Indian Journal of Science Analysis

International Weekly Journal for Science

ISSN 2319 – 7730 EISSN 2319 – 7749
© 2015 Discovery Publication. All Rights Reserved

Use of ICT and best practices for Tumkur university

library: a study
Publication History
Received: 12 August 2015
Accepted: 5 September 2015
Published: 28 October 2015

Citation
Kumara B, Ravivenkat B. Use of ICT and best practices for Tumkur university library: a study. Indian Journal of Science, 2015, 21(74),
622-628

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 USE OF ICT AND BEST PRACTICES FOR TUMKUR UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: A STUDY

Kumara B.* Assistant Librarian, University Library, Tumkur University, Tumkur – 572 103
E-Mail:kbsktut@gmail.com

Ravivenkat B. ** Deputy Librarian, University Library, Tumkur University, Tumkur – 572 103
E-Mail:basralravi@gmail.com

Abstract

This paper examines the initiative taken by the Academic Library(Tumkur University Library) by
taking clue from the NAAC policy on adopting best practice in the Library. The Library has created learning
space for the social backward students through competitive corner for preparing competitive exams. Local
philanthropy persons have donated their valuable collection to the library which has helped to create a good
collection of literature. The library has conducted quiz program, best library user award and reading circle to
have dialogues with local authors, intellectuals for the students in related to new released books/added books
in the Library. A blended amalgamation of ICT and traditional users’ service has helped to create brand in
the district and the public are also keen to utilize the services offered by the Library.

Keywords: Tumkur University, Library, ICT, User Services.

1. INTRODUCTION:
The developments and changes in the ICT have changed the user's expectations from the academic libraries in
different ways (NAAC-2006).The mission of academic and research librarians is to enable teaching, learning, and
research(Bischoff, et.al. 2012).In the present day scenario the fast paced educational innovations become necessary for
continuous review and improvement of the overall functions of the library and information centers. In the present age of
information explosion the libraries and information resource center play not just an important learning-support function,
but the library itself has been emerging as a site of learning, sometimes more important than even the class room
(Umesh, 2012).
Academic and research libraries have always sought publicity of a certain kind in order to introduce
themselves, their services, and their valuable holdings to potential students, scholars, and others, as well as to attract
donors of materials and to assure administrators and funders of their fidelity to mission. Just as libraries have chosen in
the past to display their holdings through on-site exhibitions, or through in-house publications ranging from simple
newsletters to glossy magazines, they now use the Internet as a tool for making themselves known (Bischoff, et.al.
2012).

2. ABOUT TUMKUR UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

The Central Library of the University is located in the Dr. V.S. Acharya Memorial Block is well organized. It
has about39731 books and 33 Journals. There is book bank facility for the benefit of students, books purchased from
Special Component Plan and Tribal Special Plan Grant.A Bibliographic (holding) list is available to know about the
documents. Library is providing reprography services which are helping for the users to get the photocopy of the
required information. Library has computers with internet connectivity. There is subject wise list of CDs which can be
accessed by using the computers. It also provides internet facility to the staff. The library has subscription for journals
and magazines, newspapers. Reading room facility is available, which is help for the users to know about the Local,
regional and national news.11
3. TUMKUR UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ACCESS

 Library has Good Collection of Books and Journals, documents are well organized by following Library
Classification (Dewey decimal classification) latest. This arrangement has helped organization of information
in a systematic way and has helped users to locate documents easily.
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 Library provides open access facilities which help easy access and use of library as a Learning Resource.
 Library is following open access system, where the books from the stock section are borrowed by the
faculty and students. The circulation counter updates day to day borrowing and returning of the books and
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statistics are maintained.

 Reader’s guidance and Ready reference service is provided to users.
  Library Staff help the users in their literature search Regular watch and ward security staff monitor the
proper control over the safety of library materials.11
4. ICT AND BEST PRACTICES OF THE TUMKUR UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
In order to be able to provide world class services to the users, the library adopts processes and practices that are
not only considered to be the best but are comparable with the best in the market. An attempt is being made here to
discuss and disseminate these processes and practices for the benefit of other libraries under following categories
(Jotwani, 2008).
4.1. LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
The Library collection consists of Books (including text books, dictionaries, encyclopedia, competitive books,
gazetteers, epigraphs, and year books), Periodicals, Project Reports, CD Rom/DVDs, Audio cassette, past and present
question papers. The university collections cater to the needs of UG, PG and research students, staff and other stake
holders. Thus library collection addresses the needs for teaching –learning, research, reference, hobby reading, and
preparation of project proposals, reports, and competitive examination through its vast collection. The library collection
is quite systematic and procurements are made only on the recommendations of the different departments.11
Table-1: Details of Availability of Resources in the Library
SL.NO NAME OF THE RESOURCES AS ON MAY 2015
1 Books 30,132
2 Donated Books 4700
3 SC/ST Book Bank 734
4 SCP/TSP Book Bank 4165
5 Journals 33
6 Project Reports 730
7 CD Rom/DVD’s 183
8 Audio-Visual 23
9 Newspapers 18
10 Magazines 21
Source: Library Accession Register

