Library Management
Library Management
Library Management
Library Management
Subject: LIBRARY MANAGEMENT Credits: 4
SYLLABUS
Suggested Reading:
Learning Objective
Review Question
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
Describe some of the standards and specifications necessary for physical planning of a
library.
Managing is an art or procedure of receiving things done through the attempts of other
people.
Management is the procedure of setting and achieving goals through the execution of five
vital management functions that utilize human, financial and material possessions.
Management is a procedure or an action that brings jointly many varied possessions like
persons, materials, techniques and technologies to accomplish a task or tasks.
Management, since a separate field of revise, is also the body of organized knowledge which
underlies the art of management.
The definitions and a revise of management literature would reveal the following aspects
of management.
Management refers to both the discipline since the well since group which manages the
organization;
It is purposeful i.e., the attainment of the organization's goals and objectives is the supreme
purpose;
The organization's objectives are accomplished through, with and through the attempts of
others;
It is intangible.
SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT
Scientific management is approximately synonymous with the teachings and practices of
Frederick W. Taylor. During his life Taylor struggled to augment efficiency in manufacture, not
only to lower costs and raise profits but also to create possible increased pay for workers through
higher productivity. Scientific management is the name given to the principles and practices that
grew out of the job of Taylor and his followers and that are characterized through concern for
efficiency and systematization in management. You may note that the management science is the
application of mathematical modeling in managerial decision-making and quite dissimilar from
scientific management.
The schools of management idea are broadly divided into three sections, they are:
Classical Management Theory which is organization-centered and has dealt with the
economic "rational man", and incorporated scientific management, administrative
management, and bureaucratic organization.
Contemporary Management Theory which emphasizes the complete employee view through
revisionist researcher which comprises organizations theory, contingency theory,
organizational humanism and management science.
The application of scientific methods and analysis to managerial functions and troubles;
Beginning from the fifties of this century, contributions have been made to management
through disciplines such since mathematics, statistics and economics. Mathematical models: have
been intended and constructed for exploit in scheduling, decision making and forecasting.
Operations research studies for operational efficiency, and econometric analysis for cost benefits
and effectiveness, are few of the other scientific methods applied to management functions. The
advent of computers and communications technologies has aided researchers in the development
of the management information organization. These have become basic components in scientific
management.
Theories of leadership and organization including human motivation and behavior,
organization relationships and nature of power of the psychological and sociological methods
applied to learning personnel management. The organizations come has enriched management
operations through unifying to achieve a general goal. Therefore we see that contemporary
management has drawn from studies and experiences from other disciplines and has successfully
applied them to enhance productivity.
Levels of Management and Managerial Skills
A manager is anyone, at any level of the organization, who directs the attempts of other
people. He is the catalyst who creates things occur. It may be noted that the management of an
organization is performed at dissimilar levels. Although the distinctions are through no means
clear it is useful to think of managers since being divided into three clusters:
Supervisory: Managers are those who directly oversee the attempts of those who actually
perform the job. Performance of several routine tasks to obtain desired outputs of every
elements and concomitant behaviors is taken care of at this level;
Transitional managers are the supervisory level but subordinate to the mainly senior
executives of the organization; they have the responsibility to develop implementation
strategies for the concepts determined through top management. Execution, supervision,
monitoring and other related functions are taken care of through them;
Top managers are responsible for providing the overall direction of the organization.
They carry out scheduling, maintenance of dealings with other agencies, policy making,
standardization, manage, evaluation, possessions mobilization, etc. Since distant since libraries
are concerned, often two hierarchies of management operate within libraries. One is that of the
library, and the other is that of the organization to which the library belongs.
Each level of management needs a dissimilar composition of managerial skills. Ability is
a skill to translate knowledge into action that results in a desired performance. Normally, three
kinds of vital skills are recognized to be required through managers
Human ability is the skill to interact with other persons successfully, i.e., skill to understand,
job with, motivate and get beside with other people; and
It is the mental skill to comprehend abstract or common ideas and apply them to specific
situation.
It needs a holistic come to understand the connection of sections to the entire, the entire to
the sections and cause and effect. In other terms, viewing the organization since an entire and to
see how the sections of the organization relate to and depend on one another and the skill to
imagine the integration and coordination of the sections of the organization are essential for this
ability.
The importance of these skills depends on levels of management. Technological ability is
mainly significant for supervisory level managers and becomes less significant since the manager
move up to the transitional and top levels. Conceptual ability is increasingly significant since
managers moves up the levels of management. Though, human skills are significant at every
level in the organization. It may be noted here that there are other kinds of skills required for
managers and they are not discussed here. For instance, top and transitional managers require
having diagnostic and analytical skills. Diagnostic ability is the skill to acquire, examine and
interpret information to determine the cause of transform either in inputs or outputs or in the
transformation procedure. Analytical ability is the skill to determine the cause of transform and
either to give corrective action or take advantage of the situation.
All functions or units of management will be general to all levels of management in little
form or the other. Though, the duties and responsibilities of the staff operating at dissimilar
levels will modify. The chart 1.1 designates how these three levels of management share their
duties and responsibilities since well since the skills required for them.
While all the behaviors are shared through the three levels of management, the proportion
of responsibilities, duties and skills with reference to the behaviors modify. It should be noted,
though that the organization will job efficiently only if the three levels job in unison. Top
management does extremely small routine operations, while the operational management level
staff does not do much scheduling. But the transitional level management is involved in both
scheduling and routine operational job.
Managerial Functions
We have already seen that there are many definitions given through experts to explain the
meaning and scope of management. One method is to view management since a set of general
procedures or functions which, when accepted out well, lead to organizational efficiency and
effectiveness. These procedures or functions have been broken down into a set of related units
forming a useful framework.
A function is a kind of job action that can be recognized and distinguished from other job.
Experts have recognized many managerial functions since significant units of management.
While Newman and Summer have recognized four functions namely, organizing, scheduling,
leading and controlling, Henri Fayol has recommended five vital functions namely, scheduling,
organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. Mainly authors present the following five
since the essential functions: scheduling, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. Luther
Gulick and L. Urwick have coined an acronym for seven functions namely POSDCORB which
stands for Scheduling, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting and Budgeting.
Few of these functions are presented and discussed here apart. It is significant to keep in mind
that they are accepted out simultaneously and concurrently. The view of this come is that an
organization is a total organization and these functional units are interrelated and interdependent.
The major advantage of separating and discussing these functional units individually is that this
gives a helpful means to look at the several threads that are interwoven into the fabric of what
managers actually do.
Scheduling
Scheduling is the procedure of determining in advance what should be accomplished and
how to do it. In other terms, it is an analytical procedure of establishing goals, objectives and
targets, assessing the future, premising, generating and evaluating alternatives, selecting
programs, projects or courses, estimating possessions, preparing the plan document with
derivative plans and implementing the plan. Four significant aspects of scheduling are:
The purpose of every plan and all derivative plans is to facilitate the accomplishment of
enterprise purposes and objectives;
Scheduling is the "first" function and logically precedes the execution of all other managerial
functions;
The efficiency of a plan is considered through the amount it contributes to the purpose and
objectives since offset through the costs of other unsought consequences required to
formulate and operate.
Budgets.
Objectives,
Policies,
Processes,
Programs,
Rules, and
Strategies.
The procedure of developing a plan consists of some logical and vital steps. Being aware
of opportunities and a sort of SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis
is the first step followed through establishing specific and clear objectives. The third logical step
in scheduling is premising, i.e., taking note of scheduling assumptions. Establishing complete
premises and keeping them up-to-date is a hard and intricate task. The success of a plan depends
on the degree of accuracy in premising. The fourth step is to search for and look at alternative
courses of action. The step is immediately followed through a systematic evaluation of
alternative courses with the purpose of selecting the best course of action in the next step. The
seventh step is formulating smaller derivative plans. The final step is the plan beside with
derivative plans through converting them into budgetary figures.
Many scientific techniques and models are accessible to determine the goals and
objectives, assess future trends, formulate policies, choose in the middle of dissimilar
alternatives, preparation and manufacture of plans, etc. There are rational approaches and
principles to follow in the scheduling procedure.
Scheduling should start with where we are rather than with where we want to be;
Individuals involved in the scheduling procedure should agree to exploit constant scheduling
premises;
The plans should be documented and distributed to all members of the management team;
Inputs to a plan have to approach from every element of the organization to ensure the
involvement and participation of the staff working at the operation supervisory level, besides the
top management which is more directly linked with the scheduling procedure and responsible for
it.
A plan document gives a directive course of executive action incorporating every aspect
of the development of the organization. Policies are framed to help the implementation
procedure. Every plan has to fit into a time frame annual, five year, long range or perspective -
and also has to be flexible to accommodate any unanticipated transform at any point of time. The
significance and advantages of scheduling are:
Brings the skills and experience of staff members to the scheduling procedure.
Organizing
Organizing is the procedure of prescribing formal relationships in the middle of people
and possessions to accomplish the goals. Organizing involves:
Analyzing the whole behaviors of an organization into homogeneous kinds of works and
jobs;
Sorting and grouping the resulting works and jobs into a logical building;
The word organization refers to both the procedure of organization and the result of that
procedure. Organization refers to the building which results from:
The responsibilities of each division, department, element and occupation should be clearly
defined;
Power should be delegated since distant down in the organization since possible;
The organization should be intended to give continuity, flexibility, perpetuation and self-
renewal; and,
Libraries are usually organized on the foundation of their functions, viz., collection,
development, technological processing, users' services etc. But, they can be organized on the
foundation of user clusters served, subjects/regions handled, products and services generated, or
a combination of these. But organizational building varies according to the kinds of libraries,
viz., national, public, academic and special libraries.
Staffing
If organizational building creates positions at dissimilar levels for performing several
functions, staffing trades with providing the right kind of persons to man them. Indeed persons
are the key to the effective functioning of any organization. In information, the real strength of an
organization is its personnel; they can create or mar the organization.
Staffing is the formal procedure of ensuring that the organization has qualified workers
accessible at all levels to meet its short and long word objectives. This function comprises:
Performance appraisal.
Few significant vital concepts of staffing are occupation analysis, occupation account,
occupation specification, and occupation enlargement and occupation enrichment.
Personnel management has assumed extremely great importance in modem management
studies. Attention is increasingly given to composition of staff, their kinds and levels, proper
recruitment methods and processes, job sharing and assignment, staff training and development,
salary, status and career development opportunities, incentives and other related characteristics.
With the rising complexities of libraries and the services they are expected to offer, the
staffing pattern is constantly changing. Dissimilar categories of specialists are being recruited to
operate at several levels in libraries.
