be defined as

electro~iic information collections containing large and diverse repositories of digital

objects, which can be accessed by a large nuniber of geographicdlly distributed

users.

~ c r k e y " has defined digital libraries as "Electronic libraries in which a large

nli~iiber of geogmpl~icully distributed users can access the contents of large and

diverse repositories of electronic objects"

Clevela~id~~ has given the following working definition: "Digital libr alles .' are

libraries with same purposes, functions, and goals as traditiolial libraries- collection

developnie~it and management, subject analysis, index creation, provision of access,

leferencc work, and pirsekvation. A nalrow focus on digital formats alone hides the

extensive beh~nd the scenes work that libraries do to dcvelop and orga~iize

collectio~ls and to help users find information.

Tlle institutions involved in the Alnerica~~ Digital Library Federation came up

wit11 a silrliiar notion of digital library. "Digital lib~aries are organizations thal

provide thc resources, including the specialized staff, to select, shlICtilre, offer

ikitellectual access to, illtcrprei, distribute, presesve the integr~ty of, and ensure the

overtime of collection of digital works so that they are rcadily and

ecoliomically available for use by a defined comni~uiity or set of con~rnunities."~~

Thc Association of Research Libraries (AIU,) has explai~ied wlint qualities a

digital library has or should have:

r A digital libmiy is !lot a single entity,

a it requires l ec l lno lo~ to link [he resources of many.

b The l i~~kage between the many digital libraries and illformation se~vices is

ti.ansl>arent to the end user.

a Universal acccss to digital libraries and information services is a goal.

b Digitally library collections are not limited to doclnnent surrogates; they

exteild to digital artefacts that cannot be represented or distributed in printed

fo~rnats.~'

(b). Characteristics of a digital library:

Digital libraries have the following characteristics:

1 Users span tlic publishing 1 end users spectrurn, from aulhors and publishers

to h'aditional libraty functiolls to end seekers of infom~ation

b Digital libraries integrate meta-information about non-digital information

with digital information

Digital libraries support a wide range of service rnodels for security,

authentication, i~itellectual property co~ltrol, billing and paymeill.

p Tne materials ill digital libraries are in a variety of forms, including tcxl,

image, video, 3-D ~niodeis elc.

b Digital libraries include nlela-information in addition to full text."

(c). Digital library-functions:

According to Iiulser the key functions of digital libraries are,

b To manage large aniounts ofdigital contents of information,

To preserve unique collectio~is thcougli digilalizntiun,

% To perfon11 searches that are impractical miinuillly;

b To protect content owners informalion,

b To improve access to infollllation,

> To deal with data from multiple locations, aiid

$ To enhalice the distributed lea?.aing e~i~ i to i i~ lme~~t?~

(d). Advantages of digital libraries:

b .4bility to search: 011line scar chin^ has for some years been replacing printed

abstract jotunuls. Since most cu~rent niaterial is now produced via

computers, i t call generally be provided in t11e ASCII form and be seuched.

For Uiose documents which are selrrched rather than read (e.g, ma~iy

reference books, conipilations, etc.), electronically, call be expected to take

o v a shortly. Printed enoyc\opedias, for exanlple are giving way to CD-

ROMs, which am small, cheaper, and a Illore effective,

P Ubiquity: Another kcy advantage is nbiq~rity. Many sinlultaneous users can

access a single electronic copy horn n i a ~ ~ y locations. Copies can be

delivered with electronic speed, and it would be possible to refornilat t l~c

material as 1%'. the reader prefcrence. Since readers gel a screen display of

the object, rather than a pbysical object, loss ratcs by thefl are eliminated.

p Support wider ra~?gc of material: Digital s taage also pennits libraries to

expand the range of material they car1 pro~ide to their users, Digital lnuierinl

can also permil access lo videotapes and new kinds of multimedia materials

that are created only on compr~lers and have no eq~!ivalent in any traditional

lornlat.