4.2. INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE LIBRARY

 Library is provided with computers of latest version with DVD drive, compatible for web browsing
and automation purpose.
 Library is provided with WI-FI Internet connectivity extensively used by the library staff, and
faculty. It also has a CD-ROM facility.
 Library is having reprographic facility with multi copy photocopying machine and catering for the
photocopying purpose for faculty and official work.11

4.3. COMPUTERISATION OF LIBRARY SERVICES

a. Library Automation
For computerization KOHA Open Source software supported by OSS Labs has been procured for automating in-
house activities and services of the library. Tumkur University Library as a means to acquire, store, transmit, retrieve
and process information for its students and staff. The library holds the details of more than 39731books and serves the
teaching, non-teaching staff and students.The Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) will be made available to the
users to identify the status of availability of documents in the library5(Kumara &Ravivenkat, 2013). 624
Page
 Figure-1: Home page of Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC)

b. Digital library:
With the Techfocuz 4.0 digital library software Tumkur University Library has initiated various digital library
services to cater the needs of itsfaculty members, students and research scholars and to other external organizations and
institutions partnering with Tumkur University on digital library project. Techfocuz 4.0 Digital Librarysoftwareis
installed in the Library, we uploaded, E-Books, E-Journals, Students Dissertations, Faculty Research papers and Old
questions papers etc.

Figure -2: Tumkur Digital Library homepage

c. Institutional Repository
Tumkur University Library undertook initiatives to transform the traditional library into a digital library.
University Library started the IR project with the help of the open source software, DSpace; the system is designed to
run on the UNIX platform. University Library encourages its faculties to put their research data as well as other useful
information to enrich the system. Institutional Repository is the digital archive of the research output of our faculties.
This knowledge base covers, books, journal articles, conference papers, Conference proceedings, technical reports,
presentation/lectures, students project reports, preprints, images etc. One can browse the documents by author, division,
subject, date and document type. Both simple and advanced search facilities have been provided4 (Kumara &
Ravivenkat, 2013).
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 Figure -3: Institutional Repository portal

d. Library Portal or home page linked to various e-resources (gateway):

Library websites have become extremely important modes of access for library patrons, and most temporary
physical exhibitions now have permanent virtual counterparts. The Library Portal is a gateway to its resources and
services. The purpose of an information gateway of this type is to help users discover high quality, relevant web-based
information quickly and effectively. The portal besides providing information about the staff, collection and services,
and provides direct link to e-resources on publishers’ site (Jotwani, 2008).

Figure -4: Home page of Tumkur University Library

Library connected some of the E- Resources links directly in the University website (on Campus
use only) include:
 Britannica Online Academic Edition Trial Access
 1
 Sage Research Methods-Trial Access
 Access to e-resources – American Institute of Physics
 Access to jstor.org,
 plants.jstor.org,
 aluka.org
 indiastat.com E-database
 The Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID)
 TrialAccess to NewYork reviewof books (Humanitiesand Social Science)(on Campus only)
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 J-Gate CustomContent for Consortium(JCCC) (on Campus only)

 Access to EmeraldLIS e-collection(on Campus only)
 Access to American Chemical Society Journals through UGC-INFONET Digital library Consortium
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 Access to Springer Journals

5. EXTENT OF THE USE OF SERVICES
5.1. Organised User Awareness Programs:
User Education/Orientation Programme is a part of the Dissemination of Information the Library. To inculcate
reading habits among newly joined students and User Education Programs/Orientation programs are conducting
yearly to introduce about the library collections, services and facilities of the library.

5.2. Organized National Library Week (14th Nov to 20th):

Our University library celebrated the National Library week in every year. Various programmes were conducted
in connection with celebration.
5.3. Quiz Programme for Students.
Younger generations are more exposed to the media than the predecessors and they are motivated when they find
opportunity to participate in the types of programme which are popular in the media. By taking this into account and to
bring awareness about the library and library related activities the University Library made a unique program for the
Post-graduate students (excluding Library and Information Students) on conducting quiz program on Library Science.
Three participants from each department were represented for the preliminary round (objective type) those who get
through the objective with highest marks were selected for the final round by taking into the ratio of the depts.
participated. Finally two team from humanities streamwere selected and program came out in a professional manner
both participants and the audience enjoyed this program and the outcome was that it gave more awareness about the
library science.

To inculcate reading habits in young generation, promoting reading and creating awareness among the
students and staff on the latest books available in their subjects every year Library conducts book exhibition. A set of
reputed book publishers and distributors are invited to display the recent books in the exhibition. Book selection process
is possible for the faculty members and the students are interested to buy books for their information needs1. The motive
behind is to bring awareness among the students on the latest books available in their subjects as well as to enable them
in book selection process.

5.4. Library Regular user award:

University Library announced Library Best User Award to attract more students to visit the library and use the
resources. Data is gathered through visitor register maintained in the library. Based on the above data and the
observations of the library, one Best User Award student who has made maximum use of the library.
5.5. Information aids:
University Library Orient to fresher on use of facilities and resources is given as part of user education. Through
regular displays of new additions user are kept up-to-date on the additions made to the library. Instruction on use of
digital library and web resources is also provided.
5.6. Organised Conference:

University Library organized National Conference on ‘Digital Resources in Higher Academic Research’ in
association with Centre for Rural Social Documentation, Tumkur University, held on 27th June 2012. Published
conference proceedings with ISBN number (978-81-924393-0-3).

6. IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIBRARY SERVICES

 General &SC/ST Book Bank:-To cater to the increased demand for prescribed Textbook, a separate Book
Bank for General category of Students and SC/ST students have been created. Students are provided with two
textbooks per student, per semester.
 Inter Library loan: - Publications that are not available in the Library and are requested by users can be
obtained on loan from other Institutes; likewise publication will also be lent out on a reciprocal basis to other
Institutes.(British Library Bangalore and SIT Library Tumkur)
 Reference Service: -Library Professionals are pleased to help the users in locating and disseminating
information from the available sources in the Library.
 Internet Service: - Internet service is available for all categories of users of the Library.
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 Referral service: Directing the user the documents availability in the other institution.
 On-line Current awareness Service: - New books, Journals, Other information sources added to the Library
will be intimated to the students and Teachers through the e-mail and these can also be accessed through the
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TUT Website.
 List of CD’s available in the Library: - for the benefit of users of the Library.
 Project Reports- theses available in the Library can access these in the library
  Competitive Exam Corner. The library has good collection of competitive exam books which is helping for
the students to prepare for the competitive exams.

7. CONCLUSION:

The Best Practice is an attitude, an approach or a philosophy based on the desire for continuous learning and
improvement. It provides ways and means to solve the challenges faced by the libraries and maximize their efficiency.
Thus, the library should take best steps to perform well and the level of acceptance and willingness to adopt the new
methods that are the keys to their success (Kaliyaperumal, Baskaran, & Perumal, 2011).

REFERENCES:
1. Bischoff, J. B., Fisher III, W. W., Madison, M. J., McDonald, .. J., & Smith, K. L. (2012). Code of Best Practices
in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries. Canada: Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
Retrived from http://www.arl.org/storage/documents/publications/code-of-best-practices-fair-use.pdf
Accessed on 15.05.2015.
2. Jotwani, D. (2008). Best Practices in a Modern Library and Information Center - The Case of Central
Library, IIT Bombay. 6th International CALIBER -2008, (pp. 1-21). Allahabad: INFLIBNET. Retrived
fromhttp://ir.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/1944/935Accessed on 14.05.2015
3. Kaliyaperumal, K., Baskaran, S., & Perumal, S. (2011). Best practices in Madras University Library in the
context of paradigm shift – A Case Study. 6th World Congress of Muslim Librarians and Information
Scientists 2011 (WCOMLIS 2011, 16-17th November 2011) (pp. 1-14). Malaysia: International Islamic
University Malaysia (IIUM). Retrived
fromhttp://myrepositori.pnm.gov.my/bitstream/123456789/3072/1/17MadrasUniversityLibraryPara
digmShift.pdfAccessed on 10.05.2015.

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