Directing
Directing is the managerial function concerned with the interpersonal aspect of managing
through which subordinates are led to understand and contribute effectively and efficiently to the
attainment of enterprise objectives. It is aimed at receiving the members of the organization to
move in the direction that will achieve its objectives. In other terms, directing is the managerial
function that enables managers to get things done through persons, both individually and
collectively. Directing is related to staffing in the sense that these two functions are concerned
with the employees of the organization. While staffing is concerned with providing and
maintaining human possessions, directing trades with leading and interesting the human
possessions to provide out the best. It is the mainly interpersonal aspect of management.
Directing is closely related to the communicating function and interesting actuating and leading
are sub-functions of directing.
Directing is not the singular function of the top management. In information, it pervades
the organization at all supervisory levels. This calls for good interpersonal discourse, both oral
and written. Written communications are often through memos, letters, statements, directives,
policy guidelines, staff and job manuals and same others. It is essential to get them drafted
unambiguously to provide proper direction to the employees. This is supported through oral
discourse, formally at staff meetings and informally on other occasions.
It is necessary to note few significant principles of directing. The more effective the
directing procedure, the greater will be the contribution of subordinates to organizational goals
and the more individuals perceive that their personal goals are in harmony with enterprise
objectives. The more totally an individual has a reporting connection to a single larger, the less
the problem of clash in instructions and the greater the feeling of personal responsibility for
results. Interestingly, reporting is the converse function of directing. In other terms, if A directs
B, then B statements to A.
Controlling
Another significant aspect of directing is exercise of manage in excess of the
organization. Manage does not merely mean restrictions or restraints to be forced on the
organization, but they are guidelines for the organization to perform according to set standards of
efficiency and quality. What is implied in this is, accountability, and the obligation of the staff at
all levels, of reporting to a higher power on their productivity both in words of excellence and
quantity. But these would require yardsticks and measurement apparatus and techniques for
evaluating performance. Therefore, both directing and reporting are closely related to the
controlling function.
In easy words, controlling can be defined since the procedure of comparing actual
performance with standards and taking any necessary corrective action. Hence, the manage
procedure consists of:
Establishment of standards
Correction of deviations.
The standards may be physical standards, cost standards, revenue standards or even
intangible standards. Few of the general traditional manage measures are budgets, statistical data,
special statements, breakeven point analysis, internal audit and personal observation. Other
manage measures contain time-event network analysis like milestone budgeting, program
evaluation and review techniques, program budgeting, profit and loss manage, return on
investment and common key result regions like profitability, market location, productivity, public
responsibility, etc.
It has already been stated that establishing standards for quality, quantity, cost and time,
measuring performance against set standards, and correcting deviations are the three vital steps
involved in measurement of performance. Performance is closely related to techniques of
operations and technology employed. Contemporary management uses techniques of Operations
Research, Program Evaluation and Review Technique and Critical Path Way, organization
analysis and others for improving quality.
A good manage organization should be forward looking, objective, flexible, economical,
understandable, reflect nature and requires of action since well since the organization pattern,
promptly statement deviations and exceptions at critical points and lead to corrective actions. The
other significant principles of controlling are listed below:
Devising effective manage instruments for libraries is hard due to their service and not-
for-profit nature. In the absence of realistic, objective and precise standards for measuring
performance, libraries resort to exploit of objectives, budgets, internal audit and the like.
Coordinating
This is the procedure of linking many behaviors to achieve a functional entire in the
organization. In other terms, it is the procedure of ensuring that persons who perform
interdependent behaviors job jointly in a method that contributes to overall goal attainment.
Coordinating is the management of interdependence in a job situation. It is much more then
presently cooperation and it involves an information giving function. We have learnt in the
organizing function that the job of an organization is divided into several functional elements and
it is the coordinating function that ensures that all these elements efficiently contribute to the
objective. It is in the coordinating procedure that a manager has to act like a leader and his
leadership skills are put to test. The best coordination occurs when individuals see how their jobs
contribute to the goals of the organization. To avoid splintering attempts, the dominant goal of
the organization should be clearly defined and communicated to everyone concerned, Goals of
subordinate departments should be intended to contribute to the goals of the organization.
Coordination calls for ability of leadership, discourse and delegation.
Communicating
Reporting
It has already been said that reporting is converse of directing. Reporting serves the
purpose of keeping authorities and the public at large informed in relation to the performance,
attainments and shortfalls for a specific era. This function not only helps with a healthy self
assessment but also through maintaining good public dealings. Libraries generally generate a
great amount of statistical data and statements.
Budgeting
Innovating
Since every organization has to constantly grow better and bigger, innovation becomes a
significant function of a manager. Innovation means creating new ideas which may either result
in the development of new products or binding the new user for the old ones.
Today's manager is required to spend a section of his time on behalf of his organization
before several outside clusters like Government officials, labor unions, financial organizations,
suppliers, customers, etc.
Lastly it is neither desirable nor feasible to list and explain all other managerial functions.
Many of them are closely related to and even overlapping with the functions discussed therefore
distant.
Thinkers, experts and writers on scientific management have evolved useful principles to
have practical guidance for management operations.
Taylor's Principles
The fundamental principles that Taylor saw underlying the scientific come to
management may be summarized since follows:
Developing all workers to the fullest extent possible for their own and their company's
highest prosperity.
It may be noted that these vital precepts of Taylor are not distant from the fundamental
beliefs of the modem manager, even however few of the techniques Taylor and his colleagues
and followers urbanized in order to put his philosophy and principles into practice, had sure
mechanistic characteristics.
Fayol's Principles
Noting that the principles of management are flexible, not obsolete and necessity is usable
regardless of changing and special circumstances, Fayol listed fourteen principles based on his
experience. They are summarized below:
Division of job: Specialization allows workers and managers to acquire a skill, sureness, and
accuracy which will augment output. More and bigger job will be produced with the similar
attempt.
Power: The right to provide orders and the authority to exact obedience is the essence of
power. Its roots are in the person and the location. It cannot be conceived of separately from
responsibility.
Unity of command: For any action whatsoever, an employee should receive orders from one
larger only. One person, one boss. In no case is there version of a social organism to a duality
of command.
Unity of direction: One head and one plan should lead a group of behaviors It wing the
similar objective. One head, one plan.
Subordination of individual interest to common interest: The interest of one person or group
in a business should not prevail in excess of that of the organization.
Remuneration of personnel: The price of services rendered should be fair and should be
satisfactory to both employees and employer. A level of pay depends on an employee's value
to the organization and on factors self-governing of an employee's worth - such since cost of
living, availability of personnel and common business circumstances.
Order: This principle is the easy advocacy of a lay for everyone, and everyone in his or her
lay; a lay for everything, and everything in its lay. The objective of order is to avoid loss and
waste.
Equity: Kindliness and justice should be practiced through persons in power to extract the
best that their subordinates have to provide.
Continuity of tenure of personnel: Reducing the turnover of personnel will result in more
efficiency and fewer expenses.
Initiative: People should be allowed the freedom to propose and to execute ideas at all levels
of an enterprise. A manager who is able to permit the exercise of initiative on the section of
subordinates is distant larger to one who is unable to do 'therefore.
Esprit De Corps: In unity there is strength. Managers have the duty to promote harmony and
to discourage and avoid those things that disturb harmony.
Barnard's Principles
Along with scientific management and the manager's tasks, many scholars and
practitioners were thinking in relation to the experimenting with, and script on, industrial
psychology and on social theory both of which, in many instances, were stimulated through the
scientific management movement. We can get the flavor of these growths through looking briefly
at the emergence of industrial psychology, the growth of personnel management, and the
development of a sociological come to human dealings and management.
In determining that the task of executives was one of maintaining an organization of
cooperative attempt in a formal organization, Barnard addressed himself first to the reasons for,
and the nature of, cooperative organizations. The logic of his analysis can be seen in the
following steps.
Physical and biological limitations of individuals lead them to cooperate, to job in clusters;
while the vital limitations are physical and biological, once people cooperate, psychological
and social limitations of individuals also play a section in inducing cooperation.
Institutions can in turn be divided into two kinds: the "formal" organization which is that set
of consciously coordinated social interactions that have a deliberate and joint purpose, and
the "informal" organization which refers to those social interactions without a general or
consciously coordinated joint purpose.
The formal organization cannot -exist unless there are persons who:
3. A organization of authority which will lead group members to accept the decisions
of executives, and
The executive functions enter the procedure through the job of the executive in integrating
the entire and in finding the best balance flanked by conflicting forces and measures.
To create the executive effective needs a high order of responsible leadership; since Barnard
therefore well emphasizes, "Cooperation", not leadership, is the creative procedure; but
leadership is the indispensable fulminator of its forces.
Library Management
The management of a library means, in easy words, efficient and effective management
of material, machinery, men and money to meet the objectives of the library.
From the discussion made therefore distant in relation to the management theories,
principles and processes, it is obvious that they are extremely much relevant in managing
libraries too. Yet it is extremely significant for us to note that libraries are simply paternalistic,
service-oriented and not-for-profit institutions. Since a matter of information, it is that section ' of
management which is described "service management" which is more significant to libraries than
the management of industrial and profit-oriented institutions.
At this juncture, it is necessary for us to have a quick look at few of the vital aspects of
service and not-for-profit institutions. Four significant aspects of service are:
Intangibility: Services often may not directly appeal to the, senses of customers:
Heterogeneity: Service rendered cannot be fully standardized and since a result there will be
variations in the excellence of service rendered to dissimilar customers.
perish ability: Many times service cannot be stored and an inventory urbanized for later
physical sharing.
In addition to the four of fundamental aspects of service the following other aspects of the
service for not-for-profit institutions are worth noting. It is hard to measure and compare
performance of service institutions. It is equally hard to inspect quality, determine and implement
specifications, take examples and attempt in advance since well since determine the cost of a
service. The connection flanked by costs and benefits is blurred. Output is often a mix of physical
facilities and mental or physical labor. There is no title or ownership transfer when a service is
rendered. Service institutions are labor and equipment rigorous and are dominated through
professionals. In service institutions, quality is unusual and mediocrity general and, surprisingly,
dissatisfaction is rarely conveyed through customers. Service institutions are generally small and
operate at a single location. Lastly, market forces play a less important role in service institutions.
The aspects of service institutions are through no means exhaustive. But these are mainly vital
and have own impact on the nature and approach of service management.
Management of a library is accomplished through a combination of vital management
functions and skills discussed earlier since well since management of roles. We can think of three
significant roles for a library manager:
Interpersonal role:
2. Leading role,
3. Raison role.
Informational role:
2. Disseminator role,
Decisional role:
1. Since entrepreneur looking out for new ideas and adopt them for transform
4. Negotiator role.
Libraries have grown with times in the social, cultural, scientific and technical
environments in which they have been developing and operating. Modem libraries are not merely
storehouses of knowledge and information but are also live and active organizations involved in a
basic service to community. Today knowledge and information are measured since significant
since power and biotechnology and hence have to be taken care of and managed well. Scientific
management theories, principles and practices are, so, increasingly being applied to control
libraries to give effective and excellence service.
LIBRARY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Formal institutions are social elements shaped for the purpose of accomplishing few
objective or objectives. Two vital aspects of formal institutions are:
The goal may be changed many times, throughout the lifetime of the organization.
Since an organization becomes more intricate and adds new objectives, regularly one
objective will approach into clash with another objective. A major source of clash in service
institutions, particularly libraries, is the competition for possessions. Other conflicts contain line-
versus-staff clash, differences in job orientation and requires, etc.
A formal organization is the result of explicit decision-making, deciding how people and
behaviors should be related to one another. Though, there is no such decision-making involved in
an informal organization which may basically evolve spontaneously or in excess of time.
In the context of a business organization, both the formal and informal organizational
buildings operate jointly to form the total organization. The formal building delineates specific
departments, behaviors, people and their reporting relationships. The informal building refers to
the social clusters or friendships which people working jointly may form.
A significant aspect of the informal organization is the informal discourse network or
grapevine since it is more commonly recognized. The amount of information gathered through
official circulars, memos and speeches is rather insignificant compared to what are unofficially
learnt from colleagues and subordinates. The grapevine constitutes a very significant component
of the organizational information organization.
Besides the grapevine, the other manifestation of the informal organization is the
formation of clusters which may spontaneously evolve when the formal organization is slow to
respond to changing external and internal forces. But sometimes these informal clusters may also
job against the formal organization. This may occur when an informal group of workers may
force other workers to place down apparatus, or job to rule or usually pose impediments in the
path of progress. Further, sometimes the norms and job ethics evolved through the informal
organization take precedence in excess of official norms.
Likewise, you would discover informally evolved values operating within the parameters
of the formal organization. These values may relate to dress, employment of women,
employment of members of a minority society, etc. In understanding the building of an
organization, you necessity understand the significant role played through the informal
organization within the formal organization.
Procedure of Structuring
Principles of Institutions
We shall consolidate the principles which are interrelated and should help in creating an
efficient organizational building.
Principle of Unity of Objective
This states that the organizational building should facilitate the contribution of individuals
to the attainment of enterprise's objectives. Of course, this assumes that the organization has
clearly defined objectives.
Principle of Efficiency
This states that the objectives of the enterprise necessity be accomplished with the
minimum of unsought consequences or costs. The organizational building should enable the
enterprise to function efficiently. There are few principles of organizing which takes the form of
common specialization.
Principle of Exception
Since executives at higher levels have limited time, only exceptionally intricate troubles
should be referred to them and routine matters should be dealt with through the subordinates at
theirs levels.
Principle of Flexibility
Principle of Balance
Span of Manage
There should be a limit number of direct subordinates reporting to a manager. The span-
of manage should be the minimum and should depend on the nature and diversity of behaviors,
the time required for each action and the person.
Scalar Principle
There should be a final ultimate power in every organization, and power and
responsibility should flow from the, top management downwards in a clear unbroken line. In
other terms, there should be a clearly defined power. The clearer the line of power, the more
effective will be the organizational performance and discourse. The chain of command is the line
beside which power flows from the top of the organization to any individual.
Unity of Command
Each person should answer to only one immediate larger. Dual subordination necessity is
avoided.
The procedure of delegation of power should take into consideration the results expected,
the tasks assigned, the degree of delegation required to accomplish' the tasks and the
responsibility to be fixed. The power delegated should be equal to the responsibility. There are
three sub-principles relating to delegation.
Principle of delegation: This states that the power delegated to an individual manager should
be adequate to assure his skill to accomplish the results expected of him.
The power-level principle: Maintenance of designed delegation needs that decisions within
the power and competence of an individual manager be made through him and not be referred
upward in the organizational building.
Line power refers to the command power of supervisors in excess of their subordinates.
Line positions are directly responsible and accountable for the tasks assigned. Line behaviors are
behaviors that are directly involved in the fulfillment of the primary mission of the organization.
On the other hand, staff behaviors are those that give advice, support and service to the line
positions and do not carry command power and responsibility. Staff positions do not fall into the
hierarchical building of the organization: They are generally in the form of assistant or advisory,
dedicated and corporate staff. The staff power varies from consultation to concurring to the
extreme case of functional power where staff specialist has a direct general power in a functional
region in excess of line manager.
The connection flanked by line and staff in any organization should be direct, cordial, and
vertical at dissimilar levels. The line-staff clash should be reduced to minimum. Such clash may
arise due to differences in perceptions flanked by them, the each accusing the other and feeling
that the other is eroding one's power or interfering or is non-cooperative. These are the mainly
general complaints. The dedicated knowledge, the sophisticated organization urbanized, the
image consciousness of staff experts, and the importance due to the responsibility for
implementation of advice and power of the line staff cause these conflicts. Resolving line-staff
clash is often hard. The only method is bigger understanding of the nature of the connection and
empathy.
Functional Power
The functional organization is a modification of the line, and staff organization whereby
staff departments are given power in excess of line personnel in narrow regions of specialization.
Functional power is the right of staff specialists to issue orders in their own names in indicates
regions. In other terms, functional power is the supervisory authority exercised through a person
outside the element on an element. Functional power violates the principle of unity of command.
In the case of functions like safety and labor dealings, which are of crucial importance, this kind
of functional power is in vogue. In large libraries, significant projects like library automaton may
need functional power. Sufficient care should be taken in handling such situations:
Coordination is the procedure of ensuring that persons and elements that perform
interdependent behaviors job jointly in a method that contributes to overall goal attainment. In
other terms, coordination is the procedure of linking many behaviors to achieve a functional
entire. On the other hand, integration is the unified manage of a number of successive or same
operations. An effective organization building not only needs vertical and horizontal coordination
but also perfect integration of functions. Vertical coordination is concerned with linking of
superiors and subordinates and of elements at dissimilar levels of the organization. Horizontal
coordination is concerned with linking of peers and elements at same organizational levels.
Libraries since service institutions should place emphasis on efficient and personalized
service since well since friendly and courteous behavior. Since such integration is essential in
libraries where differentiated elements job towards general objectives. In information, the more
differentiated and dedicated are the behaviors, the greater require for coordination and
integration. Three units, namely, power delegated through hierarchical relationships,
administrative processes and organizations, and discourse network in the organization help the
integration 0 per centseveral elements in the organization.
Aspects of Division
The procedure of grouping related job behaviors into manageable elements is recognized
since departmentation. The purpose of departmentation is to contribute to the more efficient and
effective exploit of organizational possessions. How functions should be grouped and what bases
are to be used for departmentation are discussed.
Functional parallel is the largest foundation for grouping same job behaviors. But few of
the factors which affect our objective of grouping functionally same works are: inadequate
volume of job to allow specialization, customs, job rules, personal preferences, and parallel of
functions like inventory manage to others in the organization. Few same functions may have to
be separated to prevent conflicts of interest and, sometimes, different functions may have to be
combined to achieve coordination.
It is a general practice to divide and group the behaviors of an organization into desirable
elements to get best management results. But the aspects chosen for division should though, be
relevant to the purpose and should produce the desired results. Normally the following bases are
used to set up departments:
Numbers,
Function,
Territory,
Product,
Customer,
Procedure or equipment,
Subjects,
Document kinds,
Time, and
Libraries have also used these methods, since well since some more, but interpret them
differently to suit their own contexts. Libraries have used the subject or form of documents since
a useful criterion for division. Though, no single criterion has been established workable for all
situations and hence libraries have been by varying combinations of these bases to produce a
hybrid building. We shall talk about each of these to give a bigger understanding.
Numbers
Division through number has been used primarily in protection, where indicates number
of troops create up a squad, a platoon, or a regiment. But this criterion of division has been
seldom used through libraries, except for on unusual occasions like shifting library premises and
stock verification. But this certainly is an unusual occasion and the arrangement of job is also
temporary.
Function
The mainly general foundation for departmentation is function. Practically all libraries
exploit this form of departmentation which divides a library into functional departments such
since acquisition, processing, reference services, bibliography, stock maintenance, circulation,
information and documentation services, etc. Departmentation based on function, since a easy,
logical and time-proved way, has the advantages of allowing occupational specialization, helping
the simple assessment of the contribution of each subunit, simplifying training, allowing for
defining the authority .and prestige since well since tight manage of each action through top
management and ensuring economy in resource utilization. Though, the disadvantages of this
way contain unhealthy competition for possessions, disagreements on general works, distancing
of home keeping operations from customers, fostering sub-goal loyalties, making of "walls"
approximately departments; difficulties in achieving coordination and responsibilities resting
only with chief executives. It may be noted that wide geographical sharing, heterogeneous
customer clusters and different services approach in the method of functional departmentation.
Yet, mainly libraries exploit this way for organizing their job and service.
Territory
Business and industry exploit this form of division to adapt to regional situations since
distant since the labor market, requires and manufacture are concerned. Public libraries exploit
this way of division to serve dissimilar branches, bookmobiles and other service elements. In a
national library organization, local libraries are organized on the foundation of their geographical
contiguity. But this way may not suit other kinds of libraries, since there is small scope for such a
division. The advantages of territorial design are encouragement for regional participation in
decision making and recruitment, economy and emphasis on 16cal custom, approach and
preferences. The disadvantages of this foundation are duplication of behaviors, short-run
competition in the middle of themselves, poor discourse facilities, and slow decision making and
action.
Product
Large industrial undertakings exploit this way of organization since they specialize in
manufacturing dissimilar products. Libraries and information elements attached to such industrial
homes may have to follow the practice of their parent institutions. But in common, there is no
instance of libraries organized on this foundation. But if we can believe secondary publications
brought out through libraries such since Current Awareness Bulletins, Indexing Journals,
Abstracting Journals, etc. since information products, the publication department of the library
may organize its job in this method. This way of organizing has the advantage of keeping to time
schedules, ensuring exploit of their products and sale ability, comparing performance of
dissimilar products, and allowing scope for stimulating improved performance and deriving
satisfaction. The disadvantages contain duplication of staff, facilities, equipment and extra
expenditure.
Customer
Business operates its services completely based on customer interests and clusters. This
way of organization in libraries is seen in public libraries. Distinct services for children, students,
physically handicapped, blind, etc., are based on this principle of division. The obvious
advantage of this kind of organization is that it allows the library to meet the special and widely
varying requires of dissimilar users and earns the goodwill of customers. The disadvantages are
same to those of territorial divisions, particularly duplication of facilities and under utilization of
possessions and facilities. Often coordination in the middle of dissimilar elements becomes hard
because of varying interests.
Procedure or Equipment
Industry has used this kind of departmentation for large installations like smelting plant or
steel mill where diverse procedures or technologies are involved. Libraries and documentation
centers can exploit this way for organizing their printing and photographic elements. This way
allows the judicious exploit of heavy dry costly equipment, increases efficiency and allows for
specialization. The disadvantages are difficulties in company performances and resolving
conflicts when the procedures are sequential and involve more departments. It may be more
suitable for libraries to organize through objectives and services rather than procedures.
Subjects
Public and academic libraries exploit this way of organizing extensively. It gives for more
in-depth reference and information services, requiring a higher degree of-subject specialization
on the section of the staff. There is, though, no set pattern that determines the subjects to be
incorporated in a subject department or no set number of subjects. In academic libraries, subject
departments are generally broad in scope to contain all related subjects, such since humanities,
social sciences and sciences. In large public libraries, subject departments such since business,
fine arts, and regional history are general. There are definite advantages in subject organization.
All material dealing with a group of subjects may be brought jointly and services organized to
meet the interests of users. The only disadvantage is possibly the high cost, both in terns money
spent in duplication of materials and the excellence of staff required. But the advantage is
certainly overwhelming to invest in this kind of subject organisation.
Document Kind
Libraries also get organized on the foundation of the material they serve, such since
books, periodicals, microforms, maps, machine readable shapes and others.
Time
Manufacture oriented industries in order to optimize the exploit of their capital rigorous
facilities adopt shift since a foundation for departmentation. The disadvantages of the shift-
organization contain difficulties in-measuring performance, accidental occurrences and
breakdowns in one shift affecting the other and "buck passing" from one shift to another.
Libraries may also have to think of the shift organization if services are to be provided for 16-24
hours a day.
Combined Foundation
Lastly, it is also possible to conceive departmentation based on two or more criteria. This
kind of grid or lattice or matrix departmentation is general in the production of agricultural
machinery.
Organizational Charts
A useful visual aid for showing the horizontal and vertical building of an organization is
the organization chart. An organization chart is a graphic presentation of organizational building,
indicating span of management, hierarchical and vertical positions, relationships flanked by line
and staff positions, flow of power, responsibility, discourse and such others. Lines of power are
generally represented on organizational charts through unbroken lines whereas broken lines
indicate staff positions and dotted lines illustrate the staff functions like connection flanked by
statutory committees and the organization. The points to be noted in these charts are:
Span of manage;
Library committee since an advisory body does common governance of a library and it is a
staff function.
Common Observations
There is no single way of dividing the behaviors of a library to make a building. There are
advantages since well since disadvantages associated with each of them. A library, so, uses many
of these methods. After all, the purpose of creating a building is to offer an effective service. A
large public library, for instance, usually may have a circulation element, subject element, service
to business or children, branch libraries, a printing element, microforms and many others. An
academic library may organize the housekeeping operations function wise while the services may
be on the foundation of subjects or customer.
Irrespective of their kind, such an exercise of creating a suitable organizational building
becomes necessary in large libraries. For smaller libraries, function wise division should
normally meet mainly of their necessities.
With the rising computerization of library operations and services, the organizational set
up of libraries is undergoing changes. All housekeeping operations would invariably be
centralized while the service points will be decentralized, But whatever may be the
organizational building library, the organizing procedures and principles will still be valid.
It is significant to note here that Management Information Organization captures data and
information from the environment since well since the transactions and operations of the
organization. Data have to be obtained both from the internal environment like internal
operations since well since from the external environment like competitors, unions, labor force,
government policies, legal thoughts, suppliers, customers, community, market etc. The internal
information is generated from the operations of the organization at several management levels in
the several functional regions. The information gets processed within an organization since it
travels from the clerical level to the top levels of management. That is, the internal information
always pertains to the several operational elements of the organization and gets summarized and
processed since it gets from lower level to the top level. Only summarized internal information is
consumed at the top level and other internal information is consumed through lower and
transitional level managers. The external information which is from the environment affects the
performance of the organization from outside. Two vital approaches possible to Management
Information Organization in any organization are:
1. Transaction processing
2. Operational manage
3. Management manage
4. Strategic scheduling
The major processing functions in Management Information Organization are:
Which gives data privacy, security and confidentiality against fraud, theft, organization
errors, maliciousness, accidents, disasters, computer crime and abuse, etc?
The essential functions accepted out in the transaction processing are data capture,
validation, classification, sorting, retrieval, calculation and summarization.
In order to achieve its set objectives Management Information Organization has to have
many desirable aspects separately from the attributes of excellence information. First of all, an
MIS has to be management oriented since well since management directed. It necessity posses
attributes like accessibility, comprehensiveness, accuracy, appropriateness, timeliness, clarity,
flexibility, verifiability, freedom from bias and qualify ability. It has to be highly selective and
capture only relevant data and information. It necessity integrate all functions, departments and
levels of management in the organization therefore since to ensure both synergistic effects since
well since the impact of one function on the other. It necessity systematically synthesize the
information necessities of each manager based on his location, responsibilities and scope for
decision making. Management Information Organization necessity differentiate the kind of
information required for scheduling, decision making and controlling purposes. MIS is intended
for occupation positions rather than for individuals keeping in mined the occupation
responsibilities and for requires of dissimilar levels of management in dissimilar functional
regions. It necessity be highly responsive to changes caused through organizational and
experimental changes. It Necessity have few flexibility, ease to exploit, adaptability and an in-
built contingency nature. Further, Management Information necessity believes the full effect of a
decision in advance through supplying the required data. The information provided should have
degrees of details presently needed for the level of management, minimum require for further
analysis and interpretation, uniform presentation and recognized important past connection and
forecasted future connection . Management Information Organization should be integrated
through method of a database with single point data entry and no data redundancy.
Management Information Organization quickly gives all sorts of information required for
decision making at dissimilar levels of management.
In the procedure of capturing data shapes, one may discover gaps, partial and incorrect data.
The similar are likely to be rectified or completed or filled in the procedure.
Management Information Organization creates decision making simple, accurate and less
risky.
Information flow from either direction is ensured and encouraged in the rank and file of
managers.
Greatly helps long range scheduling with accurate forecasting trend examines and
preplanning information in budget preparation. Even operations scheduling and tactical
scheduling are provided with information inputs through MIS. Plan modeling is greatly aided
through MTS.
MIS plays a crucial role in controlling managerial operations, monitoring performance and
decentralized decision making through performance statement, break-even analysis, financial
ratios, etc. It calculates variations flanked by budgeted and actual results, triggers revised
forecasts and acts since an early warning organizations for monitoring behaviors.
Discourse gap flanked by Computer Technologist and Manager/ User: Ensuring maximum
cooperation and coordination flanked by computer personnel and managers is necessary. A
greater degree of interaction and involvement flanked by the organizations function and the
management function is required.
Lack of a Master Plan: A systematic long range plan/intended come is necessary for
establishing an effective Management Information Organization. Increased focus on the
region of troubles definition is required in the organizations analysis. The dramatic changes
in business strategy jointly with changes in the top management personnel and organization
building call for a through plan.
Subordition of MIS Function to EDP Accounting Organization: Management Information
Organization's function should be made a self-governing function therefore that it statements
directly to top management.
Lack of Managerial Participation: This involvement and support of top management since
well since participation of all managers in the design of their own management information
organization are necessary. If top management tends to depend upon its informally intended
private information organizations, development of structured, formalized and public
management information organizations becomes hard. Many top managers wrongly feel that
good strategic decisions are made more through intuition than through a quantitative analysis
of the accessible data.
Voluminous and Unstructured Nature of Data: Sometimes the volume of data itself can be a
hurdle unless careful sifting is done. On the other hand, it may also be hard to locate and
retrieve relevant data. Often, the data required through top management is unstructured, non-
programmed, future oriented. inexact and external and hence hard to capture.
Limited Exploit of Management Science and or Techniques: Few of the ways of rising the
effective of Management Information Organization contain interesting managers to
participate and get involved in Management Information Organization, establishing constant
performance and job criteria for Management Information Organization, maintaining
simplicity and ease of exploit, training organizations analysts and careful consideration of
vital computer feasibility criteria like volume and repetitive nature of transactions, degree of
mathematical processing, quick turnaround time, accuracy and validity of data, general
source documents and well understood processing logic.
Enormous Time, Attempt and Possessions Required: MIS budget comprises data processing
costs, hardware costs, personnel costs, supplies, services, etc.
Management Information Organization is a huge region and what has been presented is
only an elementary exposure to the concepts of Management Information Organization. The
processes of design, development, operation and evaluation of Management Information
Organization are not discussed here. Those interested in more information in relation to the
Management Information Organization may refer to the books cited at the end.
It is motivating to note that a fully computerized and comprehensive Management
Information Organization is yet to be seen in libraries and information centers. Though, the
underlying principles are followed in manual, mechanical or semi-automated method to gather
procedure and exploit information mostly from within the organization required through library
managers. Information from the external environment is rarely composed and processed. In
mainly cases exploit of periodic statements and statistics can be seen. But they cannot match the
aspects of Management Information Organization discussed earlier. It is really a motivating
region to know how the information necessities of decision makers and managers of information
are scuttling. Since examples, you may think of the following easy situations in a typical library
and how equipped Management Information Organization of libraries are to face such decision
making situations.
Monitoring and feedback on require for procuring additional copies of sure books based on
heavy demand
However library statistics and annual statements cannot be measured since substitutes for
MIS, they serve the major purposes of providing a foundation for performance assessment of
libraries, decision making and public` dealings. They are aimed primarily at users, library
authorities and taxpayers at large rather than library managers and staff. They also serve the
purpose of knowing the behaviors of the year, comparing libraries and comparing performance in
excess of the years.
Comprehensive, accurate, well intended and up-to-date library statistics help gauging the
progress of a library, formulating policy and process, measuring the efficiency of several sub
organizations, scheduling a new service or improving an existing service, measuring the output
and performance of library staff and scheduling reward and salary building. Since statistics have
all the potential for abuse, misuse and overuse, due care and precaution should be taken on by
library statistics.
Properly compiled annual statements of libraries help in determining the progress,
providing publicity, evaluating the library, and taking remedial measures where needed,
separately from serving since a method of seeking public funds, providing feedback to top
management, comparing performance with average since well since other libraries and finally
serving since historical records.
A typical MIS for library and information centers with reference to Users, Exploit,
Exploit time, Collection, Services and Personnel is given below, indicating how such an MIS
may be useful in decision making for library managers. This is merely illustrative and not
exhaustive.
Users
Regular members who have borrowing privileges and exploit the library well. Visitors who
are not regular but exploit intensively the library. Casual visitors.
Analysis of data relating to their location, duties and responsibilities in their respective
institutions, purpose of exploit and how used, frequency of exploit, etc.
Information obtained from data analysis may give useful indicators for extending support to
rigorous users, offer them special facilities and therefore fix priorities for attention to
dissimilar categories of users.
Exploit
What materials are heavily used, through whom, materials used within the library, and such
other things. These data may be obtained from statistics kept in the circulation division and
Reading and reference rooms.
Exploit Time
When is the library heavily used - Throughout a day, throughout a specific era, etc?
Information on this will enable staff deployment throughout rush hours and satisfy customers
with speedy service.
Collection
Collection analysis in words of subject sharing, kinds of material within a collection and such
others will throw light on the excellence of collection, if properly assessed.
This information will be basic for collection, scheduling and structure and therefore improve
usefulness and the image of the library.
Services
Services like circulation, reference service, literature search, Current Awareness Service, and
Selective Dissemination of Information, etc.
These services may be assessed for cost effectiveness, cost benefits, and such others to
provide indicators for fixing priorities, allotment of financial possessions, deploying
personnel, improvements in quality, etc.
Personnel
An MIS can be urbanized which can be accessed through authorized person, providing
facilities of access through LAN (Regional Region Network) and also integrated
appropriately therefore that data composed in one operation can be used for other purposes, if
necessary.
The aspects of MIS, benefits, troubles and pitfalls, etc., are all relevant to such an MIS for
library and information centre Management.
Library Structure
Libraries approach in several kinds and sizes to fulfill sure specific requires of the society
it is recognized to serve. Therefore we can have a single room village panchayat or school
library to gigantic edifices spread in excess of acres of national library. It may serve a place
clientele who have barely mastered the rudiments of the three Rs or highly sophisticated, erudite
cream of the community. It may handle a couple of reluctant readers a day or may have to cope
with a vast rush of knowledge seekers since in a public or university library. The range is
enormous, demands are endless and diversity limitless. Needless to say, scheduling for providing
services to this diverse clientele has to be dissimilar, to suit requires of a scrupulous group of
clientele. It is not possible to frame rigid guidelines which will be equally applicable under all
circumstances. What we shall attempt here is to elaborate few guiding principles which should be
kept in mind while scheduling a new library set-up.
Preliminary Thoughts
The task of creating physical facilities and environment involves broadly pre-scheduling
behaviors followed through preparation of a program, allocation and utilization of legroom,
selection of equipment, furnishing and moving into facility. The pre-scheduling behaviors
contain gathering information through visiting other libraries, discussing with colleagues and
experts, attending seminars, exhibitions, conferences and reading literature. One should not be
surprised or scared at issues cropping up. Rather one should attempt to talk about with colleagues
and experts. The proposal should incorporate common characteristics like objectives, kind, status
and location of the library, nature of users and exploit of library, and composition of scheduling
team, possessions required, the implementation schedule, etc.
Physical facilities and environment can be looked from three significant view points,
namely, marketing of services, excellence of services and customer studies. Before attempting to
make physical environment and facilities in libraries to gear up the excellence services it is
necessary to identify and understand the nature and aspects of services. Aspects of service
institutions like intangibility, non-inventory ability, variability and inseparability of manufacture
and consumption of services call for an extended marketing mix with emphasis on physical proof
, people, procedure, PR and social marketing. The role of Lay and Physical proof in the new
strategy for marketing of services is to be accentuated while creating physical facilities and
environment. Physical environment is packaging for services and hence it requires to be
improved for the following reasons and ways:
Help to reinforce the proposed location and image of the organization, i.e., the intangible
service through physical environment
Clientele
Any attempt to make physical facilities and environment should take into explanation the
unique needy and ways of seeking, gathering, by and communicating information through the
target users. In other terms, understanding the users in words of their aspects, styles,
idiosyncrasies, requires opinions, priorities, preferences, evaluations, attitudes and behavior is
essential. A number 'of findings in the regions of user research give clear and direct input for
creating suitable physical facilities and environment. The kind of library, nature of users, pattern
of usage, age and status differences, psychological and behavioral patterns of clientele are to-be
given due consideration in scheduling a library structure.
Based on the nature of clientele, three broad clusters of libraries are established-academic
library, where the users are the students, teachers, or research scholars; public library or a private
or subscription library where the clientele are a cross part of the society-both literate and
semiliterate; and special library where the clientele constitute industrialists, entrepreneurs,
businessman, officials, scientists, techno-crates, professionals, politicians, literate and others.
Location/ Location
Possessions
It is obvious that the mass and architecture of a library will be determined through the
volume of its action-the number of clientele it is going to serve. The issue is finally decided
through the amount that is accessible to translate the dream into reality. The librarian should have
clear thought in relation to the capital budget accessible for the library structure. In other terms,
money, land expertise of librarian, consultant, architect, engineer, contractor, interior decorates,
etc are the crucial possessions required.
Team Job
Scheduling a library structure is a team job: The team consists of the library power or the
management committee, the librarian and the architect. The library power or the management
committee is responsible for the selection of a knowledgeable, qualified and experienced
librarian, the appointment of an appropriate structure coordination committee, involvement of
senior library staff members, the appointment of a qualified architect with clear mandate,
acquisition of an appropriate location and the provision of adequate funds for the structure
project.
The librarian is responsible for developing a plan for the common interior arrangements,
connection of service regions, legroom requirement for anticipated kinds and volumes of
documents, reading regions, equipment necessities, special requires-both present and future and
all staff and service necessities.
An extremely crucial role is played through the architect who is able to change the
requirement plan drawn up through the librarian into a functionally elegant interior and
aesthetically pleasing exterior of a library structure within the limitations of possessions
provided. This is possible if there is a good rapport flanked by the librarian and the architect,
each understanding the other's strong points and limitations. The librarian and the architect may
also require consulting other specialists interior decorators, equipment and furniture
manufacturers, illumination and air-conditioning consultants before drawing up a final plan.
In addition, the team of scheduling committee may have consultants, field representatives,
users, library staff, other staff in the organization, construction coordinator, telecommunication
staff, engineering staff, interior decorator, facilities planners, etc.
A good library structure is the outcome of a secure connection flanked by the librarian
and the architect. An ideal library is a happy combination of both function and design. The
librarian not only draws up the preliminary plan based on the thoughts explained earlier, but he is
also in touch with the architect at every level of the plan. It may be pointed out here that for few
large libraries, the practice is to invite competitive designs for the library structure.
The contents: The contents of a library program for structure should reflect the following:
1. Common characteristics :
User behaviors
3. Construction characteristics:
Environmental controls
Legroom necessities
Services offered
Future expansion
4. Gathering statistics
Library planners
Users
6. Possessions required
7. Implementation schedule
Few tips for preparation and execution of a library structure program are:
Foresee the impact of emerging technologies and expect impact of new technologies on
structure, layout and legroom
Few illustrations of input from user studies for the program are:
Approximately one-third of users >visit libraries for job legroom and one-eight exclusively
for job legroom
In-house exploit, seat occupancy, length of keep, user movement/ traffic flow pattern
Mass
The mass of the library structure is determined through the number of clientele it is going
to cater to, diversity and range of services provided, document kind, total present collection and
the rate of growth, staff strength, extension and other behaviors. While the Fifth law of Library
Science states that `Library is a rising organism', there is a limit to growth since distant since
structure legroom is concerned. Normally a library structure is intended with a 15-20 years
growth in view. But as the library action cannot approach to a standstill at the end of 20 years,
presently because funds are not accessible for a new structure, every library should have an
active `de-acquisition' policy beside with a healthy acquisition policy. There are a lot of
ephemeral materials accumulated in the library in excess of the years-old catalogues and
brochures, news bulletins, old text books, outdated reference books, torn fiction books, and many
other materials which inhabit precious legroom in the library. These should be periodically
weeded out to create legroom for the new. In essence, one should ensure that the mass of the
structure is adequate from all perspectives.
Architecture
Library action is a dedicated action and it should be intended therefore since to carry out
this action efficiently in a congenial environment. The library design should be based upon and
correlated with the functions and services of the library. Presently since a temple, a church, or a
hospital has a distinctive architecture-both internal and external- the library is also a dedicated
institution, and its individuality should be reflected in its architecture. But all its design should
aim at bringing in relation to the economy in management and optimize its operation. For the
sake of economy the stack regions may have low ceilings, compared to the other regions. For
effect, the lobby may have higher ceiling. Library needs floor stronger than other office
structures to withstand load of stocks. While scheduling and execution of plan for a library
structure, it should be ensured that load bearing capability of floor, floor height, avoiding interior
load bearing walls; quiet comfortable and attracting reading rooms, simplicity, efficiency,
economy, comfort, flexibility and functional usefulness of the structure are since per standards.
The preliminary thoughts should lead to a proper written proposal/program and that in word
should 'get translated into working drawings and specifications for the requisite structure.
2. Charging Desk
3. Public Catalogue/s
1. Reading room/s
3. Revise carrels
1. Acquisition part
2. Technological part
3. Reference part
3. Seminar room
4. Binding part
5. Reprography part
Minimize RCC
Avoid legroom stealers like` balconies, air wells, light wells, etc
The connection flanked by elements has to be decided in a heuristic way through drawing
charts with dissimilar intensity of relationships flanked by elements like essential, significant,
desirable, not significant and undesirable.
Seating economies like mass of tables, and stealing legroom from aisles to be given due
consideration.
It is here that the finding of the past studies both in librarianship since well since other
regions like behavioral science and psychology has to be noted. For instance, it has always been
accounted that users prefer to inhabit empty tables even if it is small absent in the reading hall.
The next preferred seat in a four seater table is diagonal location and the last chance is sitting
through the face of another user.
