In order to realise fully the potential benefits of electronic information

Transcription

1 3.0. Electronic Information Services In order to realise fully the potential benefits of electronic information services (EISs), information managers need to understand the overall context of developing a EIS where maximum use is made out of electronically held information. While number of library/information managers have become experts in building and stocking virtual libraries, there are many who are not directly involved in this work but can see considerable potential value if it could be adapted to their own situation. Recent research suggests that there is still very little real guidance specially aimed at the LIS practitioner in business and other workplace environments is available in introducing and managing a complete EIS Concept of Electronic Information Services Over the past so many years, information services have made increasing use of computers. Electronic services allow to: Enhance the service given to customers Cut down on repetitive works Maximize the stock available by holding information and documents in electronic forms. Digital information and corresponding technology holds out many tempting possibilities. But to realise the benefits fully one should understand the overall context of developing a totally electronic information service. Electronic information service defines as one where maximum use is made of electronically 55

2 held information. Establishing an electronic information service from scratch may be easier in converting from a traditional paper based service. Depending on the main subject area in which the Library and Information Service is operating, the following list suggests some of those choices: Computer software CD-ROM s Electronic Journals Multimedia products Image collections Electronic Books Encyclopedias in electronic form Reference materials in electronic form Daily news in electronic form Scientific, technical and medical information Scope To establish a successful Electronic Information Service, it is essential that one should define the scope of the service. This will require strategic planning, including an information audit of needs of the readers, which will require consultation with readers, both current and potential Aspects of building an Electronic Information Service. One must have a clear understanding of the positive and negative issues in establishing an Electronic Information Service. 56

3 Positives Better access to a wider range of information Potential to provide better value for money, e.g. by entering into consortium buying agreements for e-services (although overall costs may be higher) Better use of staff time Less time spent on housekeeping manual sources Potential to provide all time access without having to have large numbers of staff present Total stock access without any risk of losing physical documents. Potential to reduce or eliminate multiple purchases where electronic access is possible Negatives Costs investment in technology and other start-up costs. Staff may not have the necessary negotiating skills to get maximum benefits from agreements. Staff may require additional skills to be able to perform their duties Users also may not have the basic technological skills to be able to get maximum benefits from an electronic information service as using a computer is less intuitive than reading a book. 57

4 3.3. Requirements for Electronic Information Service The final shape of the Electronic Information Service will depend on the requirements that are established. Although, one has to have a good idea of the subject information requirements, the users will need some help in identifying how their needs can be met from electronic sources. A checklist of available services drawn from up-to-date monitoring of the e-publishing industry will help users to identify their information requirements, and to assess the services that potentially match them. A checklist such as the one that follows overleaf will prompt users to identify their needs from the range of available services that are offered. It requires amending it to suit to ones own situation and requirements. Our users may well be our biggest helpers in managing change with their ideas and comments. Take note of what they say and share their positive thinking if it needs to convince others. There is an impression that enthusiasm for electronic services declines as the age of the user increases. But this has nothing to do with age as some older people have embraced electronic systems, while many others (of all ages) will avoid using such systems and services at all costs. Often it emerges that potential uses have no real idea of their aptitude for using information. The Library & information science subject should be more than ready to offer training as part of winning people over, making them competent and efficient in their work. 58

5 3.4. Services in Special Libraries The following are the services offered in Special Libraries: Reference Service Reference service can be defined as a way of establishing contact between a user and his/her document in a personal way. According to Dr.S.R.Ranganathan, it is a contact between the right reader and the right book at the right time and in the right personal way. Providing of information using reference books in response to specific queries of the users. Giving instructions in the use of information and guidance in the choice of documents. Giving referral service for inquires of the users, etc. Current Awareness Service (CAS) CAS is a service to make the users aware of the availability of recent publications. It can be defined as a device of information system through which the users of information promptly, as soon as possible after publication but before absorption into the comprehensive secondary sources, of current literature on a broad subject field or on an area in which a group of persons are interested. In the context of library the time limit should be after the receipt of the publications but well before the receipt of secondary publications containing them. CAS can be a list of journal titles or contents of periodicals or a list of newly arrived documents. The libraries announce regularly the list of new additions of books, list of periodicals and current contents of periodicals to provide this 59

