BLI-014 Solved Assignment ENG 2018
BLI-014 Solved Assignment ENG 2018
PART - I
Ans: One wonders what makes computer such an incredibly perfect and powerful machine.
You must understand that a computer is nothing but a programmable machine that
responds to instructions to store, retrieve and process data with unimaginable speed
programming. A computer has four functions to perform: i) accept data, ii) process
data, iii) produce output and iv) store results. The main characteristics of a computer
are speed, accuracy, automation, storage, endurance and versatility. Computers of all
M
types and makes essentially comprise two basic parts: hardware and software.
78 O
Major Hardware Components: O M
.C
C
Central Processing Unit T
17 T.
AL
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is made up of Control Unit and Arithmetic and
H
E
33 AL
S O L
Logic Unit (ALU). It is the brain of the computer, the main functional component that
90 EH
Microprocessors are rated by the clock speed. The clock speed determines how many
instructions per second the processor can execute. This speed is always stated in Hz
(one Hz, or Hertz, is one calculation). A common speed these days is a 2.0GHz processor.
This means that the processor can make 20,000,000,000 calculations per second —
CPU gets raw data from an input device or a memory device or a storage device. Two
CPUs with the same clock speed will not necessarily perform equally. The more cache
memory your processor has built into it, the faster it will perform. Microprocessors are
1
Motherboard
A motherboard is printed circuit board (PCB) that holds components integral to the
computer such as the central processing unit (CPU), the RAM, the chipset and expansion
slots. It also has connections for ports such as USB and PS/2. It also holds BIOS (that
controls the basic communication functions between components) and CMOS battery
that keeps the clock ticking when your PC is turned off. The motherboard provides
connections for the computer keyboard, disk drives, monitor and other devices. It is
the function of the motherboard to supply all of the components plugged into it with
power. In addition, the motherboard also provides special sockets where additional
memory or primary storage can be added. There are several special receptacles located
M
on the motherboard. These sockets are called expansion slots and allow you to plug in
78 O O M
special electronic circuit boards that perform additional processing functions. The
.C
C
T
motherboard is rightly called the backbone of a computer.
17 T.
S O L
It is the systems main memory that CPU (microprocessor) uses to temporarily store
90 EH
data when a program is running. Unlike auxiliary memory such as a hard drive, RAM is
volatile, meaning that it only stores data as long as computer power is on. When a
99 L
software application is launched, the executable program is loaded from hard drive to
SO
the RAM. The microprocessor supplies address into the RAM to read instructions and
data from it. RAM is needed because hard drives are too slow to operate with the
speed of a microprocessor.
Expansion Cards
An expansion card is an electronic circuit board that adds more functionality to a desktop
computer. These cards are installed into the expansion slot of a computer motherboard
and they allow the computer to perform additional functions not offered by the
motherboard. Graphic card, sound card and network card are common examples: a
2
new graphic card added will enhance the three dimensional graphics processing power
of a computer while a new sound card may improve a computer’s audio input. A network
card is used to connect your computer to a network such as a home network or the
Every computer has ports that are used to connect a number of external devices like
printers, modems, keyboards and mouse. There are three different kinds of ports: parallel,
serial and Universal Serial Bus (or USB). Serial ports transmit data one bit at a time.
To send one byte (or eight bits), it must send each bit individually. This means the serial
port will normally operate slower than the parallel port. Serial ports are commonly used
M
to connect a mouse or modem to the computer. Parallel ports send several bits at a
78 O O M
time to the device, usually a printer. In this way, the port can transfer an entire byte or
.C
C
T
character (that is, eight bits) at a time. This provides very fast information transfer. The
17 T.
AL
most common use of the parallel port is to connect a printer to the computer. USB
H
E
33 AL
S O L
ports support data transfer rates of 480 Mbps (or 480 million bits per second). A
90 EH
single USB port can be used to connect many peripheral devices, such as mouse,
modems and keyboards. In older PC models, you may only have parallel and serial
99 L
SO
ports. USB ports are a fairly new feature; it became widespread and is expected to
A power supply unit (PSU) is the component that supplies power to a computer. It
converts alternating current (AC) electric power to low-voltage direct current (DC)
power for the internal components of the computer. Power supply units used in computers
are nearly always switch mode power supplies (SMPS). The SMPS provides regulated
direct current power at the several voltages required by the motherboard and accessories
3
Computer Case
A computer case (also known as a box) is a box that has bits of computer in it. The
computer case serves mainly as a way to physically mount and contain all of the actual
Ans: Software and related applications refer to the computer programs that tell the
hardware what to do. Software can be divided into two general classes: systems software
and applications software. Software contains the electronic instructions and information for
a computer, including everything from a computer’s operating system to computer games.
