Library Automation

1. Introduction: Library is a growing organism that requires constant positive changes to run across the demand of its user. The innovation of calculator has brought inwards a rapid modify inwards the society. Therefore, automation has conk the demand of the hour. Library automation non solely improves the ikon of the library staff but also provides additional services to the users alongside the existing staff. The acquit upon of automation on the library is quite obvious; it creates novel surroundings where each role redefines the traditional organizational construction in addition to transforms it into novel institutional entries.

2. Definition: Automation is defined every bit a technique, a process, or a scheme which operates automatically. According to the Encyclopaedia of Library in addition to Information Science, “Automation is the technology scientific discipline concerned alongside a pattern in addition to evolution of the procedure in addition to systems that minimize the necessity of human intervention inwards their operation.”

Swihart Stanley southward in addition to Hefley Beryl F accept defined the term ‘library automation’ every bit “the processing of sure enough routine clerical role inwards the library alongside the assistance of calculator or other mechanized or semi automatic equipment”. It may also survive defined every bit a procedure of mechanization of all the housekeeping performance of a library which is repetitive inwards nature. The housekeeping performance includes acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, series control, references in addition to direction work.
   
3. History of Library Automation: The offset calculator network was maybe the Online Computer Library Centre (OCLC). Although the microcomputer made its offset appearance inwards 1971 it was non earlier 1981 that they made an acquit upon on libraries. The argue was express storage capacity of the calculator in addition to scarcity of skillful software for library applications.  The evolution of OPAC inwards 1980s is a remarkable add-on to the patch of library automation.

Among all the universities inwards India, Hyderabad University Library was the offset to start its automation projection past times using Libsys software. It gets the software complimentary of terms from the Lybsys Corporation (Now Libsys Ltd) every bit parts of its evolution programme. In NE India, all the universities started their automation project. The piece of work done past times National Law University Assam, Tezpur University in addition to NEHU University is quite commendable inwards this regard.

4. Prerequisite for Library Automation: To conk alongside the library automation, the willingness of the librarian in addition to library commission is a must. The library should also accept proper planning in addition to adequate finance. The availability of electricity / solar power, hardware (server, UPS, scanner, printer, storage media, etc.), software (operating system, scheme software, application software, library automation software, etc.), in addition to also trained manpower together shape the prerequisite for the library automation.

5. Need in addition to Purpose of Library Automation: Since the calculator tin survive used inwards performing the diverse activities of the library, library automation tin serve every bit a remedy to all the existing ills of libraries. We tin briefly banking concern complaint the next advantages of library automation.

a) Self Survival inwards the New Environment: The user of whatsoever library show expects to work their calculator literacy inwards the library environment. If the library does non conk for automation it is felt that it volition non survive able to grapple alongside this novel generation of users. The application of calculator inwards libraries thus hopes to brand a positive modify towards this end.

b) Speeding upward the Operation: The work of calculator nearly invariably speeds upward the catamenia of piece of work inside the system. New books, reports in addition to other materials tin hence survive released sooner to the waiting reader. It volition aid the inputting of information solely for a unmarried fourth dimension every bit the integrated nature of software helps for its subsequent work for other purposes, in addition to reduces duplication of the efforts or work. The searching of information tin also survive performed speedily, which volition salve fourth dimension of the library staff in addition to the user.

c) Accuracy in addition to Reliability: Automation significantly increases the accuracy of files in addition to records. Processing rules may survive standardized in addition to given to the calculator inwards the shape of a computer program which tin survive used to verify the rules for the novel information that demand to survive feed into the calculator system. If inputs are edited past times a computer, errors tin survive detected in addition to deleted earlier the information is entered into the files in addition to processed. Computers are also to a greater extent than reliable inwards the feel of breakdown, vacation, etc. in addition to tin piece of work longer than human beings.

d) Budget Saving: Computer equipment is cheaper. Again, inwards instance of an automated library, the unit of measurement operating terms is less than that of a non automated library. The larger the number of transactions, the lower the unit of measurement terms of automated libraries. Automation volition trim the human activity in addition to salve physical infinite in addition to terms on the stationary items.

e) Simultaneous in addition to Decentralization Access: In an automated surroundings multiple users tin access the same information sources or database. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 user, without consulting the library staff, tin also cheque whether a mass is out on loan or inwards reserve.

