The Malaysian government recognizes IT as a strategic tool that can play a significant role in the national development. As society is becoming more complex and dependent on science and technology, the need for timely organization, communication and dissemination of information is increasing. We are in the age of information technology revolution along with information explosion. There has been a growing interest and concern over modernization of library operations and services in India since 1980’s. Due to information explosion, automation of library services is imperative for efficiency and effective working of library and information centers.
Meaning of automation
Automation is technology of automatic working in which the handling method, the process and design of professional material are integrated. This is the effort to achieve an automatic and self-regulating chain of processes.
According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of English Languages, automation is, “the technique of making an apparatus, a process or a system operates automatically”. In other words, it is the machinery that mathematically manipulates information storing, selects, presents and records input data or internally generated data. Mechanisation of library house-keeping operations predominantly by computers is known as library automation.
According to Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, “automation is the technology concerned with the design and development of process and system that minimise the necessity of human intervention in operation”.
Meaning of library automation
Library automation is the use of automation and semiautomatic data processing machines to perform such traditional library activities as acquisition, cataloguing, and circulation. Although these activities are not necessarily performed in traditional ways, the activities themselves are those traditionally associated with libraries; library automation may thus be distinguished from related fields such as information retrieval, automatic indexing and abstracting, and automatic textual analysis. “Library automation, stated in single term, is the application of computers and utilization of computer based product and services in the performance of different library operations and functions in provision of various services and production of output products”.
Objectives of the library automation
To maintain bibliographical records of all the materials, in a computerized form.
To provide bibliographical details through a single enumerative access point of holdings of a library.
To reduce the repetition in the technical processes of housekeeping operations.
To provide access to information at a faster rate.
To share the resources through library networking.
To implement new IT processes to provide high quality information.
Need for library Automation
Capacity to handle any amount of data and information.
Participating in network programmers and resource sharing.
Flexibility in information search. Standardization of library procedures.
Speedy processing of information and its retrieval.
Provide better bibliographic control at local/regional/national and international level.
Facilitate interdisciplinary nature of research and information.
Economic implication of latest information technology.
Overcome geographical and other barriers to communication.
Market the library services to increase its awareness to promote the use of libraries.
Use of computer in libraries
Now-a-days computers are effectively used in libraries to handle their routine tasks, so that the library staff can devote more time to professional tasks. The repetitive and time taking tasks as given below:
Conclusion
Most of the libraries are computerize various library activities for improving information services. To satisfy the user’s needs and demands most of the libraries have identified the need to implement and promote various kinds of new technologies, but there is still reluctance due to many reasons for libraries and to implement them to the fullest extent and provide the latest technology and services to users. Malaysia has a well-focused strategy that recognizes the potential of IT and embraces it as the enabling technology to sustain its economic growth and to stay competitive in the emerging global economy. The technology oriented focus for national development has brought about the need to create an information-rich Malaysian society. To achieve the national objectives, a professional IT workforce must be nurtured to face the challenges of the Information Age. The school environment is ideal for the teaching of those skills. Information-related activities should be centered on the school library which can be further enhanced for information-based skills teaching and learning through the implementation of a school automated library system. Although automating the school libraries in the country might seem a problematic undertaking, the use of a cheap and relatively simple system can make it feasible.
References
Noorhidawati Abdullah. “Library automation & conventional technologies in libraries” Lecture, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, February 22, 2011.
Manjunath, G.K. "Library Automation: Why and How." Welcome To Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research. Web. 07 Apr. 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment