Rethinking the Indian Digital Divide: The Present State of Digitization in Indian Management Libraries

Rethinking the Indian Digital Divide:The Present State of Digitization in IndianManagement LibrariesRAMESH C. GAUR*

A B ST R AC T

In this paper e¡orts have been made to analyze the present sta-tus of digitization of Indian Management Libraries througha survey carried out in 500 management libraries in India.The issues such as library automation, development of digitallibraries, and use of bar code and smart card technologyhave been discussed. Issues responsible for the widening of thedigital divide have been identi¢ed.

r 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

DIGITAL DIVIDE AND INDIA

The digital divide refers to the gap between individuals, households, busi-nesses, and geographic areas with regard to access to the Internet and use ofthe Internet. It deals with haves and have nots. More than 80% of theworld population has never heard a telephone dial tone. Even if they wereprovided with all infrastructure facilities, most of the world’s poor wouldstill be excluded from the Internet revolution because of illiteracy and lackof computer skills.1,2

India, one of the world’s poorest countries and simultaneously a globalIT power, is struggling to reduce the digital gap. Some of the majorcities may be at par with developed countries but rural areas, particularlyfrom Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Orissa are far below even some of the

Intl. Inform.& Libr. Rev. (2003), 35,189^203doi:10.1016/S1057-2317(03)00015-8

*Chief Librarian, Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad, India. E-mail: [email protected], ramesh c [email protected]

1Young, J.R. (2001) Does ‘Digital Divide’ rhetoric do more harm than good? The Chronicle of Higher

Education, November 9.2Compaine, B.M. (2001) The digital divide. England: The MIT Press.

1057-2317/03/$ - see front matter r 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

mailto:[email protected]





least-developed countries.3 According to the UNDP Human DevelopmentReport 2001, Bangalore is a more developedcity as compared to manycitiesin Europe and the US in terms of technological innovations.

The narrowing down of the digital gap in rural India is a majorchallenge. In this area India is emerging as a laboratory for testingout new technologies andbusiness models to reduce the digital gap betweenrural and urban populations. The simputer developed by the IndianInstitute of Science Bangalore is an example of this kind of e¡ort.Moreover, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is alsoengaged in the development of telecommunication technologies for therural masses. The corporate sector too is discovering that narrowingdown this digital divide could lead to new business opportunities forthem. The HP labs of India are developing products to suit such needs.The Wireless Local Loop (WLL) technology developed by IIT, Chennaihas helped provide Internet connectivity to 250 community kiosks thato¡er these services to over 7,000,000 people in rural India.4,5

During the year 2000^01 both the government and private sectorcompanies provided about 7 �8 million new telephone connections. Inaddition, about 5 �5 mobile connections were completed. Under theV|llagePublic Telephone (VPTs) about 18,799 villages have been provided withpublic telephone connections up to December 2001. About 75 ISPs havebeen operating to provide Internet connections. The introduction of theCommunication Convergence Bill 2001 is another milestone in the area oftelecommunications.The project for the laying down of ¢ber optic cables isin progress. (seeTables I and II).

LIBRARIES AND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

As per various Internet usage data available worldwide, after personal In-ternet connections, the libraries have been found the most convenient placefor making use of the Internet. It is because libraries are available at theworkplace, often near residences and places of education. Therefore,libraries are an e⁄cient choice for users. Libraries can be consideredas the most e¡ective means for narrowing down the digital divide. Thisis applicable to all kinds of libraries, including management libraries.This paper is about the state of digitization in the libraries of managementinstitutions in India.

3Devraj, R. (2002) India’s digital divide is an ever-widening chasm. Inter Press Service, May 24, 2002.4Bridging the digital divide, BBC News, January 23, 2001.5India tackles the digital divide, May14, 2002 /itworld.comS

190 R. C. GAUR

GENESIS OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

Technical and management education occupies a key place in Indian post-secondary studies.This in fact holds the key to development, e.g., industrialand agricultural development. This involves development of new knowl-edge and devising techniques for the application of this knowledge for rais-ing the standard of living of the people living in abject poverty. The aimof technical and management education is to accelerate the process ofnational reconstruction and national development.