Circulation Region
The stack rooms, issue and return counter and public catalogue constitute the circulation
region. Beside with the reading room, the circulation region is measured the mainly significant
section of the library, as, it is in these spaces that the readers approach in direct get in touch with
the library personnel and facilities. Hence, great trade of idea and attention should be given to
their scheduling.
Stacks
Stacks are the storage places for the several kinds of documents kept in a library. The
kinds of documents usually establish in library are: books and monographs; pamphlets and
brochures; and periodicals and newspapers. Besides these, dedicated libraries may have sizable
collection of patents and standards; maps and drawings; records and cassettes; microfilms and
microfiche, and several other kinds of non-book materials. Obviously storage and display devices
for these diverse materials of several mass, form, format, and aspects cannot be the similar.
Depending on the present and anticipated mix of the document collection, the number of storage
elements required for each kind of documents has to be estimated. Normally a book shelf of
average 85 cm run can hold 25 books, or 15 bound volumes of periodicals. An average library
rack of 145 cm height has six shelves for books or five shelves for bound volumes of periodicals.
Recommended shelf depth is 25 cm. It should be kept in mind that the stack region, specially the
books and periodicals stack region, has the fastest growth rate in a library and a miscalculation at
the scheduling level can lead to serious bottleneck at a future date. While calculating the legroom
requirement, not only the dimension of the furniture, but the gangway legroom has to be
measured. -Gangway legroom may be calculated on the foundation of minimum 1.30 meter
aloofness flanked by the center of two rows of double sided racks. This will leave a free passage
method of 80 cm flanked by two rows, which is presently adequate. Though, in better libraries,
for less used materials, compact shelving is recommended to save legroom. The racks for
compact storage move on rails, and no legroom is left flanked by the rows. But compact shelving
is costly and affordable through really large libraries.
Few ways of doing contain 6 volumes per linear foot or 10-15 volumes per sq.ft. Further
5per cent growth rate per year, 6per cent configuration loss and 25 per cent legroom may have to
be added.
Charging Desk
This is the key functional region of the library and a great trade of idea should be given to
its location, mass and form. The counter is therefore placed that the persons manning the counter
can keep watch on the readers and check unauthorized material receiving in or out. Normally the
counter is placed at the largest entrance, and adequate legroom is kept for simple entry and exit.
It is therefore intended, that the mainly significant behaviors like issue and return of books are
mannered smoothly and unhindered. The mass of the counter will depend on the number of
readers to be served at one time. Adequate legroom should be provided in the counter to shelve
books returned since well since and to store all essential records, including the charging trays. A
property counter or a pigeon whole rack is usually placed close to the issue counter, where the
visitors or readers can leave their personal belongings before going inside the library. Provision
is made close to the counter for notice boards, display of latest book jackets, or other exhibits.
Public Catalogue
Public catalogue is the key to the document collection in a library and regularly used
through the readers since well since the library staff. This should also be placed close to the
entrance and not distant from the counter. Enough legroom should be left close to the catalogue
cabinets to create consultation easier. Some high stools may be placed close to the catalogue
cabinet, to create lengthy consultation comfortable. Provision is generally made in the cabinet for
small draw out script board where the readers can note down the contents of the catalogue cards.
Catalogues grow with the book stock, hence enough legroom should be provided for future
expansion. An economy catalogue cabinet need in relation to the 1.75 sq. mtr region. In recent
years many libraries have automated their services and functions and hence they have been able
to give Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAL) to their customers both within the library since
well since on campus through Regional Region Network (LAN).
This region has to accommodate new arrivals display, stacking of reserved books,
circulation staff, personal property counter, computer workstation, etc.
Depending on the mass and nature of the library, there may be one or more reading
rooms. A reading room for books and another for magazines and newspapers are fairly general.
In many academic organizations and few public libraries a distinct text book room is also
provided. In libraries having a sizeable collection of maps and drawings, a room with special
devices to revise them properly, is set separately.'
Reading Room
The reading room should be located adjacent to the document collection concerned. The
minimum reading legroom required upon the maximum number of people who may be by the
reading room at a time. A thumb rule is to create provision for in relation to the 10 per cent of the
members or potential user society. Based on that, provision has to be made for appropriate kind
and number of tables and chairs has to be provided. There should be adequate legroom left for
moving approximately without disturbing other readers. For books and periodicals reading
rooms, roughly 1 sq. meter region is to be provided for each reader legroom in a public or
academic library and the similar may go unto 2.75 sq. meters in a special library, In other terms,
legroom per reader varies depending on kind of library and kind of user
Microform Reading Room, Collection and Manufacture Elements
These days, more and more exploit being made of microforms-microfilm, microfiche,
micro opaque cards, slides, video cassettes, etc., for recording and storage of information. While
storage of these materials require special care, viewing of these materials require special
equipment and a dissimilar environment than obtaining in normal reading rooms. Special reading
rooms are set separately for such kind of materials. As, each reader has to be provided with
individual reading region, more legroom per reader has to be provided than in a common reading
room. In relation to the 150 sq ft region is required for one element of microform reader.
Revise Carrel
Revise carrels are exclusive regions, located in quieter and undisturbed section of the
library, which are set separately for prolonged exploit of a research or academic staff. Extremely
often they are located close to the reference collection or the bound volumes collection, which
are extensively used through the researchers. More generous legroom allocation has to be made
for these revise carrels, and preferably they should be insulated against intrusion through others.
Mainly university libraries and few large public libraries give this facility. Ordinary table mass
modular revise carrels can also be intended and kept beside windows in reading room or stacks to
give a sort of semi privacy.
Other Regions
This will contain the librarian's room, senior professionals room legroom for supporting
administrative staff, seminar room, reprographic element and bindery. Besides, there are service
regions like stairs, corridors, cloak rooms, entrance hall, janitors room, etc. which shapes section
of non-assignable region of the structure.
Librarians room
The librarian normally has a distinct room of his own, nearest to the job room and
opposite to the largest counter region. This room should be centrally located, preferably of wood
and glass construction; therefore that he can keep a watch on the behaviors of several parts. Some
cupboards for significant reference apparatus and locked almirahs for significant documents are
kept in the librarian's room. Generally generous legroom is provided in the librarian's room
therefore that readers, vendors; and library staff can approach and sit for discussion or any help.
Few senior professional staff is provided with distinct rooms of smaller dimensions.
Legroom for Library Staff
Somewhat interior legroom is provided for the supportive administrative staff like typists,
library assistants, etc. They give support service for all the technological behaviors.
Seminar Room or Conference/Meeting/Exhibition Hall
A small hall or a large room may be set separately for seminars, meetings, discussions,
etc. These behaviors may be organized through the library staff or at the initiative of other faculty
members or research departments. This room can also be used since a projection room for slides,
videos and films. Mass of the room will depend on the expected number of clientele. A 45 m or
500 sq ft room will accommodate 40-50 persons.
Binding Part
This part is usually located in the basement or few other obscure regions. Machinery,
material and equipment for mending, repairing and binding of books are provided here. However
having a separate bindery within the premises of the library, has sure advantages, now-a-days in
mainly libraries major binding job is contracted to outside professional binders. Only minor
pasting and restoration jobs are accepted out in the library through the junior administrative staff.
Reprography Element
With the advent of cheap and efficient photocopying machines, provision of photocopy
service has become a necessity in mainly libraries. In the west, coin operated photocopying
machines are placed close to strategic collection of materials, to be used through the readers
themselves. In our country, this practice is not in vogue. Managed operation and secure check are
maintained to through mainly libraries. With the growing cost of technological and scientific
periodical publications, mainly libraries within a municipality or within an area, resort to
cooperative acquisition, and supplement their collection through obtaining photocopies of articles
needed through their clientele from other libraries. Depending on the volume of job, one or more
light or heavy duty copying machines are provided. Besides photocopying machines, desktop
offset machines, microform machines are average equipment in few better libraries. A room with
subdues light is preferable for this operation. Mass of the room will depend on the number of
machines and operators. Binding, reprographic, micrographic and other equipment are discussed
under library equipment in the later section of this Element.
There are many other regions like new arrivals display, special materials, audio-visuals,
computer and, CD-ROM workstations, lay for carrying out repair and maintenance of furniture
and equipment, etc., require to be given due consideration.
Library Furniture
Presently since a library structure is a dedicated building with specific functions, the
furniture for a library has to be custom intended for each function. Requires of furniture and
equipment of individual departments and parts should be given careful consideration therefore
that the users and the staff experience ease, comfort, convenience and efficiency in their job.
Usually library furniture is of two kinds-wooden and metal. Now-a-days plastic furniture is also
increasingly in proof. Then again furniture could either be
Custom-built or made to order in accordance with the specifications provided through the
library.
It is advisable to visit few libraries equipped with average and elegant furniture and
fittings before taking a decision. Few significant steps in furnishing library are:
Determine what the furnishing should accomplish for the scrupulous library involved
Believe what is accessible in the market or what can be obtained to fulfill the necessities
determined
1. Necessities:
Maintenance required
Appearance, etc.
Comparison of offers
Checking of example
Three significant selection criteria for furnishing and selection of equipment are function,
maintenance and appearance. Another significant decision in furnishing is choosing an average
thing in the market versus designing a custom made thing.
Library Stack
Library stacks are the mainly ubiquitous piece of furniture establish in a library. It is used
to store books, bound volumes of periodicals, and sometimes pamphlet boxes. Each element
stack made generally of steel, are 180 'cm wide, 195 cm in height and 25 or 50 cm in depth
depending on whether it is single sided or double sided. A number of element racks can be joined
jointly to create a long line. Each shelf or panel has two brackets on right and left face, inserted
strongly to the shelf ends. The sliding book stopper and back rest fitted to the grooves of the
individual shelf ensure upright positioning of books. Normally shelves are not packed more than
75 per cent of the capability. Stack can be fixed or movable, wooden or metal, modular or
legroom determined, angle or skeleton.
A cheaper version of the book stack is the skeleton book rack, generally made of steel.
The vital building is four slotted angle iron stands assembled with a shelf at the top and one at the
bottom. There can be any number of shelves in flanked by depending on the height of the rack
and require. The bottom shelf is generally placed at a height at 15 cm, Width of the shelf is
usually 90 cm and the depth can modify from 15 cm to 45 6m. Racks can be of any height since
needed. Besides economy, skeleton racks have the advantage of versatility. Skeleton rack can
also be used for lateral filing, the intermediate shelves being replaced through channel rails in the
grooves of which folders are suspended. But skeleton racks- are both aesthetically and
functionally poorer than regular steel library stacks.
