December 2004 - LIS-Forum - ncsi.iisc.ernet.in

International Conference in Mumbai
by anita pujari 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

� Dear Professionals, Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC) was established in 1955 & is completing 50 years of its existence. To commemorate its Golden Jubilee year,� IASLIC is hosting an International Conference on Information Management in a Knowledge Society{ICIM2005}. The city of Mumbai will be the venue of this International Conference scheduled for Feb.21-25, 2005. The complete details are available on� http://www.icim2005.org/index.htm http://www.icim2005.org/index.htm A recent coverage on this International Conference in Education Times, a supplement to The Times of India is worth a read http://epaperdaily.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDA0LzEyL… http://epaperdaily.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDA0LzEyL… ICIM-2005 will focus on four themes, viz., Knowledge Society, Information Management, Knowledge Management and Digital Libraries and is expected to be just the place to be in, amongst prominent national & international experts & delegates, meeting-sharing-deliberating & learning. Hope you will be there too. warm regards Anita Pujari Convenor - Media & Publicity Committee ICIM2005 ----------------- Chief Manager TIMES ARCHIVES - Centre for Knowledge The Times Group http://email.indiatimes.com/apic/ Connect to the future with http://email.indiatimes.com/apic/images/logosmall.gif Advantage

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Enquiry: Free Journal transaction Software
by salma 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

Dear all, Can u pls let me know if you have come accross any good freeware s/w for the Journals transactions, it shud be a standalone version, not Client/Server based, Currently we are using Libsys software, which is not customized as per our environment, wherein we have multiple locations like 13 locations in Bangalore, few in chennai, hyderabad, gurgaon etc..this is not meeting our requirement.. Do intimate if u have any ideas/suggestions to automate the journals transactions which meets the multilocation requirement. Thanx and Regards _______________________________________________ Salma Khan Sr. Executive Information Services WIPRO Technologies, K-312, 5th block, Kormangala Bangalore - 560095 91-80-25538301 (X - 2571) 25538470 (D) 8 salma.khan(a)wipro.com Voip: 8062003; Fax: 91-80-25538301 ______________________________________________________ There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness Confidentiality Notice The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender at Wipro or Mailadmin(a)wipro.com immediately and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments. Dear all, Can u pls let me know if you have come accross any good freeware s/w for the Journals transactions, it shud be a standalone version, not Client/Server based, Currently we are using Libsys software, which is not customized as per our environment, wherein we have multiple locations like 13 locations in Bangalore, few in chennai, hyderabad, gurgaon etc..this is not meeting our requirement.. Do intimate if u have any ideas/suggestions to automate the journals transactions which meets the multilocation requirement. Thanx and Regards _______________________________________________ Salma Khan Sr. Executive Information Services WIPRO Technologies, K-312, 5th block, Kormangala Bangalore - 560095 91-80-25538301 (X - 2571) 25538470 (D) 8 mailto:salma.khan@wipro.com salma.khan(a)wipro.com Voip: 8062003; Fax: 91-80-25538301 ________________________________________________ ______ There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness Confidentiality Notice The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender at Wipro or Mailadmin(a)wipro.com immediately and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments.

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Providing Hypelinks on webpages.
by Sharad Jadhav 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Dear Members, 1. Is providing hyperlinks on your web page violates the copyright, or special permission is needed from the owner of the website for hyperlinking. 2. And if there is no copyright violation, hyperlinking the exact documnet/page on the website is permitted. (e.g www.acdxyz.com/resources/current.pdf) Best regards, Sharad Jadhav National Insurance Academy, Library, Balewadi, Baner Road, NIA PO, addr Pune 411 045, Maharashtra. INDIA Dear Members, 1. Is providing hyperlinks on your web page violates the copyright, or special permission is needed from the owner of the website for hyperlinking. 2. And if there is no copyright violation, hyperlinking the exact documnet/page on the website is permitted. (e.g www.acdxyz.com/resources/current.pdf) Best regards, Sharad Jadhav National Insurance Academy, Library, Balewadi, Baner Road, NIA PO, addr Pune 411 045, Maharashtra. INDIA http://clients.rediff.com/signature/track_sig.asp http://ads.rediff.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.cgi/www.rediffmail.com/inbo…

