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Ashutosh Upadhyay, B. Varsha Pandey, C. B.P.Shrivastava / International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue4, July-August 2012, pp.2066-2068

“Status, Problem And Prospects Of Library Automation In
Engineering Colleges Of Jabalpur City: A Study”
Ashutosh Upadhyay1, B. Varsha Pandey2 , C. B.P.Shrivastava3

Abstract:
The study presents the status of Automation of libraries has helped the libraries to
automation in Engineering College libraries and keep pace with the latest Development .This has
information centers of Jabalpur city in Madhya also facilitated accuracy, flexibility and reliability in
Pradesh. The uses of Information and the library and information centre. Automation of
communication Technology (ICT) facilitate easy libraries reduces the repetitive work and save time
& immediate access to Information. During the and bring accuracy and speed. It also increases
process of Automation understanding and efficiency in technical processing of library
analyzing the various problems faced by the materials and improve the efficiency of library
Management and the staff. The methodology administration and manager. 3
adopted for the present study is survey using a
structured questionnaire. It was observed that II. ROLE OF LIBRARY IN
52.63% of the Engineering College libraries were ENGINEERING COLLEGES
not automated for reason such as, Lack of The library is regarded as the „nerve
computer facilities, Inadequate finance, Lack of centre of know-ledge‟, the centre of intellectual
trained Manpower; Management is not life and the heart and soul of the academic
interested in library automation, collection from institution. This means that discoveries are
library is very less, tentativeness and lack of actually made in the library and subsequently
attitude towards automation and unsatisfactory tested in the laboratory. It occupies an important
library software problems are the major place in the modern education system and maintains
hindrances to speedy automation. Only` 47.37% the Expensive educational resources of the academic
of Engineering College libraries are using institutions. It is the responsibility of the staff
automation to show that the libraries must be of engineering and technical libraries to provide
updated on the current scenario and the other right information at the right time to right user to
libraries will follow these updates. This study save the time of the user. The libraries are primarily
also gives a status view of the software packages responsible for the selection and collection of
used by different engineering college libraries & material appropriate for libraries, preservation
the opinion of the librarians & library staff about and organization of the collection and
the performance of software they use. dissemination of the material or the information,
which it contains. Libraries as centre of learning
I. INTRODUCTION are playing an important role in sustaining and
Library is the heart of any institution. It is satisfying the information requirements of parent
soul of any learning institution, which is pivot of institutions. For the efficient, effective and
teaching-learning process. College library plays an scientific development of information resources
important role in providing overall library and and services, the libraries need to be designed
information services to the patrons. We have just and developed systematically based on the inputs
entered in new millennium and we have a lot of from studies on existing resources and services, and
challenges before us for keeping in pace with the studies on users of engineering college libraries.4
modern development in information technology
which have brought information explosion and III. OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT
information revolutiont.1 STUDY
Computer is used in libraries to increase  To find out the present status of
efficiency and effectiveness of their operation and computerization in engineering college
services; they have also provided information libraries located in Jabalpur city.
management for taking effective decisions.  To study the problems & prospects in
Development and use of information and library automation in engineering colleges.
communication technology (ICT) enables  To find out areas to be covered in library
the libraries not only to offer their clientele the automation.
appropriate information available within their  To find out the computerization services
Libraries but also gain access to catalogue of other
offered in these libraries.
libraries, both local and outstations.2