Step kind
In this kind the periodicals are displayed stepwise, each step being 5 cm deep and 15 cm
high. Length of the rack is usually 90 cm. There my be 4 to 5 steps and on each step 4 to 5
journals can be displayed and on a single sided rack 20-25 journals can be displayed. Double
sided racks are not recommended as the element becomes too bulky. It is bigger to lay two single
sided racks back to back if necessary. Journals are bigger displayed in this kind, but one great
disadvantage is that back issues cannot be accommodated within the element. Normally popular
magazines are displayed in this kind of rack.
Inclined kind
This is possibly the best kind of display rack. It is a box kind rack with five or six
horizontal shelves, sheltered through hinged wooden plank with an inclination of 30 degrees to
the shelf plank. Depending on the design, shelves can be partitioned into pigeon holes, each
pigeon hole being provided with individual hinged wooden plank. The bottom edge of the
inclined plank has a wooden head to rest the journal. The inclined plank gives a bigger display
for the periodicals; the back issues are stored in the staff legroom behind the inclined plank. The
overall mass of a rack is 195 or 225 cm (H) x 90 or 120 cm (W) x 45 cm (D). As, the rack is
fairly heavy, castor wheels are preferable for simple maneuverability. Each rack can give display
legroom for 20 to 25 journals.
Charging peek
The charging desk or the issue counter is the largest service desk and should be therefore
intended that all functions centering in its region can be executed properly. Extremely seldom
this central manage desk is bought from ready stock. Mainly often it is specially intended
keeping in view its special location, specific function, and the mass of the library operations in
view. A multiplicity of behaviors has to be mannered here.
The height of the counter facing the reader is lm. The width at the top is in relation to the
70 cm. Sufficient drawer legroom is provided to keep all the books and exploit issue counter
records. The counter should also have adequate shelving legroom to keep the books which are
returned. Normally the counter is intended for two persons to job at a time. Adequate knee
legroom is provided at spaces where the library staff sit and job. As, high chairs are necessary to
job at high counter, foot-rest is provided to create sitting comfortable. Alternatively, counter can
be elevated with wooden or permanent platform. The length and design of the counter modify
substantially to suit the specific require of the library. Few of the general designs are:
rectangular, L-formed, U-formed, etc. Whatever design is selected for flexibility, it is bigger to
have small elements of 90 cm length each, which can be bolted jointly or presently placed face
through face to provide the illusion of one piece. The counter is invariably made of wood, and
generally have hard wearing top made of declaim or same material.
Book trolley, which is essentially a small book rack mounted on wheels, It is extremely
useful for moving books from one region of the library to the other.
Stand for outsized and bulky reference books with legroom below for some other reference
books.
Display rack for newly acquired books that can be placed in a prominent location.
There is no one way of furnishing all libraries. Many of these items require to be uniquely
intended for each library. The possibility of built in display stands, atlas stands, and etc. should
also be explored depending on the nature of the structure.
Library Equipment
Mainly of the equipment used in the library is average office equipment, sometimes
adapted library exploit. A case in point is the catalogue card duplicator which is nothing but an
ordinary stencil duplicator, miniaturized for card duplication. Typewriter is a ubiquitous piece of
equipment in libraries is slowly receiving replaced through several kinds of equipment that are
usually established in a library can be categorized since:
Filing equipment
Record-keeping equipment
Copying equipment
Filing Equipment
Provision for filing has to be made for much kind of materials, from architectural and
technological of extremely large mass to microform copies of several formats. In flanked by
there are correspondence, newspaper clippings, patents and standards, and many more of e and
material. Numerous kinds of organizations and equipment have been intended to storage and
convenient retrieval. But any other kinds of cards for which special provision have to be made.
Small rotary files with cards or microfiche that snap in lay easily are useful to indicate special
reference materials or significant addresses. Rolodex is one such equipment which is commonly
seen in banks in India. For large number of cards, motorized elements such since Kardveyer is
more appropriate.
For filing correspondence and other material in loose sheet format vertical filing cabinets
with pull out drawers, or lateral filing organizations that open from .he sine are appropriate.
For storing pamphlets and catalogues, pamphlet boxes of several kinds are accessible.
They are of dissimilar sizes and designs-few, are open at the top and front; others have only one
face open; few have a slanted opening; few are more rigid than others. They may be made of
cardboard, wood, metal or plastic.
Microforms are of several kinds and sizes-16 mm, 35 mm, 70 mm microfilm, microfiche
and micro opaque cards. They should be stored in an environment which is not too humid and
there is no extreme range of temperatures. Short strips of microfilms may be put in pockets and
filed in drawers. Longer ones are wound in spools, packed in individual cartons with paper
identification and filed in drawers. Slides or transparencies need special filing cases. For small
collection portable slide boxes are useful.
Microfiche should always be kept in protective covers or envelopes. Top edges of
microfiche should be visible for simple filing and identification. Microfiche should be filed in
steel cabinets.
Large steel cabinets with shallow drawers are accessible for architectural or technological
drawings. Sometimes these are rolled and kept in cylindrical containers.
Record-keeping Equipment
Record-keeping equipment in the library is most used for keeping records of periodicals-
current issues since they are received and the back files of bound or otherwise preserved
volumes. The choice of equipment depends on the number of titles to be accommodated and the
kind and range of users. These days, for larger collections, computerized organizations are
installed for handling the complete record. The mainly popular manual organization is based on
an element card, one for each title and complete record is noted on them. The cards are filed in
special transparent holders therefore that the cards overlap, leaving only the titles visible.
Complete records of each title is accessible from the card-full title, publishers name and suppliers
address, legroom for noting records of issues, note of complete holdings, and location of the
holdings. It is desirable to have here subscription records-when ordered, when paid for, and when
renewals are due. Equipment used for this purpose contain kardex, linedex and loose leaf binders.
Kardex is used in periodicals manage organization. As, cards are housed in protective pockets
with transparent plastic tips, they remain clean, flat and do not get "dog-eared". Linedex is a
metal cylindrical building revolving on ball bearing, and having a knob at the top and a number
of metal panels these panels where perforated strips of paper bearing the title of the journal
subscribed through the library with their location are displayed. An easy loose leaf binder which
looks like bank ledgers can also be used in lay of Kardex.
Copying Equipment
Multiple copies of documents, for several purposes, are often needed in a library. Hence,
it is necessary to give few kind of equipment for making copies of materials-both typed and
printed, in quantities from a some to a couple of hundred. For instance, catalogue cards and index
file cards, shapes such since routing slips and personal notification slips, library bulletin, and
several other services need adequate number of copies. A major copying action is the supply of
copies of articles to the readers on request.
Storage cabinets-metal ones for office supplies and ones with glass doors for restricted
documents,
Revolving stands,
Maintaining consistency
Logical order
Avoiding redundancy
Due consideration to principles of good design like hyper face, mass and spacing of letters,
lines, contrast, exploit of representations and color.
The largest action in a library is reading for which adequate lighting is essential. Poor
light strains the eyes and causes fatigue. On the other hand, glare is equally strenuous, and direct
sunlight on the books is positively harmful. While maximum advantage should be taken of
natural sunlight and it should be judiciously complemented with artificial light. Glare of the sun
inside the structure should be avoided, therefore also shadows cast through artificial lighting
particularly in the reading and service regions. There are sure regions where subdues lighting is
preferable, and they may be suitably located. It is not only the quantity of light that is significant,
but also the excellence of light and a judicious choice has to be made to blend and complement
natural light and artificial light. In critical regions, provision has to be made for emergency
lighting especially if the library action is accepted out after daylight hours.
Few significant tips in this respect are:
Advance scheduling for electrical sharing organization with enough outlets, location of
master switch, cost & maintenance are significant
Standards and Specifications
In the field of library job, mainly of the standards or specifications that have evolved in
excess of the years are more in the nature of "carried practice". The national standardizing
agencies in many countries have idea it suitable to formulate systematically these carried
practices and bring them out since national standards. These standards give the necessary
guidance to the librarian in choosing the right design with functional efficiency. The National
Institute of Designs, Ahmadabad, has also done considerable job in designing functional library
furniture. More discussion in relation to the standards for library structure, furniture, equipment,
lighting, etc. can be establish in the books cited at the end.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
Identify the factors that govern the various activities and functions of the Technical
Department;
Identify the factors behind selection, procurement and receipt of periodicals;
Identify the factors behind selection, procurement and accessioning of documents;
Identify and differentiate types of selection tools
Explain some of the important principles of collection building
TECHNICAL PROCESSING
Technological Department
One of the significant parts in a library is the Technological Part since it occupies a
pivotal location round which all other behaviors take lay: It is described through other names,
such since, Processing Department, Technological Processing Part, Cataloguing Department,
Technological Department, etc. Irrespective of the name through which it is described, the
objective and functions of this part remain the similar. While the acquisition is responsible for the
structure up of a good collection, it is the Technological Part that transforms the collection of
documents into serviceable elements. This it achieves most through performing two functions,
namely, technological processing which comprises classification and cataloguing, and physical
preparation of the documents for circulation and exploit through the readers.
Organizational Building
The Technological Part , of a library, especially a university library, may consist of several
elements such since, Classification Element, Cataloguing Element, Book Processing Element,
etc., to carry out the routine job of technological processing. In the case of a small library, such a
demarcation into dissimilar elements may not be there. Irrespective of the mass of the library,
though, it is necessary that this part be headed through a dynamic person with enough
professional expertise and also be provided with staff to carry out the processing job. In addition,
cooperation from other parts of the library is basic.
The major items of job are classification and cataloguing. They are of a highly
technological nature and accuracy is the extremely essence of all technological processing job. It
has been suggested through Ranganathan that in libraries, especially large libraries, it will be a
good policy to prepare at lest two copies of the catalogue to facilitate exploit through the readers
on the one hand and through the classifier and the cataloguer on the other. In other terms, one set
of the catalogue should be in the Technological Part. This catalogue is described through few
since "Official Catalogue".
