lib automation

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STATUS OF AUTOMATION OF MEDICAL COLLEGE LIBRARIES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO

GAUHATI MEDICAL COLLEGE LIBRARY

PRESENTED BY MAYURI MEDHI

LAKSHMI CHETRIPALLAVI NEOG

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INTRODUCTION

In this era of information, a well-organized modern library is vital for any institution, whether it is an educational or research institution. Application of ICTs in the libraries has become a global phenomenon. To meet the ever-changing demand of information of the society, automation has become the need of the hour. Library automation not only improves the image of the library staff, but also provides additional services to the users with the existing staff in a more efficient way.

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Though initiatives for automation have already been taken in different region of India but only a few institutions have successfully completed the task. North East region is also not exception to this; rather it is in more pathetic condition. Yet there are exceptional libraries in this region also. One of such library is Central Library, Gauhati Medical College. In this paper the status of automation of this particular library is highlighted

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AIMS OF THE STUDY

To know about the collection of the Gauhati Medical College LibraryTo know about the automation status of the library.To know about the different services and facilities provided by the Gauhati Medical College Library.To Study about the future planning of Gauhati Medical College Library.

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SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study was based on Gauhati Medical College Library. Since there are seven medical libraries in Assam, but the Gauhati Medical College Library was selected as the area of study as because among all the libraries only GMC library is fully automated. Therefore the study is concentrated in this library only.

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METHODOLOGY

In order to understand the automation status of Medical College Libraries of Assam, the Gauhati Medical College Library was taken as a sample. A questionnaire-based study was conducted. Comprehending the importance of the library the authors personally went to the respective library to collect the data.

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LIBRARY AUTOMATION

Library automation may be defines in simple sense as a process of mechanization of library operations which are of a routine and repetitive nature. This covers usually house keeping operations. Such as acquisitions, serial control, cataloguing, circulation, references and administration. We may also say that computerization of all library operation is known as library automation.

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DIFFERENT SOFTWARE PACKAGES FOR LIBRARY AUTOMATION

The automation of libraries have becomes a very important task of today for effective resource sharing among libraries. Thus there is a need of good hardware and software which libraries can use for automating their day to day functions, creating database of their holding and providing access to the users online. In India many software are available for these activities and many libraries have automated their various functions. Among the available software some of the important commercially available & open source software/free software’s are presented under the table,

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Commercial Software Packages

Sl. No. PackageDeveloper with

place

Standalone/ Networ

kingO/S Server

i) CDS/ISISUNESCO, New

DelhiStandalone Window 98/ NT --

ii) LIBSYSLibsys Co., New

Delhi

Standalone/ Networ

king

Window/ UNIX/ LINUX

ORACLE

iii) SOULINFLIBNET,

Ahmedabad

Standalone/ Networ

kingWindow XP/ NT MSSQL/ MYSQL

iv) SANJAY DESIDOC, Delhi Standalone MS DOS --

v) MAITRAYEE CMC, CalcuttaStandalone/

Networking

UNIX INGRES

vi) DELSIS DELNET, DelhiStandalone/

Networking

UNIX --

vii) SLIM++Alogorhythms

Co., Bombay

Standalone/ Networ

king

Window/ UNIX/ LINUX

ORACLE

viii) LIBSUITESoftaid Computer

Pvt. Ltd., Pune

Standalone/ Networ

king

Window/ LINUX

ORACLE

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Open Source/Free Software

Sl.NoPackage

Developer with place

Standalone/ Networking

O/S Server

i) KOHA

Katipo Communicati

on, New Zealand


Window/ LINUX

Apachee

ii) D-SPACEMIT Library &

Hewlet Packard


UNIXMYSQL/

ORACLE

iii) GSDL

Waikato university,

New- Zealand


Window/ UNIX Apachee

iv) E-Granthalaya NIC, New DelhiStandalone/

NetworkingWindow XP MSQQL

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SI. No. Name of the Library Year of Establishment Software Used

1. Assam Medical College,Dibrugarh 1947 -

2. Assam Govt. Ayurvedic College, Kamrup Guwahati

1948 -

3. Gauhati Medical College,Guwahati 1962 KOHA

4. Silchar Medical College,Silchar 1968 CDS/ISIS

5. Swahid Jadavnath Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College,Panjabari,Guwahati

1976 -

6. Jorhat Medical College,Jorhat 2009 -

7. Barpeta Medical College,Barpeta 2011 -

MEDICAL COLLEGE LIBRARIES OF ASSAM

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CENTRAL LIBRARY, GAUHATI MEDICAL COLLEGE

The Central Library, Gauhati Medical College was established in 1962. This is a well-equipped library with all the modern infrastructural facilities.

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LIBRARY COLLECTION

Sl No Type of collection Total

i) Printed

Books 25650

Periodicals 30 (Indian)

Back Volumes 17,000

Thesis, Dissertation, Project Report

Nil

ii) Electronic

Online Journals( ERMED Consortium )

3000 +

CDs, Floppy, audio/ video cassettes etc.

Available

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MANPOWER

Sl No Category Total

i) Professionals 1

ii) Non Professionals 4

iii) Others 2

Total Staff 6

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LIBRARY AUTOMATION

i) Software usedKOHA

ii)Year of Automation 2008

STATUS OF AUTOMATION

Total Records Records entered in database

25,650 16,000 +

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AREAS AUTOMATED

Gauhati Medical College Library has automated their Acquisition, Circulation, and Cataloguing areas.

LIST OF HARDWARE USED IN THE LIBRARY

Sl No.Item Available

i) PCs Yes

ii) Printer Yes

iii) Scanner Yes

iv) Bar-code Scanner Yes

v) UPS Yes

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SERVICES OF THE LIBRARY

Following are the services available in the Library

Circulation Service

Reference Service

OPAC

Internet Browsing Facility

CD ROM Search Service

Photocopying Service

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FUTURE PLAN

Gauhati Medical College Library has digitized their documents to build a Digital Library by using Green Stone Digital Library Software. Digitization process is on progress.

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SUGGESTIONS

Adequate training (such as ICT application) should be given to library staff and sufficient qualified staff should be employed to this library.

Government should provide adequate financial assistance to the medical college libraries so that they can very soon computerize their library.

Inadequate management support. Therefore proper steps should be taken from the State Government.

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CONCLUSION

From the above discussion it is seen that Gauhati Medical College Library is providing excellent service to its users. Yet there are provisions to extend its services to make it a better one. Effective use of ICT improves the status of library and its services most efficiently. Therefore it is the right time for the medical college library to wake up and gear up to meet the challenges of digital environment.

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