Management education, almost unknown in the 19th century, has be-come a dynamic force for change in many universities, in the workplace,and in the societies of both industrialized and developing countries.

Management education had its beginning in the US in 1881 withthe donation of one hundred thousand dollars by Joseph Whartonfor the establishment of America’s ¢rst school of ¢nance and commerce atthe University of Pennsylvania.The Universities of Chicago and California

TABLE I

Status of information technology advancements in India

Technology 1990 1999 2000

Fixed line and mobile phones (per 1000 people) 6 28 36Cost of 3 minute local call($) 0 � 04 0 � 01 0 � 01Personal Computers (Per 1000 people) 0 �3 3 �3 4 �5Internet users( in thousands) 1 2800 5000

Source:The little data book, World Bank (2002).6

TABLE II

Internet users worldwide (in thousands)

1990 1999 2000

World 70 241,959 366,470East Asia and Paci¢c 0 25,919 51,943Europe and Central Asia 2 8987 14,648Latin America and Caribbean 0 10,455 19,086Middle East and North Africa 0 938 1864South Asia 0 3034 5413Sub-Saharan Africa 0 2365 3695

Source:The little data book, World Bank (2002).

6The Little Data Book (2002) Washington:World Bank.

RETHINKING THE INDIAN DIGITAL DIVIDE 191

followed in 1898 and the Harvard Business school was created in 1908. By1915, there were some 40 business Schools at United States universities, andfor the next decade, a ‘‘business school craze’’ swept the nation, increasingthe number to 183 by 1925.

SCOPE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The 1990s have seen a tremendous growth and development in terms ofmanagement education in India. A management library has to functionas an academic library on the one hand and as a special library on theother.

Advances in computers, communications, and networking technologieshave eclipsed physical and geographical boundaries and posed major chal-lenges to professionals in the information sector. Business Libraries and In-formation Centers (BLICs) are witnessing new paradigm shifts.These getre£ected mainly by way of: (i) transition of information sources and sys-tems from paper to electronic media; (ii) complexity in information needsof highly demanding clientele; and (iii) increases in the cost and quantity ofinformation. Professionals in BLICs have to accept these challenges byplaying a proactive role not only in their (routine) acquisitions, processing,and information dissemination activities, but also in the actual learningprocess of their clientele. They have to learn to scan, ¢lter, interpret, ana-lyse, repackage, and deliver information from a variety of sources in waysthat are meaningful to their users.

This study has examined:

i. present state of library automation and use of other informationtechnologies,

ii. present state of library networking and future needs,iii. state of digitization,iv. need for change.

METHODOLOGY

The questionnaire-based survey as well as the case study approach wereused in the present study. As the concept of re-engineering is new to thelibrary and information ¢elds, it is proposed to study its applications inother ¢elds as well.The present status of management libraries in India willbe reviewed through literature searches. For the study of managementlibraries in Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, and Noida, it isproposed to collect the data through the surveys based on questionnaires,interview case studies, and organizational case studies. In-depth literature

192 R. C. GAUR

searches on topics related to the research work will be carried out inthe libraries in the metropolitan Delhi region. Internet and CD-ROMdatabases will be other data sources for the literature search. In addition,collection of data through questionnaire-based case studies and structuredinterviews, as stated above, will also be followed (see Tables III^XVIIIand also F|gs. 1^7).

DATA ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT LIBRARIES

TABLE III

Year of establishment

Total responses Established before 1980 1981^1990 1991^1995 1996^2000 Not Given

174 32 27 62 25 28

Findings:

I. 18% of management libraries were established before 1980.

II. 16% of management libraries were established from 1981 to 1990.

III. About 36% of management libraries were established between 1991 and 1995.

IV. 14% of management libraries were established between 1996 and 2000.

V. 16% of management libraries have not responded to this question.

050

100150200

Total

R...

up to

198

0

1981

-199

0

1991

-199

5

1996

-200

0

Not G

iven

Series1

FIGURE 1. Year of establishment.