Systems Software
Systems software consists of low-level programs that interact with the computer at a
M
78 O O M
very basic level. This includes operating systems, compilers, utilities and device drivers
.C
C
for managing computer resources. T
17 T.
Operating System
H AL
E
33 AL
S O L
An operating system (or OS) is an interface between hardware and the user facilitating
sharing of limited computer resources and the management and coordination of activities.
90 EH
everything from the control and allocation of memory to recognising input from external
SO
devices and transmitting output to computer displays. It also manages files on computer
hard drives and control peripherals, like printers and scanners. It allocates computer
resources to the software you use, control how applications communicate with each
other and how the computer communicates with you. It is the backbone of a computer,
managing both software and hardware resources, designed to run applications and
System Utilities
System utility is a programme that performs a very specific task such as trouble-shooting
4
a system or other program to find errors and missing files. Additional utilities include
data backup programs, file compression software and tools used to thoroughly uninstall
other programs. System utilities are usually related to managing system resources.
Operating systems contain a number of utilities for managing disk drives, printers and
other devices.
Device Drivers
Device driver is a program that controls a device. Device drivers are needed for every
device connected to a computer, from the mouse and keyboard to the printer. Many
drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with the operating system, while peripheral
manufacturers often provide discs with drivers for users to install with their hardware.
Applications Software
M
78 O O M
Applications software (also called end-user programs) enable you to complete specific
.C
C
tasks, like word processing, making spreadsheets, working with pictures, planning
T
17 T.
H AL
landscaping, playing games, etc. Figuratively speaking, applications software sits on
E
33 AL
top of systems software because it is unable to run itself without the operating system
S O L
and system utilities. Application is just another word for program or softwareprogram,
90 EH
like the packaged programs, Microsoft Word (word processing) or Adobe Photoshop
99 L
(graphics). When you buy an application for your computer, you’re buying software
SO
There are countless desktop applications out there and they fall into many different
categories. Some are more full-featured (like Microsoft Word), while others may
only do one or two things (like gadgets). Below are just a few types of applications
services.
5
edit a document, design a flyer and create many other kinds of documents.
Web Browsers: To browse the World Wide Web using Internet Explorer,
desktop.
Ans: In considering libraries from the general organisational perspective, the analysis of
M
housekeeping system is useful for planning automation of a library. It is a prerequisite to
78 O O M
the design and use of any library management software and to communicate with software
.C
C
T
vendors and programmers. A close analysis of the operations involved in library
17 T.
AL
housekeeping provides us three hierarchical levels – procedures, activities and tasks.
H
E
33 AL
The eighteen procedures are common to libraries of all types. The design and use of an
automated library housekeeping system requires the analysis of all these procedures into
their atomic structure. It will help to understand and implement mechanised housekeeping
99 L
operational subsystem have been analysed by P.A. Thomas (1975) in terms of six possible
activities – initiate, authorise, activate, record, report and cancel. All of these activities may
not be involved in every procedure. There are one or more of six possible activities against
each procedure. The six common activities are defined as:
Authorise - In some cases, the decision to carry out a certain procedure must be approved
before any further action is taken.
Record - The function that states or records what action has been taken.
Report - To notify library staff or users that action has been taken.
6
Cancel - To stop a procedure, in particular the aspect of revoking or undoing an action.
Tasks
The third level in the hierarchy is concerned with ‘tasks’ within an activity under each
procedure. Task means a related group of operations carried out to perform a particular
kind of job. In an automated library system a task is the collective functions of the
elements for the accomplishment of the module at the next higher level. Tasks within
each activity, just as the activities themselves, may not all be necessary to each procedure.