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PubSub - Matching Service
by Madhuresh 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Dear Professional friends, I just want to share the free service offered by Pubsub (http://www.pubsub.com/) Read below to know more about it. PubSub is a matching service that instantly notifies you when new content is created that matches your query. Using a proprietary Matching Engine, PubSub is able to read millions of data sources on your behalf and notify you instantly whenever a match is made. PubSub's Internet-scale matching engine is a "prospective" search tool that complements traditional "retrospective" search engines. PubSub's prospective search matches user requests against new documents as they're published-in real time, all the time. Traditional search stores data and then allows finding documents within that store of data. PubSub operates by first storing subscription query, and then watching for new information that matches it. Query will be checked against every piece of new information passing through their Matching Engine. It is the Internet's most comprehensive blog-monitoring service tracking more than 6.5 million Weblogs as well as 50,000 USENET newsgroups, all SEC/EDGAR filings, press releases from major wire services, and FAA airport delay alerts. The PubSub service is compatible with any information delivery system that can be accessed from the Internet - including email, SMS, PDA/mobile devices and Instant Messaging networks - allowing to select where, when, and how you want to receive your information. PubSub's RSS and ATOM feeds are compatible with Web-based news aggregators like Bloglines and My Yahoo! as well as desktop aggregators like NewsGator, FeedDemon, and Gush. One can also download Pubsub sidebar available for Internet Explorer and Firefox, so there will be no need to visit the website to check the new results of defined query. It will automatically display new results in the sidebar that matches with our query. This free service will be very useful for the information professionals who have to monitor the news items about their company/competitive company as well as for current happening in their areas of interest. Madhuresh Singhal Aurigene Discovery Technologies Limited, Electronic City, phase II, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560100 Phone 28521314-16 Ext.- 422 Mobile 98861 82822 E-mail: madhureshsinghal(a)yahoo.com http://nettalk2.tripod.com/

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Set standards for qualification & experience
by aprajita suman 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Respected professionals, Today I came across one very interesting notification for the post of "Library Assistant", where the desired qualification and experience are mentioned as follows: Librarian - First class M.Lib. Information Science with "atleast 15 years experience". Desirable M.Phil/Ph.D degree. Library Asst- First class M.Lib. Inf. Sc. With at least 2 years experience Or B.Lib, "with 10 years experience". HERE, THE NOTABLE POINT IS THE QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE DESIRED FOR THE POST OF LIBRARIAN AND LIBRARY ASSISTANT. In this regard, I invite the suggestions of the respected professionals, isnt there any set standard for the desirable qualifications and experience for a particular post in the library.Why can't the library professionals' associations take up this issue? Why should we be guided by the whims of the respective organisations and their managements? Suggestions of the professionals will serve as guidelines for young professionals for furtherance of their career. With regards, Aparajita Suman, Junior Research Fellow, Technical Information Centre, Defense Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad Respected professionals, Today I came across one very interesting notification for the post of "Library Assistant", where the desired qualification and experience are mentioned as follows: Librarian - First class M.Lib. Information Science with "atleast 15 years experience". Desirable M.Phil/Ph.D degree. Library Asst- First class M.Lib. Inf. Sc. With at least 2 years experience Or B.Lib, "with 10 years experience". HERE, THE NOTABLE POINT IS THE QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE DESIRED FOR THE POST OF LIBRARIAN AND LIBRARY ASSISTANT. In this regard, I invite the suggestions of the respected professionals, isnt there any set standard for the desirable qualifications and experience for a particular post in the library.Why can't the library professionals' associations take up this issue? Why should we be guided by the whims of the respective organisations and their managements? Suggestions of the professionals will serve as guidelines for young professionals for furtherance of their career. With regards, Aparajita Suman, Junior Research Fellow, Technical Information Centre, Defense Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad http://clients.rediff.com/signature/track_sig.asp http://ads.rediff.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.cgi/www.rediffmail.com/inbo…