TABLE IV

Library area

Total response 0^2000 ft2 2001^5000 ft2 5001^10,000 ft2 Over 10,000 ft2 Not given

174 51 34 22 16 50

Findings:

I. In 29% of libraries, the area is less than 2000 ft2

II. In 20% of libraries, the area is between 2001 and 5000 ft2

III. In 13% of libraries, there is more than 5000 ft2 and less than 10,000 ft2

IV. Only 9% of libraries have an area of over 10,000 ft2

V. About 29% of libraries have not responded.


51

34

2216

50

0

20

40

60

0-2000 Sq.Ft. 2001-5000 Sq.Ft.

5001-10000 Sq.Ft. Over 10000 Sq. Ft.Not Given

FIGURE 2. Library area.

TABLE V

Status of library automation in Indian management libraries

Total response Started Partly Fully

Yes No

174 96 78 69 27

Findings:

I. 55% of libraries have started computerization.

II. 45% of libraries have still not started computerization.

III. 40% of libraries are partly computerized.

IV. 16% of libraries are fully computerized.

96

78

69

27

Yes No Partly Fully

FIGURE 3. Status of library automation in Indian management libraries.

23

2425

22

LibSys WINSIS/CDS-ISIS Self Made Others

FIGURE 4. Various software used in the library automation.

194 R. C. GAUR

TABLE VI

Various softwares used in library automation

Totalresponse

LibSys WINSIS/CDS-ISIS

Troodon TLMS TechlibPlus

Librarian Sanjay Granthalaya Guru Others Selfmade

96 23 24 1 1 1 1 3 0 1 NIRMAL 1 25OASIS 1Excel 1MISS Plus 1LibraryInformationSystem 1Oracle-VBC++ 1LIBMAN 1LIBSOFT 2ALICE 1SOUL 2AUTOLIB 1MINI-ISIS 1

Findings:

I. 24% of libraries are using LibSys software.

II. 25% of libraries have been computerized with the help of CDS-ISIS/WINSIS.

III. 26% of libraries are using self-made library automation software.

IV. 25% of other libraries are using various other software available in India.

RE

TH

INK

ING

TH

EIN

DIA

ND

IGIT

AL

DIV

IDE

195

TABLE VII

Use of bar code technology in Indian management libraries

Total response Yes No Not given

174 32 102 40

Findings:

I. Only 18% of libraries have started use of bar code technology in their operations.

II. 59% of libraries are yet to start the use of bar code technology.

III. 23% of have not responded to this question.

32

102

40

Yes No Not Given

FIGURE 5. Use of bar code technology in Indian management libraries.

TABLE VIII

Internet availability

Total response Available in library Available in computer lab Not available Not given

174 52 62 31 29

Findings:

I. 30% of libraries are having Internet facilities within the library.

II. 36% of libraries are using Internet facilities at their computer lab.

III. 18% of libraries do not have Internet facilities at all.

IV. 16% of libraries have not responded.

52

62

31

29

Available in Library Available in Computer Lab

Not Available Not Given

FIGURE 6. Internet availability.

196 R. C. GAUR

TABLE IX

DELNET&other library network memberships

DELNET membership Any other membership No Not given

18 RECNET 2 122 19NIC 1ADINET 1ERNET 1INFLIBNET 10

Findings:

I. Only 10% of libraries are members of DELNET.

II. 9% of libraries are getting memberships with other library networks.

III. 70% of libraries do not have any network membership.

IV. 11% of libraries have not replied.

TABLE X

Availability of international full-text database in Indian management libraries

EBSCO ABI INFO Any other Not available Not given

6 3 EI manufacturing 1 135 30Ecnolit 1SSCI Business & Industry 1Business & Management 1

Findings:

I. Only 5% of libraries are using either EBSCO or ABI Inform full-text databases.

II. 78% of libraries do not subscribe to any full-text database.

III. 17% of libraries have not responded.

TABLE XI

Availability of Indian full-text database in Indian management libraries

VANS electronic library Any other Not available Not given

9 NA 108 57

Findings:

