Library Automation, ICT and Digital Libraries
What the domain covers
Automation applies ICT to housekeeping and services; digital libraries add online collections and metadata. The exam tests modules, software, standards and Indian digital initiatives.
Core rules and concepts
- Housekeeping modules: acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, serials control, OPAC, reports.
- Software: SOUL, Koha, LIBSYS, NewGenLib; Koha is open source.
- Standards: MARC21 for records, Z39.50 for retrieval, OAI-PMH for metadata harvesting, Dublin Core for simple metadata.
- Hardware: barcode, RFID, scanners, servers; security: backups, access control, copyright.
- Indian initiatives: NDLI (National Digital Library of India), Shodhganga (theses), e-ShodhSindhu (e-resources), NPTEL (courses).
Worked example
A college with a small budget wants automation. Reasoning: choose Koha because it is open source, supports MARC21 and OPAC, and runs on Linux; avoid a closed system with high licence fees. Plan modules in order: cataloguing, circulation, OPAC, acquisition, serials. Digitise only high-demand rare material, with Dublin Core metadata and backup.
Traps that cost marks
Automation is not digitisation: automation manages library operations; digitisation creates digital surrogates. Do not confuse NDLI with NPTEL-NDLI is a digital repository, NPTEL offers courses. Ignoring metadata and backup loses marks.