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Software Cd's Cataloguing
by Seshu Sripada 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Dear friends Could you please help for Cataloguing of Softwares like Cd's we are getting software cd's in a month 20-30 cds' Some of the cd's contains exactly the name of softwares , for those we can catalogue it but ... some like Technical Information Cd-- titled it contains like SMS(System Management Server), Content Management Server(CMS), Share Point Portal Server.... about all these topics like Plan, technical notes , then how to catalogue like this multiple subject areas. If any one know pl.let me know the solution. Seshu -----------------------SOFTPRO DISCLAIMER------------------------------ Information contained in this E-MAIL and any attachments are confidential being proprietary to SOFTPRO SYSTEMS is 'privileged' and 'confidential'. If you are not an intended or authorised recipient of this E-MAIL or have received it in error, You are notified that any use, copying or dissemination of the information contained in this E-MAIL in any manner whatsoever is strictly prohibited. Please delete it immediately and notify the sender by E-MAIL. In such a case reading, reproducing, printing or further dissemination of this E-MAIL is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. SOFTPRO SYSYTEMS does not REPRESENT or WARRANT that an attachment hereto is free from computer viruses or other defects. The opinions expressed in this E-MAIL and any ATTACHEMENTS may be those of the author and are not necessarily those of SOFTPRO SYSTEMS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dear friends Could you please help for Cataloguing of Softwares like Cd's we are getting software cd's in a month 20-30 cds' Some of the cd's contains exactly the name of softwares , for those we can catalogue it but ... some like Technical Information Cd-- titled it contains like SMS(System Management Server), Content Management Server(CMS), Share Point Portal Server.... about all these topics like Plan, technical notes , then how to catalogue like this multiple subject areas. If any one know pl.let me know the solution. Seshu -----------------------SOFTPRO DISCLAIMER------------------------------ Information contained in this E-MAIL and any attachments are confidential being proprietary to SOFTPRO SYSTEMS is 'privileged' and 'confidential'. If you are not an intended or authorised recipient of this E-MAIL or have received it in error, You are notified that any use, copying or dissemination of the information contained in this E-MAIL in any manner whatsoever is strictly prohibited. Please delete it immediately and notify the sender by E-MAIL. In such a case reading, reproducing, printing or further dissemination of this E-MAIL is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. SOFTPRO SYSYTEMS does not REPRESENT or WARRANT that an attachment hereto is free from computer viruses or other defects. The opinions expressed in this E-MAIL and any ATTACHEMENTS may be those of the author and are not necessarily those of SOFTPRO SYSTEMS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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RE: [LIS-Forum] Calcutta University Library: Teachers' misuselibraryfacilities
by Aman Jha 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Dear firends I think imposing fine or getting back the cost of book (including processing fee + the cost of sending reminders) is not enough. Circulation team needs to be strengthened in such a way that this situation should not arise in future in such a big library like university library where all the staff are skilled and users are all bonafide members of the institution i.e.; teachers/staff and students. In a user-library relationship, few users are always in search of breaking the rules of library by taking advantage of the weaknesses of the system built by that particular team/staff. "Many of the missing books were borrowed nearly 30 years ago and the borrowers are either retired or dead." In this case, I am sure there is something lacking in the library's circulation team. Circulation team has to be a complete professional. If someone has borrowed from you, it is not someone else but you are responsible for getting that back. I don't want to say that users have no responsibility. But, it is the library authority who is 100% responsible. Regards, Aman Jha Librarian Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Plot No 249-F, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV Sector 18, Gurgaon 122015 (Haryana) Tel: 0124-5014060-67 * Fax: 0124-5014080 -----Original Message----- From: HENAG [mailto:HENAG@infosys.com] Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 6:32 AM To: Vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com; lis-forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in Subject: RE: [LIS-Forum] Calcutta University Library: Teachers' misuselibraryfacilities Dear All, This is almost the same case happens everywhere, the librarians' hands are tight to impose any strict rules like fine implementation etc... One policy libraries can implement with