Replies to This Forum

Permalink Reply by Munesh Kumar on December 20, 2017 at 18:11

Dear Madam,

Are you from any firm serving to libraries for their development or a library professional like us?. I would say in India, Libraries are being transformed slowly from Manual to automated. Currently, RFID is a set goal, to be achieved by libraries. RFID is seen only in the bigger libraries with adquate(huge) budget and obviously in needy library. Partially, almost all the libraries are being covered under the tag of automation. Deciding the level of automation would be little a bit difficult without a parameter.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rashmi Mehta on December 21, 2017 at 20:06

Dear Mukeshji,

Thankyou for your reply.

 I head an Organization which is in the field of Library Automation and have implemented both Barcode and RFID solutions in many small, medium and large libraries over the past 20 years.. The reason I raised this issue was because even though we have automated a few libraries with RFID (most are using Barcodes), I have noticed a hesitation in using RFID. While cost is an issue on their minds ( although tag rates have drastically reduced), the fear of technology is a bigger deterrent.  The truth is just the opposite -RFID technology is very easy to install and maintain- but the benefits are huge in terms of ease of functioning- both for the Librarian and the patrons, accuracy and speed . So I feel that the Librarians should have a role in deciding the level of automation in their library.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Munesh Kumar on December 21, 2017 at 22:57

Thank You.

Regards,

MUNESH

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by AMIT CHAKRABORTY on December 21, 2017 at 3:16

Now a days there are many upcoming upgraded software but the use and applicte is quite less due to lack of skilled trained resource person and less time. Further taking about RFID Technology which also quite expensive and not easily available to perform the task without skilled librarian. Tere are many number of institutes whose do not have proper thought and ideas to this technology. So considering upon this fact, it cannot be denied that this rfid use of technology is of great use to deliver and dessiminate the information at the quickest level but lack of authority awarneess forming a dark fissures of hole within the system of library.

With regards 

AMIT CHAKRABORTY.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rashmi Mehta on December 25, 2017 at 23:20

Dear Mr.Chakraborty, RFID training is to be provided by the implementer. It does not involve any skills but processes.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on December 21, 2017 at 21:18

Dear Ms. Mehta,

I have gone through your post and the discourses following it.

It is a open fact that  unless there are Written & Official provisions, in most institutes Libraries are treated as a place for issue & return of books & not beyond that.

There is no denying however, that many academic Libraries, specially the UG College Libraries mostly do not do beyond that. Certainly they get Pay Scales but mentally & Culturally never treated at par with the Teachers; neither from the Teaching nor from the Non-Teaching Communities of a College. As such, installing RFID & BAR Codes for books are distant dreams unless they are made mandatory by the Accreditation Agencies.Never-the-less, their functional requirements for these technologies can not be established.

That is why when budget is curtailed for Govt. Institutes, Libraries become the first target. There are very few exceptions though, [specially like Libraries in Social Science Institutes because there Libraries takes the dual roles of both of a Laboratory as well as a Library].

Besides, with the advent of E-Books & E- Journals, the printed collections in newly established Libraries, specially those attached to Non-Govt. Organizations, Libraries are perceived as the place for "expenditure only"  while the real idea behind establishing such institutions is money making in most cases. For them spending Additionally for BAR CODE & RFID is beyond question!!

Now coming into the context of Technology, RFID & BAR Code are not at all "Rocket Science" as such!! As I handled them, they are quite easy as one gets accustomed with it ; but to release additional Rs. 10-15 Lakhs out of extremely tight budget often become virtually impossible for many small/middle sized institutes. Besides, if special allocations are made available, they are siphoned to other heads of more popular interests!!  Personally speaking, I know of more than one Organizations where Library grants were utilized for other purpose!!

Besides, as a Company, you will always plead that it will enable to function effectively with lesser number of staff but I am afraid, there are many organizations who tend to curtail even the minimum required staff and as the Librarians do not concede to their proposal, the entire issue gets cancelled.

I hope I could explain the issue from ground reality.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rashmi Mehta on December 21, 2017 at 23:00

Thank you Mr.Ray,

,
This is a very informative post. You are right when you say that the policies of the Government/Institute define the motivation/de-motivation behind the face the Library presents to its patrons. This could also explain why many libraries one visits often seem dull and non-exciting- even though they may have treasures hidden in the rows of shelves. But to put it in very simplistic terms, unless a Library markets its products well the footfall is bound to be low- whether we talk of a School, College, Public Library, Institute Library. Merely spending on purchase of books on and off does not increase foot fall. The world is changing and Libraries have to ensure that they keep up with the times. While a Library can undertake all the required functions manually also, it does nothing to motivate a reluctant patron to visit it.

So a lot needs to be done to make a Library catch eyeballs and raise its value. Efficiency and quick service to patrons, easy access to library resources, convenience, a good layout are some of the crowd pullers. Introducing cutting-edge information technology systems in library services, which shows professionalism, will be one of the attraction. For this to happen- you are right a Library has to be given its due importance.

