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Volume 1, Issue 4, Apr 2017 Available at: www.dbpublications.org

International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

Status of public libraries automation


in assam: an evaluative study on some
selected district libraries of Dibrugarh,
Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar
district
Mrs. Rashmi Rekha Buragohain
Assistant Professor, Centre for Library and Information Science, Dibrugarh
University
e-mail- roshmighain90@rediffmail.com

Abstract: insufficient library staffs. So that


Public Libraries of are not able to
The present paper is based on the satisfy there users.
current status of the public
libraries in some selected District
Libraries of Assam. The
Keyword: Public Library,
tremendous development in
Information Communication
Information Communication
Technology, Library automation,
Technology and their application
in the libraries have opened a new 1. INTRODUCTION:
door for the libraries and users
alike. In the age of Information At present, the different
Technology, there is a large areas of Libraries and Information
change in the methods and Centers have undergone various
techniques of seeking the changes due to the advent of ICT.
information and way of Now a day the traditional services
information dissemination on the of library such as circulation,
other hand. The Public Library reference, acquision services have
System is a type of information been shifting towards digital form.
system which allows the With the implementation of
information seeker to use the digitization the libraries are able to
resources of its end user. But, fulfill the main objective of
unfortunately the public libraries libraries i.e. to create, store,
of Assam are not fully automated, process and dissemination of
due to the lack of efficient IT information at local, regional,
infrastructure as well as national, international level. It is

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IDL - International Digital Library Of
Management & Research
Volume 1, Issue 4, Apr 2017 Available at: www.dbpublications.org

International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

known that ICT enables to access economic background. In Assam,


digital information to anyone, the public libraries are being run
anywhere and anytime. Through under the Ministry of Culture. In
adopting ICT, the public libraries Assam different district
are also able to fulfill its main headquarters are known as district
objective i.e. free flow information libraries and under district libraries,
and knowledge at the doorstep of there are some sub divisional
the library. libraries as well as rural libraries
etc.

UNESCO defines Public


Library as "the local gateway to 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE
knowledge, provides a basic STUDY
condition for lifelong learning,
independent decision making and The objective of this is
cultural development of the study to examine how public
individual and social groups". [7] libraries are responding to the
challenges of library automation in
present days context. The major
The National Knowledge objectives of this study are as
Commission (NKC), of India follows:
which was constituted in June 2005
described libraries as gateways of 2.1. To study the present
knowledge and continued that a status of automation of some
"Library is not a building stacked selected public libraries of Assam
with books - it is a repository and
source of information and ideas, a 2.2. To study the challenges
place for learning and enquiry, and in the implementation of ICT based
for the generation of thought and operation and services in different
the creation of new knowledge. selected public libraries of Assam.
Public libraries in particular have
the potential to bridge the gap
between the 'information poor' and 3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
the 'information rich' by ensuring
that people from all sectors and The scope of the topic is
settings of society and the considered to be very significant in
community across India have easy the sense that implementation of
access to knowledge seeking". [6] automation in public libraries are
important for achieving the
objectives of public libraries. The
In the broader sense public scope of the study deals with the
libraries are those service providers present status and challenges of
which serve the general people as a public libraries automation in some
whole irrespective of their age, selected district libraries of Assam.
gender, profession and socio This study highlight the procedure,

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IDL - International Digital Library Of
Management & Research
Volume 1, Issue 4, Apr 2017 Available at: www.dbpublications.org

International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

techniques use, the drawbacks in Jorhat, Sivasagar. In this study


conducting library automation primary data has been collected by
libraries, special emphasis is given using survey method. A structured
on the District Libraries of collected questionnaire was
Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat and designed to satisfy the objectives of
Sivasagar District. the study which was distributed
among the library professionals in
all four district libraries. The
4. AREA OF STUDY investigator receives 100%
responses from the respondents.
There are many college Here secondary data has been
libraries in Assam but it is not collected from the journal articles
possible to cover all libraries for and internet sources.
study. Therefore some selected
public libraries of Dibrugarh,
Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar 7. NEED AND PURPOSES OF
District, Assam have been chosen PUBLIC LIBRARY
specially for this study. AUTOMATION:

With the introduction of


5. LIMITATION OF STUDY internet facilities, we can able to
search and access different types of
I have tried my best to information through website, social
collect data from the public networks as well as e mail etc.
libraries (District Libraries) with Now a day in every aspects of filed
the help of the librarian and also are shifting towards ICT based
the staff. I have found articles in services even the public libraries
certain journals and books which are not living far behind. In present
consist of information on my topic. the information seeking behavior
But it may not possible to study in of users have been changed, so that
detail and not possible to get a application of ICT should be
logical solution in a limited time. introduced in public libraries to
Actually it requires a broad study satisfy the need and requirement of
from the grass root levels, which the users and also to provide better
may not be sufficient to have such services to its users. It will help to
data visiting only four district access different types of important
libraries within a limited frame very easily with less effort.
period.