the prior permission from the authority ----- send 3-6 reminders on a regular basis having an interval, keep the reminder #along with the reminder in the subject line itself, if the book/s still not returned by the professor/s then send a final mail mentioning that we are force to deduct the amount from the salary to replace the book as we are assuming that the book issued by you is lost , and give copy to accounts department along with the attachment of the reminders. This amount can be accumulated under one head for library and library can purchase the same book/s or the books on high demand utilizing this amount. If the authority is keen to recover the loss then good to implement this policy , prior to implement this policy please put a notice publicly in your premise and try to inform all regarding the change in the policy of possessing books more than 6 months after the due date . I 'm sure this will surely bring back all the books . For rare books charge the price three times of the cost.Try to Convince the authority saying enough time/reminder is given to return, it is charged only after 6 months . Regards Hena S Gupta Infosys Central Library Infosys Technologies Ltd. Hosur Road, Electronics City Phone # 080-51165196, FAX# 080-28520742 Bangalore- 560 100 -----Original Message----- From: lis-forum-bounces(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in [mailto:lis-forum-bounces@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in]On Behalf Of Vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 9:55 AM To: lis-forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in Subject: [LIS-Forum] Calcutta University Library: Teachers' misuse libraryfacilities Please read the following news item. Situation must be similar in other institutions of 'Higher' learning. I feel it is high time we concentrate on this menace and take steps to put books to better use than merely allowing monopolisation by a few users. Vyasamoorthy, P =================== http://www.telegraphindia.com/1041212/asp/bengal/story_4118695.asp CU library lists full, not shelves OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Calcutta, Dec. 11: Valuable books and journals have disappeared from Calcutta University's library as the borrowers have "conveniently" forgotten to return them. Flooded by complaints from students and teachers on important books that are off the shelves for years, the university authorities have begun an exercise to trace them. But the effort may have come too late. Many of the missing books were borrowed nearly 30 years ago and the borrowers are either retired or dead. At best, a few of the habitual defaulters may be traced and only a few books recovered. "We cannot deny that there are some teachers and scholars who are in the habit of not returning books after borrowing them from the university's libraries. We are working out measures to stop the practice," said Saumitra Sarkar, the librarian. Bound by rules, the university cannot fine a teacher if he or she returns a book late. "We recently introduced a system of giving repeated reminders to defaulting teachers. We are now working on steps that may be taken if the reminders do not work," said Sarkar. To get books back from research scholars in time, the authorities have introduced fines. Earlier, only students had to pay a fine if they failed to return their books on the stipulated date. Last year, the university increased the rate of fines for students. They are now charged 10 paise for every day's delay in the first week and a rupee a day after that. The scholars are now being fined at the same rate. University sources said the catalogues in its central and departmental libraries show a large number of books, but they are never found on the racks. In all, Calcutta University has nearly 12 lakh text and reference books. In addition, the libraries house maps, journals, theses and commission reports. A student alleged: "Often a rare book issued to a teacher is never returned to the library." "We have also come across teachers who borrowed books at the time of joining and never gave them back." Another student alleged that many of the teachers have in their possession books that are not available anywhere else in the country. At present, a section of teachers of the varsity's geography department are up in arms against the authorities for not taking action against at least three retired teachers who did not allegedly return about a dozen rare maps. =======================sent by ================ Dr.P.Vyasamoorthy, Advisor, Virtual Information Centre, ICICI Knowledge Park, Genome Valley, Turkapally, Shameerpet Mandal, RR District, Hyderabad 500078 INDIA Email: vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com Phone - Office: +91(40)23480053 Fax: +91(40)23480007 Phone Residence: +91(40)27846631 _______________________________________________ LIS-Forum mailing list LIS-Forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in http://ncsi.iisc.ernet.in/mailman/listinfo/lis-forum _______________________________________________ LIS-Forum mailing list LIS-Forum(a)ncsi.iisc.ernet.in http://ncsi.iisc.ernet.in/mailman/listinfo/lis-forum