As to the point where you have mentioned that by introducing AIDC Technology staff requirement would be reduced I would like to mention that this was the same fear when PC's were being introduced in Organizations. But bringing in efficiency tools only enhances the quality of work and output of the same staff - especially if short staffed. So if we look at the benefits which can be expected when RFID/Barcodes are introduced in a Library , it would go something like this: get a regular, quick update on the Library resources; reduce losses of resources due to frequent physical verification, locate mis-shelved books quickly, spend less time on manual work and increase face to face interaction with patrons, make a library more interactive - not us and them!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on December 22, 2017 at 2:30

Dear Ms. Mehta,

Thanks for your patience to read through my rather lengthy response and  for clarifying certain points from your points of views. Being a person of old generation, my heart lies with print materials but as a professional, my head certainly embraces the technology for convenience.  I just add my personal views& experience on some of the points you have mentioned:

(1) Regarding your comments on Computerization & fear of Stuff Crunch, The number of Library Staff in the top rated Scientific Research Institutes in Kolkata  have been significantly diminished. As for example, earlier, to look after 350 Print journal subscription, 3 professionals were required. Today, with one PC and a Scanner cum Printer and internet access, just one individual can look after 05 databases comprising 95,000+ online journals. Technology certainly made things easily available and made error free retrieval but it has fast eroded the academic flavour of the profession.

(2) Another thing I beg to differ from you and that is influence of ambience to foot falls. I have no hesitation to admit that ambience attracts but for a short span of time. The serious readers always go for resources. 

I am sorry to differ from you but I still believe upon printed materials and whole heartedly support Gulzar Saab's comment "...Kitaben Girne- Uthane me Ristain Bon Jatey Thhe"

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rashmi Mehta on December 25, 2017 at 23:14

Dear Mr.Ray, Like you I am positively for print material. The fragrance of a book, the feel of  crisp paper, the delight of carrying a book- far outweighs anything online.  Bringing in Technology like Barcode/RFID works only if there is printed material. But if you have noticed, popular book stores have a coffee shop inside- so drink coffee on a comfortable chair while you read a book. A person can spend many a happy hours there. So why can't a Library offer comfort, a bright cheerful ambience, better service from the Library Staff ( already understaffed and weighed down by the work load) , quicker search, ease of use and self help?This would bring cheer to the serious reader but also bring in the fence sitters. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on January 8, 2018 at 18:19

Dear Ms. Mehta,

Thanks for your post. Before continuing, I convey you belated New Year's Greetings and  wish you a very vibrant year ahead.

There is no denying that ambience does matter. So also the housekeeping systems & procedures. My point was which one is more crucial, the collection or the ambience. As I elapsed  a significant period of my life working "On the other side of the Counter" I have gathered certain feedback and my opinions are based upon them.

Thank you once again for raising a vibrant issue for discussion.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Munesh Kumar on December 21, 2017 at 23:10

Enlightening remarks Sir.

I have seen the institutions having RFID are getting multiple errors; from my personal experience I can say that the commerical software is more fragile than the OPEN. Company people never admit the weakness of the their system. 

I would insist, "instead of investing huge money on facilities we should grow the collection".

In private universities even in central as well, authority don't think to develop the library collection they focus on modreninsing the campus. Mostly people, talk about the technology to be higned in the facilitirarelyely people talk about the wisdom resource.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on December 22, 2017 at 2:08

Thanks Munesh,

As a professional you can well understand the prevailing situation. It is a bare fact that if the users' needs are intense & genuine, it is the resource that counts. I am citing two examples from my personal experience. 1. in the mid 80's when I worked as head of  the Library of a National Research Lab of ICMR. In those days all were Print and subscribed journals were sent through "Surface Mail" and  used to take at least 6-8 weeks to arrive in the Library. The two Foreign Diplomatic Mission Libraries used to subscribe come flagship Medical Journals (of their own Country only) through Air Mail and they used to arrive by 2 to 3 weeks. Most of the Top Medical Doctors of Calcutta had been members to those Libraries for those important Weekly Medical journals. In 1985, in our institute we started to subscribe BMJ, Lancet, Nature, Science, JAMA,, NEJM & Annals of Internal Medicine through Air Mail. and informed the local Medical Colleges about this.  Within next three months, majority of those Doctors thronged to our Library though we did not have so fine seating arrangements, No ACs and other excellent ambience like the Libraries of the Diplomatic Mission Libraries. And as they learnt from me that we shall continue this Air Mail Subscription, they discontinued their membership. 

The other is a tale of 1998-'99 when I U-Turned from Medical Librarianship and joined an ICSSR Institute. The Library was best of its kind in the region of Eatern/NE India and at that time located in a dwelling house. However, the collection was  (& still is) excellent & service was satisfactory. I used to see the researchers  used to squeezed & cluster around rickety tables in the small rooms used as "Reading Rooms" even scholars from abroad (& they were of good numbers) were no exceptions!! They were serious scholars and they had need to get the materials.  Incidentally, we had started to acquire e-materials and became a full depository Library of the World Bank Group. As we shifted to our spacious new Campus, we had to acquire two more photocopy machines to cater to the users which increased 3 folds by the year 2000-2001 and incidentally, during those days,the place was remotely located and not conveniently connected to down-town Calcutta. Because of the then Director, the number of new acquisition for the next five years surpassed the total collection of past 25 Years!!

I have mentioned this to highlight that ultimately "it is collection that counts"  As of today, one of the most prestigious Diplomatic Mission Library which was once the must for doing higher academic studies specially in non-Scientific subjects and nearly 70% of such students of P.G. Level & above were paid members, has lost both the intellectual glamour and academic weightage with changed collection development policy. Admittedly, it might have increased number of members by introducing lending of DVDs and remote access to electronic resources but qualitatively it suffered a great downfall and more importantly, the academic flavour of the profession is curbed to a great extent.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page