Most of the works in the operational subsystems of a library include making or using
particular document. In this context, ASLIB defined a set of fifteen tasks for the basic
M
procedures. These are – pass, receive, discard, place, remove, search, duplicate,
78 O O M
attach, separate, move, sort. Such tasks are supported by other four element tasks
.C
C
namely read, verify, enter and decide. T
17 T.
AL
The analysis of tasks to perform activities within procedures may be done through a set
H
E
33 AL
S O L
of five primary questions:
90 EH
When is it required?
How is it used?
These five questions should be asked to carry out possible activities under each
Ans: ICT encompasses any combination of hardware and software that facilitates the
7
acquisition, creation, modification, retrieval, storage and transmission of information
using electronic media. ICT includes both computing and communication technology
interface. The features of ICT are very helpful for automating a library system
Library automation is a complex process and should be planned astutely. The complete
Software selection
Hardware selection
M
Site preparation
General training
78 O O M
.C
C
Customisation T
17 T.
S O L
– Bibliographical data entry
90 EH
Commissioning
It is quite obvious that implementation of the above steps in library automation requires
automation package for effective results. A library will not be able to take full advantage
of automation until and unless its manual functions are perfect and justified. Therefore,
the procedures and tasks followed in different sections should be analysed in terms of:
8
Nature and objective of library
M
78 O O
5. Explain the basic requirements of a library management system.
M
.C
C
Ans: General System Requirements T
17 T.
AL
These are applicable to all modules of any modern LMS and should include but not
H
E
33 AL
S O L
limited to the following features:
90 EH
The LMS must be fully integrated, using a single, common catalogue database for
The LMS must allow unlimited number of records, users and organisation-specific
parameters (e.g. loan period rules, fine calculation criteria, hold parameters etc.)
The package should include following fully developed and operational facilities at
⦁ Authority control
9
⦁ Web catalogue interface
⦁ Acquisition management
⦁ Serials control
⦁ Outreach services
⦁ Fund accounting
M
⦁ Reservation and materials booking
78 O O M
⦁ Circulation control
.C
C
T
17 T.
⦁ L
Customised generation of reports and usage statistics
⦁
H A
One step administrative parameters setting
E
33 AL
⦁ O L
Z39.50 server (minimum version 3 and path profile level complaint)
S
90 EH
⦁ Multimedia files
LMS must provide continuous backup in suitable media (as per the choice of
10
⦁ MARC 21, UNICODE (UTF8 OR UTF-16)
The LMS should be based on web-centric architecture and extend support for a
The LMS must be compliant with UNICODE standard for multilingual support
M
78 O O M
Vendor/ Developing group should provide training to enable library staff to familiarise
.C
with system functions and operation, should provide full and current system
C
T
17 T.
H AL
documentation in hard copy and in machine-readable form suitable for online
distribution and the LMS should include extensive online help for users and staff.
E
33 AL
O L
LMS must support multiple hardware architecture in terms of server, network
S
90 EH
LMS must be supported with regular maintenance and on-call service, periodical
SO
problem fixes/ patches and emergency services for system failures and disaster
recoveries.
each user on the system and restriction of specific functions to specific users.
LMS should provide graphical user interface, including but not limited to extensive
online help, user self-service and personalisation features. The system should be
11
supported with PC-based alternative that will allow circulation to continue in the
maintenance.
Functional Requirements
These are the minimum essential features to be supported by each functional units or
Authority Control
Support for MARC authority format for personal, corporate and topical name
headings in a name authority file; title, uniform title and series entries in a title
M
authority file and subject headings in a subject authority file;
78 O O M
Provision for generation of SEE, SEE ALSO references and Narrow Term-Broad
.C
C
T
Term-Related Term relationships network from authority records and link these
17 T.
AL
references to matching access points in OPAC;
H
E
33 AL
S O L
Must allow any bibliographic field to be authority controlled and include facilities
90 EH
to search, retrieve and display print and global editing of authority records by
Must include provision for multiple thesauri with the ability to produce a list of all
Bibliographic Control
The master bibliographic record of the LMS should extend support for:
MARC record loader that can accept records input from various sources and
Global editing utility that can find and replace data within specified fields;
12
MARC 21 format for holding and display of holding on the basis of ANSI Z39.44
OPAC must be fully integrated with other modules and accessible through webbased
client;
OPAC should provide browse indexes for author, title and series and browse
M
It should allow combined, specific and field level searching for all formats along