I. 5% of libraries are using the VANS electronic library.

II. 33% of libraries have not responded.

III. 62% of libraries do not have any full-text databases.


TABLE XII

Company information databases available in Indian management libraries

VANSCOM Prowess Capitaline Ole Any other

8 10 4 IBIP -1

Findings:

I. 5% of libraries are using VANSCOM.

II. 6% of libraries are using Prowess.

III. 2% of libraries are using Capitaline Ole.

TABLE XIII

Digital library initiatives

Total response Started Not started No answer

174 12 115 47

Findings:

I. 7% of libraries have started some digital library initiatives.

II. 66% of libraries say they have not yet started.

III. 27% of libraries have not replied.

12

115

47

Started Not Started

Digital Library Initiatives

No Answer

FIGURE 7. Digital library initiatives.

TABLE XIV

Institute LAN connectivity

Total response Yes No No answer

174 43 82 49

Findings:

I. 25% of libraries have been connected to the institute LAN to facilitate library services for the

users at their workplaces.

II. 47% of libraries have yet to install this feature.

III. 28% of libraries have not replied to this question.

198 R. C. GAUR

TABLE XV

Re-engineering management can be applied to the library ¢eld


174 128 15 31

Findings:

I. 74% of libraries agree that re-engineering management can be applied.

II. 9% of libraries say it cannot be applied.


TABLE XVI

Have you tried re-engineering at your library


174 55 90 29

Findings:

I. 31% of libraries say they have tried to re-engineer their libraries.

II. 52% of libraries say otherwise.


TABLE XVII

TQM can be applied to the library ¢eld


174 116 24 34

Findings:

I. 66% of libraries say that TQM can be applied to the library field.



TABLE XVIII

Have you triedTQM


174 61 69 94

Findings:

I. 35% of libraries say they have tried to use TQM in their libraries.




RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of the above-described study of management libraries inIndia, various issues of concern have emerged. The basic objective of thisresearch is the investigation of the present state of management libraries.On the basis of this investigation, problem areas have to be identi¢ed. And¢nally, solutions to these problem areas can be found by applying manage-ment re-engineering.

As part of this study, 500 questionnaires were sent to various manage-ment libraries in India. Out of 500 librarians,174 libraries have responded.On the basis of the responses of these174 libraries the following recommen-dations have been made:

Library BuildingA good library building is essential for providing a good reading environ-ment to users. A building should be comfortable, conveniently located, andmust be equipped with a proper lighting system. During this study it hasbeen found that the library building is one of the areas most neglected byan institution’s management. As per Table IV, the study says that 49% oflibraries operate in an area of less than 5000 ft2 and 29% have not repliedto this query. It means that only 21% of libraries have an area above5000 ft2.The study further shows that only 9% of libraries have an area ofmore than 10,000 ft2. Out of 174 libraries, only 8^10 libraries are housed inseparate library buildings. Furthermore, only 5^6 library buildings areproperly designed as per the norms and standards.The remaining librarieswork as parts of institutes in makeshift arrangements. Even the AICTEguidelines in this regard are totally insu⁄cient. As per the AICTE guide-lines, the library of a management institute with annual admissions of30^60 students will have a carpet area of 100 m2, which in no way helps inproviding good library services. Many of the private institutes themselvesoperate in very small buildings.Therefore, it is recommended that AICTEshould provide more realistic guidelines and control measures relating tolibrary space requirements for management institutions.

Collection DevelopmentWe are in the information age. The Internet revolution has given us moreoptions andchoices. A huge volume of information is available in electronicform but, on the basis of studies of available resources and of cultures, In-dian management students and faculty are still dependent on books andjournals. Although the use of electronic information is increasing day-by-day, the studies present avery grim picture of the present state of collectionsof various management libraries.

200 R. C. GAUR

Electronic DatabasesWith the Internet revolution, electronic databases have become part ofinformation resources. As perTable X, only 5% of libraries are subscribingto any international full text databases. And 17% of libraries have notresponded to this query, which leaves 78% with no electronic databasesupport for their users. InTable XI, 5% of libraries have Indian full-textdatabases. As perTable XII, about 13% of libraries subscribe to company-based electronic databases. The bulk of about 75% of libraries do nothave electronic resources. How will the students of these libraries survivein today’s competitive world?

On the basis of the above-listed ¢ndings, I strongly recommend thatAICTE should rethink its guidelines relating to the establishment ofmanagement institutes. It is also recommended that new guidelines includepolicies on the availability of electronic resources.

Status of LibraryAutomationNowadays, the use of computers in all walks of life is a common activity. Inthe 1980s, computerization of libraries was a topic of debate. In the 1990sthe Internet dominated all discussions. The new millennium has initiateddebate on digital libraries and virtual libraries. Library automation is the¢rst step in the development of digital libraries. Now we are encounteringvarious examples of successful digital library projects.We feel that we are inthe digital world, but the study ¢ndings reveal that the reality is quite dif-ferent. On the basis of TableV, it has been found that 45% of libraries havenot yet started automation; out of 55% of libraries that have started libraryautomation, only 16% have been fully computerised. Thus, inIndian libraries the digital gap is widening day-by-day. Now is the timewhen management libraries must make computerization their numberone priority.

Software Used in LibraryAutomationAs per Table VI, it has been found that for library automation 24% oflibraries are using LIBSYS software, another 25% are using CDS-ISISsoftware, and yet another 26% of libraries are using self-made softwarepackages. As per the survey, at least another 20 readymade library soft-ware packages are on the market, but their use is limited (1 to 2 libraries).The market share of these softwares is about 25%. This is a cause of con-cern as no standardization is possible in such an environment. The profes-sion should address and tackle this problem very seriously to avoid thestandards problem already encountered with digitization.

As per Table XIV, only 43 libraries are connected with institute LAN;it means the other 131 libraries have resources that are not accessible to


outside users. Libraries should take the initiative in this direction to provideaccess to library resources in faculty and student housing.

Use of BarcodeTechnologyAs per Table VII, only 18% of libraries are using barcode technology intheir operations.The libraries should be educated about the bene¢ts of thistechnology in making systems faster and more accurate.

Availability of Internet FacilitiesNowadays, the Internet has reached into households, but the study says thatmanagement institutions are still ignorant of the bene¢ts of this great in-vention. As per Table VIII, 18% of management institutions still do nothave Internet facilities for their users. Only 30% of libraries have Internetfacilities within the library and another 36% are using Internet facilitiesavailable in computer labs. Sixteen percent of libraries have not responded.

Membership in Library NetworksResource sharing is the best way to cope with problems such as budget con-straints and the increasing cost of publications. Library networks are thegreatest medium ful¢lling the objectives of resource sharing. At present,various library networks such as DELNETand INFLIBNETserve librarieswith various programs. As per the survey, as given inTable IX, only10% oflibraries are members of DELNET, 9% belong to other library networks,and11% have not responded. Other than this,70% of libraries do not haveany network membership.The time has come for the Indian managementlibraries to join library networks for future development and ful¢llment ofuser information needs.

Digital Library InitiativesOnly 12 libraries out of 174 have started developing digital libraries. In to-day’s fast changing environment, digital resources are becoming essentialto support user needs.Therefore, Indian management libraries must workhard to reduce the digital gap.

CONCLUSIONS

There are numerous explanations for the digital divide. India’s challengesrun the gamut, from issues of multiple regional languages and culturaldiversity to the IT revolution. A national information policy wouldsurely help address these challenges.We need an Indian information revo-lution comparable to our ‘‘green revolution’’of the 1950s^1970s. Collabora-tive e¡orts with the Government of India, professional agencies, and

202 R. C. GAUR

professionals are critical. The three major reasons for the widening of thisdigital divide are: (1) lack of infrastructure support; (2) lack of commitmentfromboth organizations and librarians; and (3) lack of necessary legislationfor the development. It is imperative for a country to solve problems relatedto hunger, poverty, health, and illiteracy. Nonetheless, problems cannot besolved without having good information support.


Documents

Rethinking the Indian Digital Divide: The Present State of Digitization in Indian Management Libraries