f) Storage, Retrieval in addition to Protection of Information: Libraries are a growing organization. So without the application of calculator it may survive really hard to grip the infinite job of a library. Automation helps inwards storing much information inwards reduced infinite alongside extensive provision of dissimilar access points. The retrieved information volition survive relevant, fast in addition to specific. It volition brand the ease in addition to economic scheme of producing in addition to distributing multiple copies of cataloguing files and, thus, volition furnish greater protection against the loss of the catalogue past times fire, earthquake in addition to other natural disasters.

g) Exception Reporting in addition to New Services: Automated scheme automatically provides overdue notice, follow upward notice, place of order, editing of cataloguing activity, etc. The work of calculator volition also aid us to furnish novel services such every bit CAS / SDI, exceptional purpose catalogue, novel asset annunciation service, etc.

h) Automatic Statistics Generation: The work of calculator inwards libraries helps us to generate dissimilar kinds of statistics in addition to reports inside a infinitesimal itself. The statistics are automatically prepared past times the computers in addition to are to a greater extent than accurate in addition to reliable than the manually generated one. It volition meliorate the command over the whole system.

i) OPAC: The library catalogue forms the base of operations of most of the library activities such every bit circulation, reference service, literature search, inter-library loan, etc. The introduction of library automation brings OPAC facility to the library. The library staff also gets relief from the cumbersome jobs of writing in addition to preparing bill of fare catalogues in addition to their subsequent filling.

j) Stock Taking: Stock taking is an inspection to cheque what is inwards the stock inwards relation to what it should be. In this procedure the electrical flow file is compared alongside the inventory file (the former listing of documents possessed past times the library) in addition to the unmatched records inwards the inventory files are listed out. This listing constitutes the untraceable or lost document. Automation helps inwards stock taking, which is otherwise a cumbersome business.

k) Resource Sharing:  Resource sharing amid libraries demands library automation every bit the minimum requirement. The resources tin solely survive shared easily alongside others when they are inwards soft shape i.e. calculator readable form.

6. Areas of Computer Application inwards Library: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 modern library cannot survive imagined without the application of computers. In the library in addition to information centres, computers tin survive used for performing efficiently all sorts of jobs from the procurement of the reading materials to their organisation in addition to use. So, it tin serve every bit a remedy for all the existing problems of libraries in addition to information centres. But, till directly computers accept been used successfully inwards the next areas of library activities.

A) Library House Keeping Operation: In instance of library housekeeping operation, the calculator is used for acquisition of books in addition to other reading materials, their classification in addition to cataloguing inwards the shape of export in addition to import from other existing databases, circulation in addition to series control.

a) Acquisition: The pick of materials tin survive made through the computer. Any library which is a component division of online computerized library scheme has access to catalogue entries in addition to bibliographic information of all the libraries inwards the system. These databases tin survive used every bit a pick tools to buy novel documents for the item library inwards question. Other offline databases tin also survive used every bit pick tools for non electrical flow documents in addition to sometimes out of impress books. For other documents, conventional mass pick methods may survive used. The MARC bibliographic tape service has opened upward a novel vista inwards both cataloguing in addition to bibliographic database that tin survive used every bit a mass pick tool.

The requisition of the mass past times the library users tin survive mail past times using computer. Again, the ordering in addition to acquisition are the routine jobs inwards the library in addition to for a unmarried fourth dimension ordering it requires repetitive performance past times dissimilar sections. These repetitive operations in addition to the requisite checking tin really good survive done past times the application of the calculator system. Both offline in addition to online acquisition tin survive performed past times the work of computers.

b) Classification:  Though a proper calculator based library classification scheme is non available, the library staff tin obtain the flat number of a document past times searching for the championship in addition to ISBN inwards the large databases similar OCLC Classify - an Experimental Classification Service (http://classify.oclc.org/classify2/) in addition to and so on. The library staff tin fifty-fifty think of exporting the information regarding a document inwards the shape of MARC tape in addition to upload into his/her ain scheme inwards which also having the flat number, other fields similar title, publisher, writer also volition survive there.

c) Cataloguing: The computerized cataloguing scheme operates alongside high speed for performing routine in addition to repetitive jobs. Besides, inwards the cataloguing unit, calculator tin also survive used inwards diverse other ways such every bit producing mass plates, mass pockets, mass cards, spine labels, etc. It tin also create a multifariousness of records, bill of fare catalogues inwards the mass form, printed catalogue, etc. every bit byproducts.