78 O
with phrase searching, nested searching and truncated searching; O M
.C
C
T
It must enable searching by using Boolean operators (OR, XOR, NOT, 9 AND),
17 T.
AL
positional operators (SAME, WITH, NEAR, ADJ) and relational operators
H
E
33 AL
S O L
(‘greater than’, ‘less than’, ‘equal to’, etc.) within and across all fields;
90 EH
lost, withdrawn etc.) and circulation status (in transit, reserve, recalled, on-hold,
99 L
SO
etc.);
OPAC should support full, brief, standard and customised display of records
OPAC should also support bulletin board, information desk and gateway services
(to access external databases) along with patron self-service options (e.g. holds,
renewals, etc.);
OPAC must track users’ preferences and interests, organised into a list of favourites.
Circulation Control
13
The circulation control activities of any modern LMS must be supported with:
threshold and fine threshold, placement of hold on any title or item in the database;
pass for issued items. Automatic calculation of fines and other charges, recording
M
Generation of variety of pre-defined and user defined reports and usage statistics;
and
78 O O M
.C
C
T
Fully operational Interlibrary loan module, patron initiated transaction and
17 T.
AL
mechanised inventory control (barcode, RFID, smart card, etc.).
H
E
33 AL
Acquisition Control
S O L
90 EH
accounting, currency control, statistics and report compilation etc. Linkage between
etc.
14
Recording, storing and displaying of bibliographic information, acquisition type
(order, gift, approval etc.), status (ordered, received etc.) invoice and accounting
Serials Control
The module should have all the basic capabilities like ordering, check-in, claiming,
M
78 O O M
routing, vouchering, fund accounting, union listing, bindery preparation and report
.C
C
generation;
T
17 T.
H AL
It should provide the ability to search for serials records by title, ISSN, publisher,
E
33 AL
vendor, purchase order, uniform title, editor, conference title, keywords, etc.
S O L
Serials control module should have provision for article indexing, online acquisition,
90 EH
The module should support routing of journal issues and generation of various lists
and reports.
Outreach Services
An outreach services module should be available to automate the process required to:
15
Digital Media Archive System (DMA)
The aim of DMA subsystem is to support search, retrieval and viewing of multiple
media formats from client machines by using a web browser. It should be able to:
browse and search (full text and metadata based) contents of text and images in
ASCII, HTML, SGML, PDF, TIFF, JPEG, GIF, BMP, PCX, DCX, etc. formats,
link itself with library OPAC through electronic access field (MARC/ UNIMARC
856 field);
system;
M
help a user to import one or more files from the user’s system and associate them
78 O
with a metadata schema within the archive; O M
.C
C
T
support metadata harvesting by using Open Archive Initiative (OAI)/ Protocol for
17 T.
S O L
extend support for various Document Object Identifier (DOI) schemes; and
90 EH
System Administration
99 L
SO
The administrator or super user should control the overall administration of LMS through
Access control for individual user, for each module and for each function;
Module should keep a log of each transaction, which alters the database.
Ans: To connect a local computer to Internet you need to buy/rent a connection from an
Internet Service Provider (ISP). Currently, ISPs offer three options for Internet connections:
16
Wi-Fi, broadband and dial-up Internet connections. Setting up the Internet connection with
each of these options varies. In general, hardware resources that you need to setup an
internet connection are: computer (desktop or laptop), Internet modem (broadband, or
dial-up), computer manual and a telephone. You don’t need telephone connection if you are
using Wi-Fi. You connect to the Internet via wireless network access point.
are moving towards the faster broadband Internet connection. Different speeds of Internet
You need to approach Internet service provider (ISP) to get Internet connection and
for installation of setup. You can also do setup installation yourself with the help of the
M
manual/brochure provided by the ISP. MTNL/BSNL offers 2 Mbps minimum download
78 O O M
speed for its broadband connections in the country currently. Apart from MTNL/BSNL
.C
C
T
there are private ISPs such as mobile telephone providers like Airtel and Reliance.
