WHAT IS LIBRARY AUTOMATION? WHAT IS NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARY AUTOMATION IN PUBLIC AND ACADEMIC LIBRARIES?

Notes/Assignment by Ms. Shweta Bhavsar

1. SEMESTER-I


DL01 – Knowledge Society
ASSIGNMENT – A2






WHAT IS LIBRARY AUTOMATION? WHAT IS NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARY
AUTOMATION IN PUBLIC AND ACADEMIC LIBRARIES?



By Shweta Ravindra Bhavsar
Roll No - (2019PGDLIM020)
(2019-2020)





Centre for Library and Information Management Studies
Sir Dorabji Tata Memorial Library
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS



1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Definition .............................................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Concept of Library Automation ...................................................................................................... 1
1.3 Objectives of Library Automation ................................................................................................. 3
1.4 Advantages of Library Automation ............................................................................................... 3
1.5 Factors affecting Library Automation .......................................................................................... 3
1.6 Example of Library Automation Software ................................................................................... 3
2. NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARY AUTOMATION IN PUBLIC AND ACADEMIC
LIBRARIES...................................................................................................................................................... 4
3. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................ 6
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 6

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1. What is library automation? What is need and importance of library automation in
public and academic libraries?

2. What role do libraries play in the promotion of knowledge society? Discuss

1. What is library automation? What is need and importance of library automation
in public and academic libraries?

Answer
1. INTRODUCTION
Library is a cornerstone of any institution and organization. Now in this technological era ICT
has impact on every filed also in Library Services. Library Automation in simple words library
uses application software to perform library’s housekeeping operations such as acquisition,
serial control cataloguing and circulation, with or without human intervention. And the
appearance of computer has greatly increased the library automation. Information
explosion, the technology revolution, and rapidly increasing costs, are the major factors for
the need of library automation. Nowadays traditional libraries are taking help of ICT for
providing better and efficient services to the user community and library automation systems
are helping to make it easier. ICT revolution has changed the concept of information sharing
and storing from last five decades.
1.1 Definition

D.S. Harder in 1936 explained “the automation is handling of parts between progressive
production processes.” (Library Automation, 2016)
(Uddin, 1998) “Library automation may be defined as the application of automatic and
semiautomatic data processing machines (computers) to perform traditional library
housekeeping activities such as acquisition, circulation, cataloguing and reference and
serials control. Today “Library Automation” is by far the most commonly used terms to
describe the mechanization of library activities using the computer.”
1.2 Concept of Library Automation

In 1930’s invention of punched card for circulation and acquisition was the first step of library
automation. Then in 1960’s libraries started using computers/low cost PC and in-house
software in the automation process of library services. Since then software are playing
pivotal role in library automation process. Pre-computer era (1950s), Stand-alone era

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(1960s), On-line system (1970s), Micro-computer era (1980s), Web era (1990s), Open era
(2000s) are the five eras of Library Automation.
First INSDOC, India in 1964 had first used computer for information documentation work
and initiated automation in India. Automation of library is majorly done by Library
Management Software (LMS) also called as Integrated Library System (ILS). ILS came in
2000’s. Apart from acquisition, circulation, cataloguing and serial control, OPAC ILM also
helps to shelf management, management of services. Selection of ILS in library is based on
the requirements of users and library staff librarian. User modules includes OPAC Access,
login of users, book suggestion, etc and Admin modules includes update and delete
members information, add and remove members accounts, cataloguing, administrative
work, etc are the modules provided by the ILS. Library can adopt automation in three ways
one is piecemeal approach - installation of only one module, planned installation
approach – installation of one module after another module. Fully integrated system –
implementation of ILS software for all library operations at once. SRW, SRU, MARC-XML,
NCIP, SoA, Z39.50, ISO – 2709 these are few standards use in ILS also ILS are using web
2.0 tools and techniques. Computer System with input and output devices, Software, Server,
Networking Device, Database trained staff, user’s education, maintenance and development
are basic requirements of library automation. Identify the resources available in library,
Planning and Selection of software according to needs, implementation, feedback,
customization and upgradation are main steps of any library automation.
Role of ILS in Library Automation (Mukhopadhyay, n.d.)

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1.3 Objectives of Library Automation

• To maintain bibliographical records of all the materials in a computerized form.
• To reduce the repetition in the technical processes of housekeeping operations.
• Easy storage, retrieval, and effective management of library resources.
• To save the time of users and library staff and provide quality service.
• To Improve the new library services to provide quality information.
• Development of resource sharing among the libraries.
1.4 Advantages of Library Automation

Mostly library’s daily activities are repetitive and automation helps to manage these activities
efficiently. Automation reduces human errors, avoid duplication and increases the accuracy
of the work. Improve the existing services and efficiently introduce new services. Automation
of housekeeping activities specially acquisition, cataloguing, classification and creating
bibliographies saves the time of professional staff; they can use this saved time for
productive work beneficial for the library development. Professional staff can provide users-
centric quality services within less time than traditional libraries. It helps to widely
disseminate the information services and sharing of resources among the libraries. Enable
to maintain a physical, human and financial resources. Users can easily search literature
and access library information at any time any place. It saves the time of users.
1.5 Factors affecting Library Automation
Library automation is time consuming process and maintenance is costly as it is totally
depended on electricity and networking. Choosing right hardware and software considering
every aspect of library is mandatory. Also, the retrospective conversion of data could be the
major factor. It is necessary to take time to time backup of data otherwise libraries have to
go through data loss. Initial implementation of automation programme is costly it is not
possible for all the libraries to invest in automation programme. For smooth running of
automation requirement of well trained and committed staff is necessary. Software get
updated according to the need of users and market requirements so it is required to train
the staff continuously. Management may not support library automation due to budget
constraints.
1.6 Example of Library Automation Software
Commercial ILS: Libsuite, LibSys, SOUL, SLIM21, etc.
Open source ILS: NewGenLib, Koha, OpenBiblio, etc.