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Fw: Costs of setting up an institutional OA archive
by Subbiah Arunachalam 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Friends: What do you think it would cost to set up and run an interoperable open access institutional archive (similar to the IISc eprints archive) in your institution? Mr Richard Poynder of the UK has quoted some figures, but they appear to me as needlessly high. I welcome your estimates. Arun ----- Original Message ----- From: EPT To: Richard Poynder ; 'Subbiah Arunachalam' ; harnad(a)ecs.soton.ac.uk ; peters(a)earlham.edu ; 'Leslie Chan' ; richard.poynder(a)journalist.co.uk Cc: aswan(a)keyperspectives.co.uk Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:37 PM Subject: Re: Costs of setting up an institutional OA archive All, We have to be very careful we are comparing apples with apples. You could cost the setting up figure by including every institutional contribution that the accountants demand (the obvious hardware and staff time, but also including institutional overheads, departmental contributions to general services, and the many other bits and pieces that costing exercises could require), or you could cost it at the very basic level where the work is done as a student exercise or is absorbed in some on-going project and the archive uses pre-existing hardware with spare capacity. I am astounded by some of the figures quoted and am certain that organisations in developing and emerging countries that are fully aware of the benefts of OA to their scientific development will do it within their existing budgets. Let's hear it from India, Namibia, Mexico, Brazil and China. Barbara ----- Original Message ----- From: Richard Poynder To: 'Subbiah Arunachalam' ; harnad(a)ecs.soton.ac.uk ; peters(a)earlham.edu ; 'Leslie Chan' ; 'EPT' ; richard.poynder(a)journalist.co.uk Cc: aswan(a)keyperspectives.co.uk Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:47 AM Subject: RE: Costs of setting up an institutional OA archive Hi Arun, Absolutely, the more data collected on costs the better I would think. The figures I quoted come from a study done by Alma Swan. See: (http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Hypermail/Amsci/4018.html) The full report is at http://www.keyperspectives.co.uk/OpenAccessArchive/E-prints_delivery_model.…. I would certainly be interested in details of any similar studies. Best wishes, Richard Poynder Friends: Richard Poynder says in his article in Information Today: "Indeed, libraries are finding that they have to not only continue paying traditional journal subscriptions, but they have to pay OA membership fees too. And to cap it all off, many are also being asked to create institutional repositories-a process costing anywhere from $7,000 to $2.5 million in setup fees and at least $40,000 a year in running costs." Are these figures OK? We should collect data from all the institutional archives operating now (in the world as a whole) as well as look at the costs of centralised archives such as Cornell's arXiv. At least in India, setting up of an institutional archive would cost much less. Dr T B Rajashekar of NCSI-IISc, Dr A R D Prasad of DRTC-ISI, Dr D K Sahu of MedKnow, Ms Naina Panditha of NIC, Mr Sreekumar of IIMK, Prof. B Viswanathan of Catlysis Society of India, and Dr Krishnan of NCL may kindly comment on this point. Regards. Arun Friends: What do you think it would cost to set up and run an interoperable open access institutional archive (similar to the IISc eprints archive) in your institution? Mr Richard Poynder of the UK has quoted some figures, but they appear to me as needlessly high. I welcome your estimates. Arun ----- Original Message ----- From: mailto:EPT@biostrat.demon.co.uk EPT To: mailto:aotg20@dsl.pipex.com Richard Poynder ; mailto:arun@mssrf.res.in 'Subbiah Arunachalam' ; mailto:harnad@ecs.soton.ac.uk harnad(a)ecs.soton.ac.uk ; mailto:peters@earlham.edu peters(a)earlham.edu ; mailto:chan@utsc.utoronto.ca 'Leslie Chan' ; mailto:richard.poynder@journalist.co.uk richard.poynder(a)journalist.co.uk Cc: mailto:aswan@keyperspectives.co.uk aswan(a)keyperspectives.co.uk Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:37 PM Subject: Re: Costs of setting up an institutional OA archive All, We have to be very careful we are comparing apples with apples. You could cost the setting up figure by including every institutional contribution that the accountants demand (the obvious hardware and staff time, but also including institutional overheads, departmental contributions to general services, and the many other bits and pieces that costing exercises could require), or you could cost it at the very basic level where the work is done as a student exercise or is absorbed in some on-going project and the archive uses pre-existing hardware with spare capacity. I am astounded by some of the figures quoted and am certain that organisations in developing and emerging countries that are fully aware of the benefts of OA to their scientific development will do it within their existing budgets. Let's hear it from India, Namibia, Mexico, Brazil and China. Barbara ----- Original Message ----- From: mailto:aotg20@dsl.pipex.com Richard Poynder To: mailto:arun@mssrf.res.in 'Subbiah Arunachalam' ; mailto:harnad@ecs.soton.ac.uk harnad(a)ecs.soton.ac.uk ; mailto:peters@earlham.edu peters(a)earlham.edu ; mailto:chan@utsc.utoronto.ca 'Leslie Chan' ; mailto:EPT@biostrat.demon.co.uk 'EPT' ; mailto:richard.poynder@journalist.co.uk richard.poynder(a)journalist.co.uk Cc: mailto:aswan@keyperspectives.co.uk aswan(a)keyperspectives.co.uk Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:47 AM Subject: RE: Costs of setting up an institutional OA archive Hi Arun, Absolutely, the more data collected on costs the better I would think. The figures I quoted come from a study done by Alma Swan. See: ( http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Hypermail/Amsci/4018.html http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~harnad/Hypermail/Amsci/4018.html ). The full report is at http://www.keyperspectives.co.uk/OpenAccessArchive/E-prints_delivery_model.… http://www.keyperspectives.co.uk/OpenAccessArchive/E-prints_delivery_model.… . I would certainly be interested in details of any similar studies. Best wishes, Richard Poynder Friends: Richard Poynder says in his article in Information Today : "Indeed, libraries are finding that they have to not only continue paying traditional journal subscriptions, but they have to pay OA membership fees too. And to cap it all off, many are also being asked to create institutional repositoriesa process costing anywhere from $7,000 to $2.5 million in setup fees and at least $40,000 a year in running costs." Are these figures OK? We should collect data from all the institutional archives operating now (in the world as a whole) as well as look at the costs of centralised archives such as Cornell's arXiv. At least in India, setting up of an institutional archive would cost much less. Dr T B Rajashekar of NCSI-IISc, Dr A R D Prasad of DRTC-ISI, Dr D K Sahu of MedKnow, Ms Naina Panditha of NIC, Mr Sreekumar of IIMK, Prof. B Viswanathan of Catlysis Society of India, and Dr Krishnan of NCL may kindly comment on this point. Regards. Arun