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 To know about the software used in the  All (100%) of the libraries were using LAN
library? mode of connection. Where MAN & WAN
 To distinguish between traditional and were not use in anywhere.
automation of librarianship.  All (100%) automated libraries were not
 To find out staff available to carry out having grant from any national network.
library automation‟  It shows that out of 9 institutions only one
 To find out the barriers to automation faced has membership of INFLIBNET.
by libraries.  It is seen that majority of the Engineering
 To know the effect of automation in user college libraries (66.67%) offer On-line
services. services, Internet search and On-line database
 To evaluate the need of manpower training search.
for implementation of library Automation.  It shows that all libraries faced Pre
automation problems of lack of space as well
IV. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY as less interest of authority to upgrade IT skill
The survey research method has been of staff. On the other hand, in a few libraries,
adopted for this study. lack of interest of staff in learning IT
applications is the problem.
V. DELIMITATION  It is found that all libraries feel that
The present research is confined to computerization has increased productivity in
engineering colleges of Jabalpur city only. The terms of work output and information
study covers government & private engineering retrieval and helped in extending library
colleges both. services. The libraries have, however, divided
opinions about the other prospects of
VI. FINDINGS computerization like economy in expenditure,
enhanced the prestige of the library and
 It was seen that only 10.53% (2) Engineering
increased user satisfaction.
College libraries were fully automated,
whereas 36.84 % (7) were partially
automated, and 52.63 % (10) were not VII. SUGGESSIONS
automated.  There is a need to computerize all the
 In 19 Engineering college libraries, it was remaining (52.63%) libraries in future for
found that 57.89 %( 11) of librarians had providing better and efficient services to
Master degree in library & Information readers
science. Where as 42.11 % (8) had Post  Vacant post of technical staff needs to be
graduate Diploma in computer Application filled up and new posts should be created as
with M.Lib.Isc. per requirement
 It shows that out of 19 college libraries only  Computerized systems are dynamic rather
5.26 % (01) has highest no. of reading than static. So it is important in planning for
materials and 15.78% (03) has lowest no. of computerization, that hardware and software
reading materials. be selected which is sufficiently flexible to
 Majority of the Engineering college libraries meet both the present and future needs. The
have Server System , Client/computer work hardware chosen must have the capacity to
station CD/CDR Drives.77.78%(7) have handle growth of the system for at least three
DVD/DVDR Drives ,Barcode Reader & to five years. The software chosen must also
Laser Printers.66.67%(6) have UPS.33.33% be flexible enough to accommodate additions
have Barcode Printer & scanner. Only 22.22 and/ or changes to the system as need arises
%( 2) have Dot matrix Printer (Johnson, 1989).
 The automated libraries were found to be  Librarian should conduct a survey of different
using Software‟s which were available in automated libraries to exchange experiences
Local Market and were hardly “Standard”. before selecting software for their library.
 Two popular modules viz; Circulation &  Choice of the library software must be
Cataloguing were in use in all the libraries carefully considered with emphasis on the
which were automated. ability to meet particular library needs
 All (100%) the libraries were taking recourse  Librarian should evaluate each module before
to Internet services for access to INDEST selection of library software, through
CONSORTIUM and few 66.67 %( 6) were receiving a demo of the software.
using it for E-Mail & Web browsing.  Vendors should be scrutinized before
selection and should be made to sign an
agreement on the regular servicing and

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maintenance of the software purchased from automation will improve the effectiveness of
them. information services and access to
 There is the need for training and retraining information which they need for decision
of librarians in the use of information making.
technology. Information literacy is also  The AICTE, in conjunction with the Library
essential for all librarians who will be living Association should periodically organize
and working in the 21st century. seminars and workshops to enlighten
 Computer training should be provided and members of the university community on the
made mandatory for all the library staff .This imperativeness of library automation
mode of training programme will help the
staff to practice and assimilate more .At the VIII. REFERENCES
same time, it will also allow them to look
after day -to-day work. 1. Sinha. M K, Chakraborthy. S K,
 IT based LIS education at B.L.I.SC & hattacharjee.J.(2007) “Application
M.L.I.SC. Level is must. of Information Communication Techn
 Emphasis should be on buying standard ology in college Libraries of Barak Valley
library management s/w like LIBSYS, (Southern Assam)”.5th convention
ALICE, SOUL etc. as they are found to be planner, Guhati, Ahmadabad:
more satisfactory. Also this software allows INFLIBNET centre Dec.7-8
data entry in standard form like CCF, MARC 2. Mulla KR, Chandrashekara M. (2010) Use
etc. 3. of Integrated library software: A survey of
 User education program on emerging library Engineering College libraries in Karnataka.
technologies may be introduced to the library International Journal of Information
clientele especially freshmen. Science & Management, vol.8, no.2, July-
 User education should be provided to make December.
the user aware of the library collection as 4. Sangeeta, Keisham&Sarika, L. (2008)
well as the services. User should also be Evaluation of ICT Based services in the
given training so that he can handle the academic libraries of Manipur: A Study.
computerized system independently. 6th International CALIBER. Allahabad.
 Systematic utilization and categorization of 5. Kannapanavar, B.U. & Kumbagodar, P.
this budget according to the needs of the Effectiveness and usefulness of
library is also very important. training programmes for library
professionals in India: Survey of the library
 Librarians should convince administrators at
professionals working in Agricultural
the higher level, in the importance of the use
of computers, to develop a level of awareness Science University libraries. ILA Bulletin,
2005, 41(4), 18-22
at the administrators‟ level sufficient to
encourage them to use the computer in
libraries and to convince officials that

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:-

Ashutosh Upadhyay1 was born in
Jabalpur on 11th Aug.1980. He
has done M.Phil in Library &
Information Science in 2009 He
is presently doing PhD. in
Library & Information Science
from CMJ University, Shillong
(Meghalaya), India

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