Valuating Information Intangibles/ Saluting Dr. Pujar's initiatives
Dear LIS Professionals, Recently I came across a book Valuating Information Intangibles: Measuring the Bottom Line Contribution of Librarians and Information Professionals. The book is more focused on tantalizing prospect to the records and information management (R/M) professional who has never had an authoritative answer to the question, "How do we know what this information is really worth?" However, as a faculty member and researcher the most significant portion from my point of view is determination of the bottom-line value of libraries and information centers. In this context I really salute to the initiatives of Dr. S.M. Pujar and his colleagues for modernizing Balasaheb Khradekar Library of Shivaji University, Kolhapur. I am just listing few initiatives so that other Librarians can also follow for the benefit of researchers and faculty members. Library Website on the Internet: (http://www.unishivaji.ac.in/lib/index.htm) Library website was launched in August 2006. It was designed and developed by the librarian, provides information regarding library its resources and services. In addition, it also provides links to various electronic resources such as electronic journals, databases and useful websites. The website is being widely used by university and affiliated college faculty and students and also visitors from all over the globe. UGC-INFONET E-Journals and Databases: (http://www.unishivaji.ac.in/lib/ejls.htm) Library has taken very good steps in making available more than 3000+ electronic journals of 24 leading international publishers given under UGC-INFONET E-Consortium of INFLIBNET. Apart from getting access to these resources, library has made it a point to conduct regular awareness programs, which is essential in the effective use of resources. This is has resulted in 4 times increase in the use of resources in 2006 as compared to 2005, it will certainly much higher in 2007, the usage data of which is awaited from INFLIBNET. Digital Library: Library has developed a searchable digital library using open source software DSpace on Linux platform, where in cost of development is zero except the use of hardware. The digital library has been appropriately named as Shivaji to correspond with the name of university and a tribute to Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. This digital library is presently available only within university campus LAN, which will be made available on the Internet in the near future for the benefit of affiliated college teachers and students. At this stage digital library has the following collections: Old SET question papers Government Reports Rare Documents Library Portal on Intranet: In order to provide need based information to faculty and students of the university, library has developed a portal named GYAN-SAGAR, which provides information on fellowships, careers, forthcoming conferences, competitive examinations and links to other resources. The information on these subjects is identified by various library staff and put it on this portal for the benefit of faculty and students. Unique feature of this portal, it is being developed by one of the library staff each page on the above aspects is maintained by separate individual library staff. This gives credit to the library staff for their work and also makes them responsible for the development of content for the page. Library automation: Automation of various activities of the library was long pending issue, which is being taken up now. For undertaking this work required infrastructure is being built and the work of retrospective conversion of library records (Computerization) has been outsourced to an agency, which will develop database of library documents (Catalogue). The details of new documents will be entered by the library staff, the work of which is already started. For automating of the library activities, Libsys4 integrated library software has been procured. During the database development stage, only the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) will be made available on the Intranet (LAN) for the benefit of university faculty and students. This will help faculty and students to check library catalogue sitting in their departments and IT hall. Once the database is developed and all the collection is barcoded, circulation of books will be made using this software. The project period of database development is fixed at 6 months (180 days) from the effective start of the project. Benefits to Society and Users: These ICT initiatives are helping faculty, students and society in general in the growth of knowledge and in building a digital divide. The library users from this rural centric university are not much behind in accessing world class literature from renowned databases and publishers, otherwise till recently this was only a dream. Dr. R.K. Kamat Reader in Electronics & Coordinator Internet Unit, Shivaji University, Kolhapur -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
dear Professional collegues, It is very heartening to hear such wonderful and appreciative words from an actual user of the library. Congrats to Dr.S.M.Pujar for introducing so many services in an university library within such a short time. Dr.Kamat, thanks for your encouraging words. You have motivated us. G.K.Manjunath Chief Librarian Indira Gandhi Inst of Development Research Film City Road Santosh Nagar Goregaon(East ) MUMBAI - 400 065 Phone: 022-28416528 On Thu, 3 Jan 2008, Dr. R.K. Kamat wrote:
Dear LIS Professionals,
Recently I came across a book Valuating Information Intangibles: Measuring the Bottom Line Contribution of Librarians and Information Professionals. The book is more focused on tantalizing prospect to the records and information management (R/M) professional who has never had an authoritative answer to the question, "How do we know what this information is really worth?" However, as a faculty member and researcher the most significant portion from my point of view is determination of the bottom-line value of libraries and information centers.
In this context I really salute to the initiatives of Dr. S.M. Pujar and his colleagues for modernizing Balasaheb Khradekar Library of Shivaji University, Kolhapur. I am just listing few initiatives so that other Librarians can also follow for the benefit of researchers and faculty members.
Library Website on the Internet: (http://www.unishivaji.ac.in/lib/index.htm)
Library website was launched in August 2006. It was designed and developed by the librarian, provides information regarding library its resources and services. In addition, it also provides links to various electronic resources such as electronic journals, databases and useful websites. The website is being widely used by university and affiliated college faculty and students and also visitors from all over the globe.
UGC-INFONET E-Journals and Databases: (http://www.unishivaji.ac.in/lib/ejls.htm)
Library has taken very good steps in making available more than 3000+ electronic journals of 24 leading international publishers given under UGC-INFONET E-Consortium of INFLIBNET. Apart from getting access to these resources, library has made it a point to conduct regular awareness programs, which is essential in the effective use of resources. This is has resulted in 4 times increase in the use of resources in 2006 as compared to 2005, it will certainly much higher in 2007, the usage data of which is awaited from INFLIBNET.
Digital Library:
Library has developed a searchable digital library using open source software DSpace on Linux platform, where in cost of development is zero except the use of hardware. The digital library has been appropriately named as Shivaji to correspond with the name of university and a tribute to Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. This digital library is presently available only within university campus LAN, which will be made available on the Internet in the near future for the benefit of affiliated college teachers and students. At this stage digital library has the following collections:
Old SET question papers Government Reports Rare Documents
Library Portal on Intranet:
In order to provide need based information to faculty and students of the university, library has developed a portal named GYAN-SAGAR, which provides information on fellowships, careers, forthcoming conferences, competitive examinations and links to other resources. The information on these subjects is identified by various library staff and put it on this portal for the benefit of faculty and students. Unique feature of this portal, it is being developed by one of the library staff each page on the above aspects is maintained by separate individual library staff. This gives credit to the library staff for their work and also makes them responsible for the development of content for the page.
Library automation:
Automation of various activities of the library was long pending issue, which is being taken up now. For undertaking this work required infrastructure is being built and the work of retrospective conversion of library records (Computerization) has been outsourced to an agency, which will develop database of library documents (Catalogue). The details of new documents will be entered by the library staff, the work of which is already started. For automating of the library activities, Libsys4 integrated library software has been procured. During the database development stage, only the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) will be made available on the Intranet (LAN) for the benefit of university faculty and students. This will help faculty and students to check library catalogue sitting in their departments and IT hall. Once the database is developed and all the collection is barcoded, circulation of books will be made using this software. The project period of database development is fixed at 6 months (180 days) from the effective start of the project.
Benefits to Society and Users:
These ICT initiatives are helping faculty, students and society in general in the growth of knowledge and in building a digital divide. The library users from this rural centric university are not much behind in accessing world class literature from renowned databases and publishers, otherwise till recently this was only a dream.
Dr. R.K. Kamat Reader in Electronics & Coordinator Internet Unit, Shivaji University, Kolhapur
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