UPMSP Vocational Library Science study plan
UPMSP Vocational Library Science · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Library Classification and Cataloguing
Distinguish enumerative, faceted and special classification schemes and state which type suits a small public library
Apply DDC main classes 000-900 and identify the ten divisions of at least three classes without notes
Construct and explain a DDC call number including class number, cutter and edition marker
Compare DDC, CC and UDC on notation, hospitality and common use in Indian libraries
Your checkpoint
A one-page classification cheat sheet with the ten DDC main classes, three worked call numbers and a comparison table of DDC, CC and UDC, self-checked against a standard textbook.
Library Classification and Cataloguing
Define cataloguing terms: entry, heading, main entry, added entry, authority control and collocation
Map the structure of a catalogue card and label each element of a sample entry
Summarise AACR2 areas of description and contrast them with RDA concepts
Explain the FRBR entity-relationship model using one book title as an example
Perform a simple copy cataloguing exercise from a title page and verso
Your checkpoint
Three complete catalogue entries (author, title and subject approach) for books you own, each with a labelled element list and one sentence justifying the choice of main heading.
Library Classification and Cataloguing & Reference Sources and Information Services
Classify twenty mixed titles into DDC numbers and justify five of them in writing
Distinguish primary, secondary and tertiary sources and give two examples of each
Differentiate dictionaries, encyclopedias, yearbooks, almanacs, directories and handbooks by function
Evaluate one print and one online reference source against currency, authority and scope criteria
Your checkpoint
A twenty-title classification log with DDC numbers and justifications, plus a reference-source evaluation grid comparing one print and one online source.
Reference Sources and Information Services
Describe ready-reference, long-range reference and referral service and when each is used
Explain SDI, CAS, abstracting and indexing services in the context of a small library
Outline the reference interview process and draft five probing questions for a vague query
Identify major Indian and international bibliographic and abstracting tools by name and scope
Your checkpoint
A mock reference interview transcript of about 300 words showing query negotiation, source selection and a closing follow-up, plus a list of ten named reference tools with one-line scope notes.
Library Management and Administration & Library and Society: Role, Types and Functions of Libraries
Compare line, functional and matrix organisation structures for a library of ten staff
Explain POSDCORB and apply each element to a library workflow you know
Draft a book selection policy covering criteria, censorship and gifts
Distinguish the five laws of library science and connect each to a current service decision
Describe types of libraries and their user groups in the Indian context, including public, academic and special
Your checkpoint
A four-page library management mini-portfolio containing an organisation chart with rationale, a selection policy draft and a table linking each of the five laws to one concrete service practice.
Information Technology in Libraries
Explain library automation modules: acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, serials, OPAC and reports
Compare proprietary and open-source LMS options on cost, support and features
Define MARC fields 100, 245, 260 and 650 and create a sample record
Describe digitisation workflow steps from selection to online access, including metadata
Explain QR codes, RFID, barcode circulation and cloud hosting as applied in small libraries
Your checkpoint
A one-record MARC sample plus a 400-word automation proposal for a small library naming modules, an LMS option, hardware needs and a phased timeline.
Library Personnel, Users and User Education & Library Records, Statistics and Reporting
List user-education methods such as orientation, pathfinders, guides and information literacy sessions and match each to a user group
Draft a user-needs survey of ten questions without leading wording
Identify library statistics to record daily, monthly and annually and the purpose of each
Compute simple performance indicators: circulation per capita, collection turnover and active membership ratio
Explain annual report structure and the role of records such as accession register and stock verification
Your checkpoint
A monthly statistics template with formulas plus a worked example using invented figures, and a ten-question user survey ready to administer.
Preservation, Conservation and Library Security & Practical Library Skills and Vocational Practice
Distinguish preservation from conservation and list physical, chemical and biological agents of deterioration
Describe preventive measures: dusting, humidity control, pest management, binding and reformatting
Outline a library security plan covering theft, fire, flood and data loss
Perform practical routines: accessioning, shelving by call number, shelf reading and issuing and returning books
Complete a full-length timed mock test and review every wrong answer against the syllabus
Your checkpoint
A two-page preservation and security action plan for a small library plus a scored mock test with a written error log naming the domain of each mistake.
Milestones
Week 2: You can classify an unseen title into a DDC number and defend it, and build a catalogue entry from a title page without looking at notes.
Week 4: You score at least 70 percent on a self-made 30-question quiz covering Domains 2 and 3 combined.
Week 6: You can name every module of a library management system and produce one valid MARC record from memory of field tags.
Week 8: You complete a full mock test within time, score at least 65 percent overall, and your error log shows no domain below 50 percent.