International Journal of Library and Information Studies

Vol.10(3) Jul-Sep, 2020 ISSN: 2231-4911

Selection of Hardware and Software for Library Automation

Dr. Falguni Prajapati

Librarian
P P Savani University, Surat.
e-mail:[email protected]

Abstract - Libraries play a vital role in the educational, industrial, and

technological progress of a country. The progress of the nation depends upon
advanced knowledge gained by educationists, technologists, engineers, and
scientists of the country. Hence the role of libraries in Universities and then
educational institutions is to activate a free flow of information from the point
of generation to the point of the utilization of information efficiently and
effectively. Information Technology has changed the role of the libraries in
acquire, maintain, and distribute the information to the users. Library
Automation itself is an application of computers in libraries to maintain in-
house operations such as acquisition, cataloguing serials control, and
circulation. Effective library automation depends on the selection of
hardware, software & proper training to the library staff.

Keyword: Library automation, Hardware, Software, Educational institutions,

Circulation, Cataloguing, Acquisitions, Serial control, Administration,

Introduction

Knowledge is rapidly evolving. Libraries, such as Libraries, periodicals, e-resources, and

non-book materials, are accumulating a large number of collections to meet the needs of
users. The Library is automated by any power that transfers to the Library. This machine can
be used for any function of the Library. What is meant here is that if a task is performed using
a machine, that task is performed under an automation process. The computer used by today
is used instead of the machine in the library that is why computer rays are really considered
libraries.

The word Automation also has its origin from the Greek word Automation which means with
the power to sing by itself. The word auto mission was first used by Herder Mayoday in 1936
which he did in the context of various types of production activities through motor plants.
Gradually, the term was used in all areas where machines were used for the work being done.
From around 1950, it started being used in Library works.

Definitions of library automation

Library Automation means the process is done using a computer. In fact, the Library displays
a computerized format of automation, library, and information services, which is affected by
information technology. Related to information retrieval and search and resource sharing and
networking systems starting from the daily work of the library were done. No scholar has
tried to define the term Library Liberty the only person Salman was such as Gill is defined as
such -It is best to use various traditional library activities and data processing machines. In
the current context, library automation refers to;
 Computerize the Library
 Partnering in Library networking

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The main objective of automation in the library is to fulfill the needs of the library users with
the required efficiency. At present, the library is highly related to automation. In India,
instruments and machines have been used in the library for a long time, but the first use of
computers was done by Delhi City Fund 1965 (ISA) to create the author and the subject of
the subject. But nowadays automation has been implemented in many libraries of the country.
In today's context, library automation is done for the following reasons –

 Information explosion: Information Tend is growing very fast Therefore; it is very

difficult to deal with the Information available on such a huge Tend without the help
of a computer.
 Availability of information on machine-readable charges: Nowadays, most of the
information is available in machine station charges. So it is difficult to get it without a
computer. This can be achieved by computer only, not other types.
 Multiple uses of machine-readable records: Any machine-readable record can be
used for many users and for various reasons and how many times. For example - a
record prepared for the Arjuna Department can also be used for any other purpose.
 Recurring work: The computer frees the library staff from such tasks which are
recurring.
 Data processing: The computer takes very little time to process data and retrieve
information. Thus saving the time of the employees along with the users.
 Computers are used to share resources under networking arrangements from other
libraries.

Features of library automation

Some of the important features of library automation are as follows:

 Library automation is a continuous process. No one should understand that if a
computer is set up in the library to perform a task It is not that the entire library is
finished.
 It changes the entire working style of the library.
 This library is to help employees stay in their respective offices.
 This keeps the libraries aware of the new development in the area of hardware and
Software.
 It provides the idea of a complete network through the networking process.

Areas of library automation

Automation can be done in the following areas of library activities Which can be divided into
the following two regions:
In homework activities:
 These tasks mainly include administration and maintenance related activities such as-
 Administration and maintenance
 Tribunal of texts
 Technical process control
 Serial control
Library service activities:
 Providing documentation services
 In making the table of the newly received texts and currents
 In providing selected smooth dissemination service

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 In resource sharing
 In search of information
 May provide networking facility

Selection of hardware for library automation

The computer is an important factor for library automation Whose selection and work, it is
necessary to take care of some things like - availability of finance in the budget, the number
of terminals to be used, session of the computer to be worked such as branded guarantee of
various components of computer like knowledge of the status, services and maintenance of
servers, printers, UPS, other accessories and hardware vendors The value of the hardware
does not remain fixed, varies, so if you are buying for office. So, while purchasing, you
should ask for full. Some branded companies do not directly supply hardware they supply
hardware only through authorized sellers.

The following hardware is required for any middle-class library;

 Pentium IV 64 megabytes of ram
 150-megabyte pen drive
 Floppy disk drive
 VGA Color Monitor
 8 port intelligence I / b paper
 X.25 card drive software
 Internal modem
 Laser printer
 TCP / IP internet

Selection of software’s for library automation

Software is one such tool used in the computer through which the computer is capable of
performing certain types of tasks. Therefore, to automate or computerize any library, only the
first software is required. It is said that the software makes computers useful; they understand
the problem and also solve it. So to execute its functions in the library through a computer the
utility of software is of utmost importance and software is of utmost importance in
automating.