17 T.
H AL
E
33 AL
S O L
7. Explain electronic mail and how to create a web-based email address.
90 EH
Ans: Electronic mail (e-mail) as the name implies is a mail or message (and attachments)
one computer user to another. These messages usually consist of text messages together
with or without attached files in multiple media or formats. Unlike other tools like FTP
and telnet (remote login) on Internet which want the user to be in front of the computer,
e-mail works in store and forward manner permitting the user to receive e-mails even if
s/he is not logged into the computer at the time of sending the mail. This implies the
Initially, e-mail messages only permitted simple text, but now many systems can handle
more complicated formats, such as graphics, images, music, videos and word processed
documents.
17
When e-mail is received on a computer system, it is usually stored in an electronic
mailbox (mbox) for the recipient to read later. These mboxes are special files on a
computer which can be accessed using various commands. Each user normally has its
individual mbox which can be accessed only through logging into the system using
The advantages of e-mail are its fastness, functionalities (possibility to send multimedia
messages to any person anywhere with an Internet connection) for free compared to
There are many websites on Internet which permit anyone to create an e-mail account
M
for free, rediff, yahoo, gmail, mail, hotmail to name a few. You can access any of these
78 O O M
sites and create your own email account by filling up a registration form. It asks you to
.C
C
T
select a login name and password; using this ID you can access the site repeatedly and
17 T.
S O L
90 EH
Ans: Web-based services are the emerging trends in libraries and are giving users a richer
99 L
SO
experience in search and retrieval. Web resources are e-resources that libraries acquire
directly or through consortia participation. These web resources are full text resources
that reside outside the physical library space, accessible as virtual resources in the
virtual world of the Internet. Authorised users can access them online on the Internet
from any place of their interest, from home or office 24×7. Looking from the historical
extent.
ensuring that the needs of users and the information accessible to them suitably
18
match;
making sure that the information provided is accurate and appropriate and of high
quality;
promoting user awareness about new services and information sources; and
PART - II
1. Listservers
M
Ans: A mailing list or listserver (named after the software used to run the electronic mailing
78 O O M
and discussion lists) or list forum on the Internet are the most common ways for mass email
.C
C
T
communication and permit mail recipients to discuss issues of common interest.
17 T.
AL
The modus-operandi of such a system works like this. A listserver has two e-mail
H
E
33 AL
S O L
addresses, viz. the listserv address and the list address. The former generally accepts
90 EH
latter accepts messages of actual discussion which will be scanned by a list moderator
99 L
SO
(optional) and distributed to all members of the list. Any message sent to the e-mail list
address will be distributed to every member of that list and hence one should be cautious
in not sending commands meant for the server to the list address.
Ans: Social networking is grouping of individuals into specific categories. Although social
other people on the Internet. MySpace, Facebook, Orkut, Twitter and Linked In are
some popular social networking sites. You are not only witnessing individuals but also
19
companies and products on these sites now.
Ans: Web technology offers interesting possibilities to individuals and organisations for
advertising their products and services with a view to widen their customer base and be
able to compete with others. Libraries are also realising the need to reach out to their
customers and are therefore exploring opportunities to harness the Web for the purpose.
Virtual library tour is a web page on a library website. It is a virtual guide to the physical
facilities in a library, acquaints you with the library and helps you find your way around
more easily. It comprises library maps, layouts and floor plans, library departments and
M
4. Open source software
78 O
Ans: Open Source Software (OSS) is a software for which the O M
.C
C
T
source code is freely available. It means that anyone can access the source code and
17 T.
AL
make changes. Such facilities are not available with proprietary or closed source
H
E
33 AL
S O L
programs. Some examples of open source software are - Linux operating system,
90 EH
Mozila web browser, MySQL RDBMS, Apache web server and PERL.
5. Web 3.0
99 L
SO
experts in web technology speculate Web 3.0 will be about semantic web,
Semantic web is a Web where all information is categorised and stored in such a way
that a computer can understand like us. The semantic web will teach the computer what
the data means and this will evolve into artificial intelligence that can utilise that
information. It is a group of methods and technologies to allow machines to understand the
meaning or semantics of information on the Web.
20