In the changing scenario,


6. METHODOLOGY librarians of public libraries have to
equip themselves with the newer
The study has been information technologies to
conducted on some selected district enhance their status and also to
libraries of Dibrugarh, Golaghat, help the users meeting their

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IDL - International Digital Library Of
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International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

information need. Also knowledge rural libraries, 1 branch library and


on IT is very much essential for one children library. [3]
librarian to give the right
information to the right user at the
right time. 9. DATA ANALYSIS AND
FINDINGS

8. PUBLIC LIBRARIES OF Analysis of data means


ASSAM: study of the tabulated material in
order to determine an inherent facet
The State of Assam, on meaning it involves breaking
situated in the north-east corner of down existing interpretation.
India, has its capital in Dispur,
Guwahati. It has 23 districts
covering an area of 78,438 sq km. In this paper, the analysis of
There is a State Library in data of the surveyed Public
Guwahati and District Libraries in libraries are represented in tabular
all the Districts. The eighth All form and diagram/figures
Assam Library Conference was whenever applicable.
held at Guwahati in 1964, and Dr
S. R. Ranganathan was invited to
the conference. In connection with
the conference Dr S. R.
Ranganathan prepared a draft of 9.1 Organizational status of
Public Library Bill for the State of surveyed libraries:
Assam. The conference discussed
the Bill at length and resolved to Taking into consideration
request the Government of Assam the implementation of library
to have a Public Library Act automation as the theme of survey,
enacted in order to integrate the the population taken for study
library service, already available in includes the college community
the State, and to develop a public .As such; the public libraries are
library system in the State. After aimed at collecting data for
the conference, the AssamLibrary analysis. Hence, the study is
Association referred this Bill to the undergone taking into account four
Government for consideration. selected public libraries of
Nothing has come of it as yet.[ 3 ] Sivasagar and Dibrugarh, Jorhat
and Golaghat. The general
information of that selected college
In Assam, there are 23nos. library is reflected in the tabulate
of District Libraries, 14 nos. of sub form as
divisional libraries and 204 nos. of
given below.

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International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

Table 9.1: Information about Public libraries

Sl. no. Name of the Libraries Yr. of Establishment


1 District library,Dibrugarh 1955
2. District library, Golaghat 1968
3. District Library, Jorhat 1955
4. District Library, Sivasagar 1968

From the above table, it is seen that the establishment year of District
Library of Dibrugarh and Jorhat are same as well as Golaghat and Sivsagar are
same.

Table: 9.2. Organisational Information of surveyed District libraries

Sl. Name of Name of Qualification Staff


no. the the
Libraries librarian Professional Non
Professional
1 District Joyshree B.Lib. 1 9
library, Devi
Dibrugarh

2. District Dr. Mehtab M.A.,M.Lib, 2 6


library, Hussain P.hd
Golaghat

3. District Subham M.A.,M.Lib 3 4


Library, Sharma
Jorhat

4. District Munindra B.Lib 2 6


Library, Nath Deka
Sivasagar

From the above table no. library of Dibrugarh, there are less
10.2 it is seen that in district library number of professional staff
of Jorhat have maximum number
of professional staff than other
three district libraries and in district

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IDL - International Digital Library Of
Management & Research
Volume 1, Issue 4, Apr 2017 Available at: www.dbpublications.org

International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

than other four district libraries. In librarian of surveyed District


the district library of Golaghat the Libraries.
qualification of the more than other

9.2. Status of Library implementation of ICT

Table-9.3: Library automation scenario in surveyed Public Libraries of


Assam

Name of the Libraries Computer Software Barcoding Internet Printers

1 District library,Dibrugarh 7 KOHA Nil Yes 4


2. District library, Golaghat 8 KOHA Nil Yes 3
3. District Library, Jorhat 6 KOHA Nil Yes 2
4. District Library, 9 KOHA Nil Yes 4
Sivasagar