While selecting the software, first of all, it comes to the problem that information about it
should be obtained from where. Today there is no such systematic and real source where
information related to the library is available. Currently, the only means of obtaining
information regarding software is published on revisions and education. Reviews and studies
are published separately and are published in library-related subjects. Although any review is
expected to be flawless, yet there is some exaggeration of the case. Therefore, reviews have
been put in question in the air. The following are some documents that publish information
about software related to the library:
- Computer in libraries
- The electronic library
- Library micro nation news
- International journal of information management
- Microcomputer for information management

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Today in the Indian market, much-related software is available in the library like
TECHLIBplus, LIBSUITE, LIBSYS, NEWGENLIB, NEXSLIB, SLIM 21, SOUL,
SUCHIKA, TULIPS, ULISYS,VIRTUA, WILISYS, AUTOLIB, DLMS, Krveger Library,
NETLIB, NIRMAL, SSLIM++, Archives, CATman, Goden Libra, Libman, Libsoft, Salim
etc. The following points need to be kept in mind while selecting and purchasing the
appropriate software for your library –

 After-Tax Service Warranty

 Knowledge of various modules contained in the software (C)Training related to the
use of computers and software to library staff
 Reduction in prices on the simultaneous purchase of software required to perform all
the functions of the library
 Use of company resources such as staff, software, and computers to prepare data
library of library
 Modification of software as per library requirement
 Keeping in mind the above-mentioned things as well as the functions and procedures
to be performed in the library the following points should also be given more attention
when choosing and purchasing software.

Value of software (Cost): Financial resources of each library are limited It is necessary that
special attention should be paid to the cost of the software while purchasing it. It should also
be kept in mind that the value that is being paid for the software is equally useful and useful
because the success of the library operation depends highly on the quality of the software
itself. Good software reduces the cost of library work.

Hardware: It is also necessary to take care of the hardware of the computer while checking
the software. If the hardware is available with any library, it should choose the software
according to its hardware or should take software for which hardware costs are low. Despite
the plethora of software in the Indian market, today you meet the hardware subordination of
the software.

Operating system: It is also important to keep in mind the operating system while selecting
the software. All operating systems have their own specialties. Some circulation systems are
very convenient to use, some are not so. Therefore software should be selected keeping in
mind the features of these circulation systems.

Programming language: It is also necessary to take care of the programming language

while selecting the software. What features are available in software depends on the language
of the computer in which it is written. All languages have their own distinct characteristics.

Data storage technique and search response time: In a computerized library, when one
wants to get appropriate information about a document So how long the computer took in
this search depends on many things like-File Size, Administration Operating System,
Hardware Platforms, etc. Data collection techniques also play an important role in
determining the information it takes to search. It has been felt that the speed of information
search of the final file structure is faster than the structure of the file.

Library services: In spite of the extreme similarity in the service provided by all the
libraries, there is some differentiation. Some libraries provide certain types of services. It is
necessary to see that those who want to provide a library to service students Whether

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available in the software to be selected? It is not necessary that all the software have all the
facilities.

Up-to-date: The software is also required to be updated to date. It is necessary to have the
facility to change the software as per the requirement the experience so far suggests that the
software developed by the private sector is more advanced.

Easy in the use: The Library should adopt software that is easy to use That is, while using,
he should give clear instructions on the screen how to use it. Instructions for use should also
be the simplest.

Whether the library should develop the software itself or purchase from the market

There is a whole bunch of software programs. The task of writing a program is a very
specialized and complex task, requiring a high level of services. Because the computer just
directs. So if you want to get the computer working properly, there should be no difference in
the instructions. The computer wants completeness and accuracy in its instructions. So, when
a library develops software with thousands of instructions for its own use, it has the best
advantage. Is it necessary that he is facilitated to do the work as per his need and does not
have to depend on others, but it also hurts that the maximum time of the library staff is spent
in software development, which makes the library useful to others?

And if the library does not develop its own software and purchase it from the market, then it
also has its advantages and disadvantages. The biggest advantage in purchasing the market is
that the time taken by the library to develop software and keep it up to date The time is saved
and the staff of the library can serve the users fully. While purchasing software from the
banner, it is necessary to keep many things in the attention The first thing is that the person or
organization supplying the software has more than its profit or social welfare Today many
sector companies are producing software’s, in which most of them have to earn a strong
profit. There are also companies like second and some lesser number whose purpose is more
social welfare, so it must be taken care of. Therefore, the library has to decide on its own
whether to develop the software itself or to buy from the market. For this, attention should be
paid to the number of employees and their qualifications in the library.

Conclusion

Often all types of Libraries are trying to computerize themselves. By the way, many colleges,
Industrial organizations, research and development institutions, and Government
Departments have started to computerize in the library. Therefore many types of computers
are being developed for use in their hardware and software libraries in the market today. The
most important thing for libraries is to select the appropriate Software to execute their work.
Software’s have their own different features; it is a difficult task to choose software for their
library. But if the software is selected keeping in mind the above factors, it is necessary that
there will be no error in the work of the library. This article is useful for those who are
planning to computerize/automate their libraries, will certainly be immensely useful

References

1. Aswal, R.S. (2006). Library automation for 21 st century. New Delhi: S.S.
Publications.

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2. Deverajan, G(1999) Information Technology in Libraries: Libraries Software

packages, New Delhi: Ess Ess Publications
3. Kent, Allen, (1997).Encyclopaedia of Library and Information Science. New York:
Marcel Dekkar.
4. Riaz, Muhammad, (1992). Library Automation. Atlantic Publisher and Distributors
Ltd.
5. Saffady, William (1983). Introduction to automation for librarians. Chicago:
American Library Association, 1983.
6. Yogendra Singh. (2004). Library Automation in Academic Libraries in India:
Problems and
7. Prospects, CALIBER 2003.

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