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Regarding ProQuest Digital Commons
by Sukhdev Singh 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

In the first look it seems that ProQuest is offering "service" rather then "Technology". It would unfair to compare it with Open Source technology like EPrints. -Sukhdev Singh NIC > Friends: > > A commercial firm has entered the Open Access fray! ProQuest offers the necessary support through its new service called Digital Commons. Already half a dozen US universities/colleges use this technology. Will someone compare this service with the freely available eprints technology of the Southampton University? Best wishes. > > Arun > [Subbiah Arunachalam] >

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Calcutta University Library: Teachers' misuse library facilities
by Vyasamoorthy＠icicikp.com 12 Dec '04

12 Dec '04

Please read the following news item. Situation must be similar in other institutions of 'Higher' learning. I feel it is high time we concentrate on this menace and take steps to put books to better use than merely allowing monopolisation by a few users. Vyasamoorthy, P =================== http://www.telegraphindia.com/1041212/asp/bengal/story_4118695.asp CU library lists full, not shelves OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Calcutta, Dec. 11: Valuable books and journals have disappeared from Calcutta University's library as the borrowers have "conveniently" forgotten to return them. Flooded by complaints from students and teachers on important books that are off the shelves for years, the university authorities have begun an exercise to trace them. But the effort may have come too late. Many of the missing books were borrowed nearly 30 years ago and the borrowers are either retired or dead. At best, a few of the habitual defaulters may be traced and only a few books recovered. "We cannot deny that there are some teachers and scholars who are in the habit of not returning books after borrowing them from the university's libraries. We are working out measures to stop the practice," said Saumitra Sarkar, the librarian. Bound by rules, the university cannot fine a teacher if he or she returns a book late. "We recently introduced a system of giving repeated reminders to defaulting teachers. We are now working on steps that may be taken if the reminders do not work," said Sarkar. To get books back from research scholars in time, the authorities have introduced fines. Earlier, only students had to pay a fine if they failed to return their books on the stipulated date. Last year, the university increased the rate of fines for students. They are now charged 10 paise for every day's delay in the first week and a rupee a day after that. The scholars are now being fined at the same rate. University sources said the catalogues in its central and departmental libraries show a large number of books, but they are never found on the racks. In all, Calcutta University has nearly 12 lakh text and reference books. In addition, the libraries house maps, journals, theses and commission reports. A student alleged: "Often a rare book issued to a teacher is never returned to the library." "We have also come across teachers who borrowed books at the time of joining and never gave them back." Another student alleged that many of the teachers have in their possession books that are not available anywhere else in the country. At present, a section of teachers of the varsity's geography department are up in arms against the authorities for not taking action against at least three retired teachers who did not allegedly return about a dozen rare maps. =======================sent by ================ Dr.P.Vyasamoorthy, Advisor, Virtual Information Centre, ICICI Knowledge Park, Genome Valley, Turkapally, Shameerpet Mandal, RR District, Hyderabad 500078 INDIA Email: vyasamoorthy(a)icicikp.com Phone - Office: +91(40)23480053 Fax: +91(40)23480007 Phone Residence: +91(40)27846631

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