Library Networking in India Library Networking in India for Resources Sharing: for Resources Sharing:

Present Status and ProspectsPresent Status and Prospects

Reasons of the need for Reasons of the need for resource sharingresource sharing

• Deluge of information.Deluge of information.

• Cost of collecting, processing, storing Cost of collecting, processing, storing and disseminating information has and disseminating information has been spiraling-up.been spiraling-up.

• Information buying power of libraries Information buying power of libraries has been declining year after year.has been declining year after year.

NetworkingNetworking

Connecting two or more computer Connecting two or more computer to communicate with others and to communicate with others and

share information, software, share information, software, peripheral devices, and or peripheral devices, and or

processing power.processing power.

Reasons for building up a Reasons for building up a larger communitylarger community

• To be able to tackle the ever To be able to tackle the ever increasing demands for better increasing demands for better services.services.

• Quantitatively and Qualitatively.Quantitatively and Qualitatively.

• Environment already over strained Environment already over strained by financial pressures.by financial pressures.

Ultimate goal of Ultimate goal of information. Library information. Library

networksnetworks

To interlink information resources in a To interlink information resources in a metropolitan area, so that users could metropolitan area, so that users could access information irrespective of its access information irrespective of its location, format, medium, language, location, format, medium, language,

and script.and script.

Library networks in IndiaLibrary networks in India

• Delnet- established in 1988 due to the Delnet- established in 1988 due to the limitation of financial resources and limitation of financial resources and space for housing library collections on space for housing library collections on the libraries in Delhi. Provides access the libraries in Delhi. Provides access to the central union catalogue for to the central union catalogue for books and monograph, efficient books and monograph, efficient electronic mailing facilities to access electronic mailing facilities to access databases of member libraries.databases of member libraries.

• Calibnet-Calcutta Library Network was Calibnet-Calcutta Library Network was inaugurated on December 21, inaugurated on December 21, 1993.Established a high-tech resource 1993.Established a high-tech resource base and provides the ff. services:base and provides the ff. services:

Online/ CD-Rom based global Online/ CD-Rom based global information search and retrieval information search and retrieval service.service.

Full-text document delivery.Full-text document delivery.

Database services.Database services.

• Malibnet- Madras Library Network. Visualized in Malibnet- Madras Library Network. Visualized in the Indian National Scientific Documentation the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) in 1991.Centre (INSDOC) in 1991.

• MyLibnet-Launching of this in association w/ MyLibnet-Launching of this in association w/ Mysore City Library Consotuim (MCLC) took place Mysore City Library Consotuim (MCLC) took place on June 12, 1995.on June 12, 1995.

• Bonet-Bomabay Library Network was set at the Bonet-Bomabay Library Network was set at the National Centre for Software technology (NCST), National Centre for Software technology (NCST), Bombay, on November 6, 1992. Aim is to build a Bombay, on November 6, 1992. Aim is to build a low cost library information system which can low cost library information system which can possibly be used as a model for future expansion possibly be used as a model for future expansion of this service even outside Bombay.of this service even outside Bombay.

• Punenet- Members of this network are Punenet- Members of this network are accessing data, using the e-mail and internet accessing data, using the e-mail and internet facilities.facilities.

• Adinet- Ahmedabad Library Network was Adinet- Ahmedabad Library Network was formally inaugurated in February 1995.formally inaugurated in February 1995.

• Inflibnet- Information and Library Network, was Inflibnet- Information and Library Network, was launched in May 1991. launched in May 1991.

Aim is to provide the end-users a mechanism Aim is to provide the end-users a mechanism for sharing and using information resources for sharing and using information resources and for exploiting modern information and for exploiting modern information technology.technology.

Benefits of networks in IndiaBenefits of networks in India

• One gets access to a very large volume of One gets access to a very large volume of literature without increase in the budget.literature without increase in the budget.

• Library budget can now be diverted to Library budget can now be diverted to acquire the most important( even acquire the most important( even expensive) information required by an expensive) information required by an institution.institution.

• One gets real time access to about 1,000 One gets real time access to about 1,000 international databases apart from the international databases apart from the electronic mail and remote log in facilities.electronic mail and remote log in facilities.