Fig. 9.1: Library Automation Scenario in Surveyed Public Libraries of Assam

60

50

40

30 District library, Dibrugarh

20 District library, Golaghat


District Library, Jorhat
10
District Library, Sivasagar
0

The above table 9.3 (fig 9.1) systems, printers and other relevant
explain that most of the district infrastructure in library
libraries have in adequate computer automation. It is seen that all

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IDL - International Digital Library Of
Management & Research
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International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

surveyed libraries have more or that in the surveyed district


less computers and printer. The libraries, there have internet
surveyed district libraries have facility. It is also noticed from the
installed KOHA software with the above table that the barcode system
help of RRRLF. But it is only in a is not done in those libraries.
processing stage, where they only
enter the data of library sources, it
is not used for the work of 10. FINDIGS OF THE STUDY
circulation. In Sivasagar district
library the data entry is less than On the basis of study
other surveyed libraries, it only undertaken to fulfill the objective
happened due to the insufficient of study during the whole period
knowledge on KOHA Software by following are the finding drown
the library staff. KOHA software is upon:
no processing without internet, so

10.1. The present status of


the ICT infrastructure of all
libraries are depressive.

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IDL - International Digital Library Of
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International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

library automation and enact library


10.2. The libraries are serving the legislation. To the overall development of
public in traditional mode in the age of ICT, the public libraries especially in the field of
although they install KOHA Software but it library automation, there is a need to enact
only in a initial stage. public library act in Assam.

To solve the problem of public


10.3. There are insufficient library libraries some organization provides
staffs that have good knowledge on the financial support to libraries. In Assam,
practical field of KOHA there is a financial support from RRRLF for
the implement the automation in public
10.4. RRRLF does their best on the libraries. With the help of RRRLF the public
implementation of library automation in libraries of Assam are able to install and do
public libraries. But sometime, some of the their library services on KOHA Software.
staffs of public libraries are not so actively But it is not sufficient because though the
participant to do automation in public public libraries of Assam install KOHA
libraries. software but they are not able to work
properly because of the lack of training as
10.5. All surveyed public libraries well as insufficient library staff. So, proper
are not able to fully implement ICT in their training should be provided to run that
library systems because of shortage of staffs, software and also Government of Assam
inadequate infrastructure to support ICT and takes some steps for the improvement along
lack of training facilities for the existing with the implementation of automation in
library personnel. the public libraries of Assam.

10.6. There is a lack of library


legislation act in the state

11. SUGGESTION AND CONCLUSION:


References:
Now a day peoples are interested in
getting more and more information to meet 1. Barman, R.K., Thakuria, P.K. &
the solution of their problem along with Thakuria, G.C. (2013).
borrowing library documents which only
happen because of the advent of information Reformation of Public Library
technology. In order to fulfill the needs of System of Assam: New
the user, the implementation of automation
in public libraries is essential. But in Assam, Opportunities and Policies with
automatons in public libraries have to travel Reference to Few Libraries of
a long distance due to the willingness of the
state government to support the causes of

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Management & Research
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International e-Journal For Management And Research-2017

Assam . Retrieved 11 August 2016 Reference to North East India


from http://academia.edu.com. and Need for Revamping RRRLF
for the Development and
2. Despande, R. M., Rahagdale B.P. &
Modernization of Public Libraries
Bhoskar (2015). ICT Application.
Some Discussion. National
In Getting Started with Information
Seminar on Issue and Challenges
Technology (pp.1-13). New Delhi:
for the Development of Public
EssEss Publication.
Library in India, 31-37. Retrieve 14

3. Ministry of Culture (2014). Library August 2016 from

Scenario in India. National Mission http://researchgate.net/publication

Libraries. Retrieved 17 August


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2016from
www.knowledgecommission.gov.in
http://www.nml.india.nic.in
/downloads/documents/N

4. Singh, R. (2012). Status and Challenges of KC_Library.pdf (Accessed on

Public Libraries Automation in 04.08.2016).

Punjab. Retrieved 17 August


7.
2016from http://www.ijit.com.
www.unesco.org/webworld/libraries

5. Singha, K.M. (2014). Status of Public /manifestos/libraman.html

Libraries of Assam Special (Accessed on 04.08.2016)

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