The MARC projection was started inwards November, 1965 past times the Library of Congress, USA. The latest evolution inwards the scheme includes the CoMARC (Co-Operative Machine Readable Cataloguing). Computer Output Microfilm (COM) was developed inwards the USA past times Stromberg Carlson Company. The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), previously known every bit the Ohio College Library Centre was started inwards August 1970. All these accept successfully used computers for cataloguing of documents.

d) Serial Control: Serials are continuing publication having reasonably permanent titles in addition to appearing normally at regular intervals. Their contents normally vary from termination to issue. An article every bit a unmarried bibliographic unit of measurement may survive published inwards to a greater extent than than ane termination in addition to fifty-fifty inwards to a greater extent than than ane volume. Obviously, the users may survive interested inwards an termination of a series every bit a bibliographic unit, or an article spread over a number of issues every bit a bibliographic unit. So, series command comprises complex operations of library activities because of the really nature in addition to characteristics of Serial every bit library material. Again, the conflict betwixt the physical unit of measurement in addition to the bibliographic unit of measurement makes Serial command a complex task.

In instance of Serial, the electrical flow issues, the retrospective or immediate dorsum issues in addition to leap volumes nether every twelvemonth of publication is an ongoing process. In this case, the library should encounter the search job because of the conflict betwixt the championship in addition to the corporate body, the former titles in addition to the changed titles, nature of irregularity inwards publication (more than ane termination inwards a unmarried publication in addition to the like). These situations pose the job of listing, acquisition, accessioning, cataloguing in addition to creation of records inwards the desired format. But the work of calculator inwards series command solves a lot of these problems.

e) Circulation: The circulation activities are the life-stream of the library services.  The library documents are for work in addition to are intended for the users. At diverse points, documents are to survive trapped for the users who accept recorded their priority inwards using such documents. The circulation is a catamenia of document, but the catamenia should survive controlled past times library operations in addition to so every bit to serve the users inwards the best possible means alongside the available materials inwards the library. The work of calculator inwards library pushing the library to a province of affairs inwards which the user tin termination in addition to render the mass themselves without waiting for the library staff.

B) Library Administrations: The calculator tin survive used to fix budget, generate dissimilar kinds of statistics in addition to and so on. In instance of library administration, the library automation helps in
a) Providing Access Right to Staff Members
b) Providing Access Right to Library Users
c) Exception Reporting
d) Generation of Library Statistics / Report

C) Information Retrieval: Today, Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) or sometimes Web OPAC facility provided past times the library in addition to information centres helps inwards piece of cake retrieval of information. Computers are also used for searching Library Database similar International Nuclear Information System.

D) Building Digital / Virtual Libraries Collection: Computers tin also survive used to create digital or virtual collection or for institutional repository of the library.

E) Resource Sharing: In monastic state to facilitate the provision of textile asking on inter library loan basis, the work of computers in addition to other latest telecommunications devices is existence set to work inwards nearly all the countries of the world. The Online Union catalogue is also a production of calculator application inwards library.

F) Library Network: Information in addition to Library Network (INFLIBNET) centre, Developing Library Network (DELNET) are the illustration of taking library automation every bit its offset measurement or base of operations structure.

G) Information System: World Science Information System (UNISIST), Medical Literature Analysis in addition to Retrieval System (MEDLARS), illustrate the advanced stage of library automation.

H) User Services: The library automation also helps to furnish Current Awareness Service (CAS), Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) Services, Indexing in addition to Abstracting Service, Web Based Translation Services, Computer Based Indexing in addition to Abstracting Services, in addition to and so on.

7. Conclusion: In the library surroundings calculator tin survive used inwards nearly all its sub-field. In the developed countries calculator already invading inwards nearly all the areas of the library. Even at that spot are about libraries which are to a greater extent than subject on calculator than the human being. The human existence solely used to perform the functions that demand intelligence, others are existence done past times the computer. In terms of automation, the academy libraries of Republic of Republic of India are lagging behind their counterparts inwards the developed countries. However, the libraries in addition to the librarians are tardily adjusting alongside the changes past times starting their automation phase. Many libraries accept also started their computerized circulation desk in addition to resources sharing.
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