6 service. These lists contain recent arrivals of books and periodicals. This facilitates to draw the attention of users in the latest information. Electronic Information Services Internet, , e-journals, e-books, CD-ROM/DVD Databases etc. It allows the users to access Internet and get the relevant information of their interest. It also allows to communicate with others by providing access to . If users are familiar with Internet then they can be allowed to access Internet. Otherwise library staff helps them to get what they want. In the Internet access services users also can access e- journals. CD-ROM/DVD is a high capacity storage media, which is widely used in libraries due to its various advantages. Different abstracting and indexing journals are now available on CD-ROM, for example LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts), ISA (Indian Science Abstracts), etc. The libraries those have infrastructure to use CD- ROM/DVD provide this service to the users. It is a way of providing bibliographic services using CD-ROM/DVD. Another reason of libraries using CD-ROM/DVDs is that some documents are available in the same media and to give access to those books libraries provide CD-ROM service. 60

7 Online Catalogues/Online Public Access Catalogue An online public access catalog or OPAC is a computerized online catalog of the materials held in a library, or library system. The library staff and the public can usually access it at computers within the library, or from home via the Internet. OPACs are often part of an integrated library system. In its most simple form, a library's OPAC could consist of nothing more than a simple index of the bibliographic data cataloged in the system. Most integrated library systems offer a browser-based OPAC module as a standard capability or optional feature. Online Resources Sources such as databases and WWW sites that are available through a network or through the Internet. Library purchases subscriptions to various on-line resources that allow library users to look up information in databases. Audio/Video facility Audio-Visual Facility is organized for the benefit of end users. In addition to this, access to important DVDs is made available through CDServer, at the specific requests made by the users, for enabling them to view it on their desktops. 61

8 Inter Library Loan Services Inter-Library Loan refers to request for a document not available in a library. Whatever might be the nature of library, but it should take the advantage of borrowing books from other libraries. It may include the name of libraries from which the library can acquire materials on loan along with the libraries that are allowed to take materials on loan Selective Dissemination of Information SDI is an alerting service, which informs the users that some documents are available in the library, which may fulfill their requirements. H.P.Luhn, who first gave the concept of SDI service, defines it as The SDI is that service within an organization which concerns itself with the channeling of new items of information, from whatever source, to those points within the organization where the probability of usefulness, in connection with current work of interests. Newspaper Clippings Library subscribes to all well known news papers and also provides Newspaper Clippings services, it includes cutting of the important articles, issues published in newspapers and make it available according to date or alphabetical order, in this present electronic environment, libraries also provide the same information through their network by scanning each and every important articles, issues etc. 62

9 Reprographic service The art and method of document reproduction broadly defined as Reprographic methods have come to stay as a basic necessity in every aspect of modern life, more so in the field of communication and dissemination of information. The information about cost per copy and the materials, which can be photocopied (free from copyright act), etc. are some of the information provided in this section. List of new arrivals List of new arrivals is compiled every week or may be fortnightly and distributed over the net in addition to a print version. While all bibliographic information is added, in some cases a hyper-link to the cover pages (scanned Image) is also provided to the end user. Current Periodicals List Current List of Periodicals is compiled every year and distributed over the net in addition to a print version. While all bibliographic information is added, a hyper-link to the publishers site is also provided to the end-user. Now a days, many publishers are providing access to their online version of their journals, if the print version is subscribed. Accordingly, the user can access the online version of the periodical to the level allowed by the publisher. While the subscription is for full text, full content is made available to the user. 63

10 Circulation Services (Issues, Returns, Reservation, No dues etc) Circulation services include issuing and returning of books. A suitable method is selected for this purpose. This section involves the borrowing policy of libraries. It gives information about who are the bonafied users of the library, what is the procedure to be followed to become a bonafied user. It also informs, what are the materials are allowed for issuing, what is the procedure to be followed to reserve a book. It may include the number of users, type of users, for example, faculties, research scholars, staff etc. The duration of lending is another factor, which can be included in this section. The types of material to be allowed for lending can also be included in this section. Translation Service The literature is available in different languages other than English. But the users are familiar with one or two languages. So, the literature available in other languages are unknown to the users. To make available the non-english literature to the users, special libraries provide translation services. Bibliographic Service A bibliography is an organized list of primary or other sources relating to a given subject or person. It is usually arranged alphabetically by author or chronologically or by topic-wise. 64

11 Document Delivery Service In this service either the original document or its copies or translations are delivered to the users on demand. In this age of technology, the form of Document Delivery Service has changed. The document is supplied or delivered in electronic form to the users. The electronic Document Delivery Service prevents the delay of supplying a document and gives immediate access to information. It involves the procedure to be followed to get this service for research purpose. It may also include a form for requesting a book, a journal, or a chapter of a book, to use the Document Delivery Service 65