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2. NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARY AUTOMATION IN PUBLIC AND ACADEMIC
LIBRARIES
There are several reasons for automating the public and academic libraries activities and
computerizing library services. Public libraries and academic libraries hold a vast information
and to manage that information automation is required in both types of libraries. Both type
of libraries develops, store, manage, and maintain the library resources. Allow users to have an
access of available resources. Main types of users in academic libraries are researchers,
students and teachers whereas public libraries serve to a large community of society from
children to old age people. And to efficiently maintain these activities automation is required.
Information explosion, the technology revolution, and rapidly increasing costs, are the major
factors for the need of library automation.
2.1 Growing Information
Growth of documents in every field especially in academic sector areas of Social Science,
Science, Technology in different types of resources in different formats are increasing daily.
Most academic and public libraries are mainly acquiring collection from these areas of
information. Both the libraries acquire electronic resources but mainly emphasis on physical
resources. Academic libraries acquire textbooks, research papers, manuals, reference
books, audio-visual material, etc. whereas public libraries acquire fiction, non-fiction, up to
some extent academic resources. And manually it is difficult to manage metadata of variety
of collection in different formats and it is impossible for uses also to go through each shelve
to find the relevant information. So, it necessitated for library automation. To have a control
over information collection, to manage and update the data effectively and accurately, library
automation is required in academic and public libraries.
2.2 Manage the library Constructively
Acquisition, circulation and serial control, cataloguing are the main operations in academic
and public libraries. Academic and public libraries have to select resources from different
vendors, need to negotiate for pricing, place the orders and receive the orders. Automation
in acquisition helps to reduce back logs orders, speed up acquiring process like ordering,
purchasing and billing, cancellation process, maintain record of ordered and acquired
materials this helps to avoid duplication and will helps in reordering same resource, manage
funds, maintain the accession record. Traditionally acquiring the resources in library is long
and time consuming process thus automation is required to do this process as quickly as
possible so that they can send acquired resources for the further processes like cataloguing
and classification. And make them available for circulation in the library.

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Cataloguing of the resources in academic and public libraries became easier due to
automation. Cataloguing module gives in detail information about any resource and allow to
provides external links. Helps to maintain bibliographic records. Through copy cataloguing
in MARC format, library professionals can import and export the records. Also, can do bulk
cataloguing at one time this saves the time of academic and public library’s professionals
they do not need to maintain card catalogues which acquire space in library. Users can
access this catalogue online that is called OPAC from anywhere anytime. OPAC allow users
to search effectively using advanced and simple search strategies. Automated circulation in
academic and public libraries became easier than traditional method. Automated services
like RFID technologies help users to self-checkout and self-issue, renew, claim the
resources online. Circulation in both the libraries is main part and automation helps to reduce
the professional’s work by easily sending overdue notices, can obtain various circulation
statistics, ILL also easy to maintain users account and circulation history, etc. Serial control
in both the libraries is very difficult task to manage but automation makes it easier. Public
library have limited computers so automation helps to functionalising.
Automation helping to manage the different types of records such as stock-verification,
accession, financial management and statistical reports of different services provided by
academic and public libraries. Records regarding stock helping to weeding out outdated
resources and maintain rare collection in the library.

2.3 Saves the time of professional and increase productivity
Due to automation of housekeeping services in both the libraries professional are getting
more opportunities and time to explore and develop the new services, also to keep update
themselves. Professional can effectively provide existing services such as user guide,
ready-reference services, long-range reference services, bibliographic service, referral
services, orientation, can increase inter-library loan and can effectively implement services
like CAS/SDI, RSS feeds, discovery services, creating other external databases union
catalogue etc. in academic libraries. And in public libraries professional can give more
emphasis on digital literacy of users and arrange different events and workshops. Improves
the synchronous and asynchronous communication with users.
2.4 To storing a data with great efficiency,
It is important to store an information in academic and public libraries about users, library
materials, administration for smooth functioning of libraries work. Automation helps to store
the data on cloud computing, server allow to take backup and store data due to network
problem, natural and man-made calamities. It reduces the chances of data loss and saves
the physical space.

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2.5 Resource sharing and access of data
Resources standardization because of automation helps academic and public libraries to
share their resources with other libraries at any time. Users do not have to worry about
library timings, ask professional’s help for retrieving information. Automation make it easy,
reliable and accurate for the users to access the information. They can access the
bibliographic details, indexing services of library holding on single platform anytime,
anywhere in the world. Can provide access to -resources.
2.6 Reduces cost of managing libraries
Automation reduces the cost of managing the academic and public library’s housekeeping
operations in low budget. Also, fewer staff is required to maintain library effectively so the
cost of managing human resources reduces. And use this cost for improving quality library
services.
Automation helps to meet specific needs of users and professionals in academic and public
libraries and increasing the number of users and avoid duplication of works. Automation
makes a traditional library a smart and sustainable library. Administration can set some
parameters for accessing library resources according to the types of users.
3. CONCLUSION

Library automation has become necessity of any library. Library automation helps to provide
reliable, accurate and fast services to the users. Helps to maintain and execute
administrative work more efficiently and faster than traditional libraries. Academic and public
libraries mainly benefited with this automation services and can save professionals time
because of automated housekeeping services. This saved time they use to provide more
efficient services to the users and motivate students to use the library. Automation is a boon
for library and Information profession.

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