P Prcscrvations: Another n~ajor advalltage is preservalion. Digilal infornxitioll

can be copied without error. As a result, prcservatiol? of information in a

digital world does not depend on having a permanent object and keeping it

under y~iurd, bul on Ule ability to make lnultiple copies, nssumil~g that at

least one will s~~rvive

b Access to cui~ent infomn~ation: For reseuclchers, digital libraries providc

access to up-to-date current literature and thereby help them to be awa1.e of

cunent trel~ds. '~

The bcliefits of tlie digital library include - (a) reduction in the physical

storage of information, less wear and tear on objects; (b) opportunity for several

peoplc to view at the same time; (c) the ability to view the contents al home,

office or any other non-library locatiol~s and ((I) Ihe potential for inc~cased cost-

effectiveness.

(e). IJimitations:

b Digital libraries are rnostly dependent on suitable teleconununicatiolls link

and coniputcr systern for proper utilization and inforlnatiorl trunsfer.

b They depend much on suitable techt~ology and training of the end users in

handling a variety of retrieval software, search strategy formulation, and cost

consideration in the case of online search,

b As 011 today (he tecl~nology has not percolated to the required level, to ruake

digital libraries acccptable on par with the conventional libraries with printed

documents. 43

2.D.2. Virtual libraries

Digital lib~ary 01. electronic library ~ u a y not necessarily be networl~ed, but

would largely contain digitalized inforrnatio~l along wit11 print based publicalions,

but [lie virtuul libmy is a libra~y without walls, spread across the globe, from wlierc

one is able to retrieve thc whole world of information tlaougli properly lietwo~ked

workslation.

(a). Definitions:

The concept of "virtual libraries", defined siillplistically, e~nbodies a

phenonienon that any pelson who has a computer (or a temlinal) and by which he

can make a connectioli to the l i b ~ a ~ y network($ can access not only the resources of

that library but also access variety of infor~natio~i that is available nationally and

~nteiilationally througli networlcs, like the internet, intranet, without being physicully

present in thc libra~y. That is, virtual libraries provide their patrons the facility to use

lhc inforination resources any time (some libraiies may 11ave time restrictions) and

from viitually anywhcrc, provided the patrons have the access to right network(s).

Further, virtual libraries may have: (1) Multimedia capabilities that let thc libray

users see graphics (c.g. Maps in a geogaphic information system) and listen to

souiid or voice a id (2) hypelxiedin capabilities that incorporate the techniques of

llypertext and niultiniedia.

The vittual library accordilig the Chetehen Reed "Tne informati011 has to go

where the people are, not vice versa. We have created an eiivironment where

essential information, expertise and data are always available to every one - day or

night, at home or at work".

?.iniotl~y Green, director of busi~less research at the Centre for Business

Kliowledge (CBK) deiiiies virtual libray as "A set of services that gives custotners

[Ile knowledge they rieed Lo make the liigliest quality busincss decisions in the least

amount or time".

The electro~iic libriuy of tnday is molt^ tlian just a virtual vervion of the older

boolc stacks, it is reully a t~ansforrnation of how iitformation i s cotlceived and

dellvc~ed.

(b). History of virtual l ibra~y:

The virtual libraiy formally opened its doo~s to the public in April, 1995 at

Public Library of Cliarlotte and Mecklenburg Count~y (PLCMC), North Carolina.

According to Lois KilMca, PLCMC new tcclmologics manager, it wus the demise of

the library's collection of 16mm films arid plionograpl~ records that led to the birth of

the virtual libray.

The PLCMC viitual library is a showcase for emerging cnmn~u~iication

tcch~iologies atid electl.omc infotrnation access that selves as a community computer-

earning laboratory.

The PLCMC captured the 1996 A~iierican Librmy Associatioi~ ! information

today, Inc 'Libra~y of the future' uwwd for its vithlal libraty - a place where area

residents can use and evaluate a multitude of software packages, multimedia CD-

ROMs, and electronic information resources."

The PLCMC's viitual libray is a ~o~npii te~-leuning lab for tthc whole

comriiunity. Visitors can travel the Internet, explore interactive niultimedia, try oul

desktop publisliing and imaging, and learn lo use a varicty of computer applications.

(c). Cl~nracteristics of virt~ial libraries:

Slierwell(1997) describes the characteristics of virtual libraty as: There is no

col~cspanding physical cullection, Docurnent~ will be available in electronic fo~~nkt .

Documents are not storetl in any one locatiotl. They can bc acccssed fiom any

wo,kstation. Doc~iments are retrieved a id delivered as and when required, and 41 effective search and browse Cacilities are available.

(d). Virtual library in an academic library of the 21st century:

What is r~eeded is a visioll of what the academic library of the 21" centuly

will be and that requires examining our basic a,ssuniptions about the future rnle the

libraty will play in higher education. Involving facility and students as well us

liblarians in dcveloping ihal vision can be the beginning of a process that will result

in fr~riding for a new kind of libruy integral to the teaching and learning proccss of

tile university

The following arc some of the assumptions conlmoli to Acadcmic Libraries

ofthc 21" eentnry,

b Teaching and learning are becoming 111ore collaborative: Today academic

lilrrary users need group study rooms and tablc, individual and group carrels,

aid a mix of seating comfortable for various styles of working together.

They also need access to media and technology in shared erivironments,

especially nelworl< connections. One-way reader anticipates library centred

leanling.

b Learning should be Cree of spuce conskainls: Lcarnir~g should be anywhere,

anytime, in a variety of enviroinnents, often social. Sollie students prefer to

lisleu to music while they study. Classroom inst~uction is 110 more a leilrning

process in the present digital wurld. A student can learn sitting anywhere in

any environment. Hence, a digital library is the need of the liour.

Constant training and retraining will be necessaly in the new inforlilatiorl

enviro~inient: The illfomtion professiorlals require more skills tha11 ever to

monitor b e changes, and design the system to exploit new resources and

help teaching faculty and sh~dents bow to use those systems. Therefore,

colislanl trainiilg and retraining of infulmalion professionals will be

necessaly to meet the constant cha~iges as well as to provide susvained

consullation.

p Eve~y one weds lo be connected: I11 the digital library environment, tbc

students are likely to carry their ow11 computers with tlle~n and are lookil~g

for places to plug Uleln in and get access to the campus network. Therefore,

academic libra~ies should be wired for power and acccss uslng tables with

adequate wirc management systems to permit flexibilily in f i ~ r ~ ~ ~ t o r e

placement.

Tlie merger of text and media: Libraries that cannot provide graphical

interfaces and imuge-based systeliis are io danger of seeming irrelevant to

students uid faculty. But providing the tech~~ology necessary for that access

is expensive a id raises ncw set of issues such as, security, printing costs, and

appropriate use of library computing. Therefore, tlie acade~nic libraries need

to plan for extensive multimedia use, i~lcllidi~lg student requests to

iiicorposnte medin into their rescwcli nssignme~lt and presc~ltations.

a Dlectsoiiic resources change the role of paper: Electronic resources, that are

digital form of information, have brougllt about u~lusual change in the role of

conve~~tional library systcms. Each library will have to work with a different

set of circuillstances and constrai~itv in planning a ~ d designi~ig a libraiy

system. Therefore, the haditional system of libraries mnust be convet.ted into

a digital libraty system to meet the demands af the user in ally academic

library.

These assunptioiis may hclp to build a new age library for the 21" cenhlry

where the academic libraries are ellabled to providc bettcr work stations, ~ i e t w o ~ k

78

connections which are not available at prcsent Lo str~dcnts and faculty at home. These

sssu~~iptiuns also 11lil1ce the 11bl.aly more conducive for learning.'"

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