Factors in Scheduling
The distinctive job of the Technological Part is to be intended with reference to the
following factors:
Classification
Cataloguing
Preparation of the volumes for public exploit
Correction of call numbers and catalogue entries
Binding
Classification and cataloguing codes
Catalogue cabinet
In the contest of the scheduling of the Technological Part, it is necessary to take sure
decisions. These relate to:
Choice of the classification scheme
Choice of the catalogue code
Choice of the internal form of the catalogue
Choice of the physical form of the catalogue
Adoption of a policy concerning classification and cataloguing
Arrangement of personnel
Acquiring the apparatus for exploit in classification and cataloguing
Acquiring the necessary materials and equipment
Classification Scheme
A scheme of classification is but a tool in the hands of the library to organize subjects and
to serve them out in an efficient method. Ranganathan has suggested the following points for
consideration:
Agency for promoting exploit
Avoidance of the fault of alternative spaces for one and the similar subject
Crisp terms to denote ideas
Hospitality in array including extrapolation and interpolation
Hospitality in chain
Inner mechanism to discover a helpful lay to a new compound subject
Length of foundation of notational organization
Objectively used postulate and principles
Permanent organization for development
Provision for "Organizations" of exposition of a Vital Subject
Provision for "Specials" of a Vital Subject
Provision for New Vital/Largest Subjects
Provision of connecting digits
Sameness of patterns in the sequence of subjects going with dissimilar Vital Subjects
Scope of classification
Sequence of Vital/Largest Subjects
Systematic process for practical classification
He suggests the exploit of four scores: 0 Poor; 1 Passable; 2 Fair; and 3 Good in the
scheme. Possibly, this way would be extremely good for the choice of a scheme of classification,
especially in special libraries.
The vital tool in classifying documents is the classification scheme. There are many
average schemes accessible now. They contain common schemes meant for common libraries
since well since special schemes for dedicated libraries. Three of the mainly popular common
schemes are already well-known to you. These are the Dewey Decimal Classification (DX), the
Universal Decimal Classification (UDC), and the Colon Classification (CC). For details
concerning these schemes you may consult Block 4 Elements 11-13 of Course III. These
schemes belong to three dissimilar levels in historical development. Your choice Oldie scheme
should be based on the special characteristics of each scheme and their relevance to requires of
your library. Normally, factors like the mass of the collection, the nature of the library, its
clientele and subjects of documents, the scheme already in exploit in associated libraries, if any,
the knowledge and skill of the library staff to job with a scrupulous scheme, etc., may govern the
choice of the scheme,
Going with the choice of the classification scheme is the choice of the Book Numbering
System. If the choice is in favor of the CC this question does not arise since CC has its own Book
Numbering Organization. In the case of the other two schemes, an appropriate Book Numbering
Organization has to be devised or adopted. It is a general practice in libraries to provide book
numbers through by the first three letters of the author's name. There are also modifications on
this practice, like Cutter's Author Tables, the Cutter-Sanborne Numbers, Merril's Author Tables,
and the Author Tables of Stanley last.
Catalogue Code
Since with classification schemes, there are dissimilar catalogue codes accessible for
exploit in libraries. Two of them are already recognized to you since they are prescribed for
detailed revise in Course IV. These are the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Edition 2
(AACR-2) and the Classified Catalogue Code of Ranganathan, Edition 5 (CCC). The former is a
more descriptive catalogue code and is most meant for a dictionary catalogue. The latter, on the
other hand, is meant for a classified catalogue and is more easy, scientific and logical. Here
again, the final choice of the code is governed through several factors like the internal form of the
catalogue chosen, namely, classified or dictionary, the extent of bibliographical account needed,
the code in exploit in associated libraries, if any, etc. Whichever is the code chosen, it should be
uniformly followed in all cases therefore that standardization will be ensured in the choice and
rendering of the headings and other parts.
If the choice happens to be in favor of AACR-2, there arises require for choosing a list of
Subject Headings too. There are two popular lists, namely, the Sears' List of Subject Headings
and the L.C. List of Subject Headings. The former is adequate for a small library while a large
library will require the exploit of the latter. Both of them are useful for common libraries while
special libraries will require dedicated lists. There are also dissimilar indexing techniques like
PRECIS and POPSI. Chain indexing is the technique introduced through Ranganathan since
section of the CCC primarily for exploit in a classified catalogue.
Personnel
Technological processing job is, possibly, the region in the entire library job where the
highest degree of professional expertise is needed. So, the technological department should be
manned through persons who have proven abilities and aptitude for technological job. They
should be adept at classification and well conversant with the intricacies of the catalogue code.
Since distant since possible, knowledge of dissimilar languages and a backdrop in dissimilar
subjects necessity be ensured in the selection of personnel. Further, the staff should have a good
handwriting if the catalogue cards are to be handwritten. They should be persons who can do
things with a high degree of precision. The chief of the Technological Department should be an
experienced hand who can exercise effective supervision in excess of his staff and coordinate the
job done through many persons while maintaining consistency and accuracy.
Apparatus
The Technological Department necessity possesses all the apparatus necessary for
classification and cataloguing job to be done in the library. Few of the significant apparatus are:
BibliographiesIndian National Bibliography, British National Bibliography, Accession
Lists of significant libraries, etc
Catalogue Code or Subject Headings List
Classification schedule
Reference Apparatusaverage dictionaries including language dictionaries, subject
dictionaries and bibliographical dictionaries, encyclopedias; geographical sources;
handbooks, etc.
In the case of classification schemes and Catalogue Codes, "how-to-exploit" manuals are
brought out. These may be acquired for ensuring consistency and uniformity in classification and
cataloguing job. Since individual organizations libraries adopt dissimilar practices to suit regional
necessities, it maybe helpful for preparing their own manuals which may be useful not only for
technological processing, but also for training new entrants.
Occupation Analysis
Classification
The job of the Technological Department relating to classification is to consist of the
following items:
Assigning Call Numbers to the volumes, which may be referred to since Call Numbering
Job?
Checking the assigned Call Numbers, which may be referred to since Checking Job?
Detecting duplication, defect etc in the volumes, and informing the accession part, which
may be referred to since Discovery Job; and
Making a preliminary survey of volumes received from the accession part, which may be
referred since Preliminary Job?
Cataloguing
The job relating to cataloguing consists of the following:
Checking the catalogue cards: This may be referred to since Checking Job.
Dealing with the volumes raising difficulties in cataloguing: This may be referred to
since Refractory Cases Job.
Making the necessary entries in the catalogue card already existing: This maybe
referred to since Card Consolidation Job.
Script out the necessary fresh catalogue cards: This may be referred to since Fresh Card
Script Job.
Sorting the volumes according to cataloguing peculiarities: This may be referred to
since Preliminary Job.
Typing catalogue slips: This may be referred to since Typing Job,
Preparation of Volumes
The job relating to the preparation of volumes for public exploit may consist of the
following:
Making the volumes fit for exploit through cutting open, stamping, fixing the data label,
tag etc, i.e., Preparation Job.
Noting the Accession Number or the Call Number since the case may be, i.e., Card
Numbering Job.
Noting the Call Number and Accession Number in dissimilar sections of the volumes,
i.e., Volumes Numbering Job.
Sorting the prepared volumes into sequences and arranging them, i.e. Prepared Volumes
Arranging Job.
Binding
The binding job is to consist of:
Examining the Call Numbers of the volumes selected for binding to see if they need any
revision, i.e., Call Number Examining.
Preparing instructions for tooling, i.e., Binding Slip Preparing,
Transmitting the volumes and slips to the Binding Part, i.e., Binding Books Transmitting.
Catalogue Cabinet
This job consists of:
Discussing the Card with the librarian, i.e., Reviewing Job.
Inserting the Catalogue Cards in the Public Catalogue Cabinets, i.e., Card Inserting Job.
Inserting the catalogue slips in the suitable cabinets, i.e., Slip Inserting Job
Sorting all the cards written in a week, i.e., Sorting Job.
Transmitting the Accession Cards and the shelf register cards to the Maintenance Part,
i.e., Accession Card Transmitting Job.
Processes and Routines
The processes and routines in the preparation of documents for exploit arise out of several
behaviors and operations. These can be listed since follows:
Card filing and catalogue updating job
Cataloguing job
Classification job
Coordinating job
Physical processing job
Releasing job
Classification Job
Library classification is the job of translating the specific subject of a document into an
artificial language of ordinal numbers. This will result in assigning a Class Number to each
document which will determine its location in the library in relation to the documents on other
subjects. From this point of view, classification job can be seen since having the following steps:
Assigning the Book Number
Assigning the Class Number
Assigning the Collection Number
Checking with the catalogue
Determining the specific subject
Preliminary sorting
Script the Call Number on the book
Cataloguing Job
The objective of the catalogue is to give nodes tool that provide information in relation to
the all documents accessible in a library. The catalogue necessity is intended to meet the
dissimilar approaches that readers may create to documents. Readers may seek a document either
through its subject or author or tide or series or any of its collaborators like translator, compiler,
editor, etc. To meet this multiple come the catalogue has to enter and define one and the similar
book under each of its possible search names or headings. This multiple entry way is the vital
characteristic of modem library cataloguing. Cataloguing job, so, consists of making the
necessary catalogue entries for each document. These entries may belong to dissimilar kinds,
each having its own specific function, to perform in the catalogue. Every such entry is to be made
in strict conventionality with the rules prescribed in the catalogue code in exploit. The nature and
content of each kind of entry may also be convinced through the physical and internal shapes of
the catalogue. The job of the cataloguer also comprises sure jobs other than making catalogue
entries, like script of the Shelf-list Card and the Book Card. These are necessary to complete the
technological processing of a document. The entire process involved in cataloguing job can be
outlined since follows:
Assigning of suitable Subject Headings
Forwarding
Preparation of the Added Entries
Preparation of the Largest Entry
Script the Book Card
Script the Shelf-list Card
Script the Tracing
Coordinating Job
When dissimilar persons are doing dissimilar jobs linked with the processing and
preparation of documents there can be chances of inadvertent errors and, inconsistencies.
Consistency and accuracy are the two virtues of processing job and ensuring them is the largest
objective of coordination. This is the responsibility of the Chief of the Technological Department
although he can assign the similar to a dissimilar coordinator. The largest function is to check
and pass the physical processing, classification, and cataloguing jobs done through others. The
process can be outlined since follows:
Scrutiny of Accession Numbers
Scrutiny of Call Numbers
Scrutiny of Catalogue Entries, Shelf-list Card, and Book Cards.
Scrutiny of Physical Processing Job
Scrutiny of Subject Headings
Releasing Job
Documents whose physical and technological processing has been completed are released
for exploit at prescribed intervals, like once a week, once a fortnight, or once a month, etc.
Releasing job also comprises making lists of new additions or Accession List. For this purpose
the Largest Entries relating to the released documents are arranged in a classified order and sent
for typing out the Accession List. The practice may modify from library to library with regard to
the dissemination of information concerning new additions. The Accession List may be put up on
the Notice Board, printed or cyclostyled and copies mailed to members, or published in the
weekly editions of newspapers, etc. The documents released at a time are generally placed on
display for a week or therefore before they are merged in the common collection. Throughout
this era the readers can look at the new documents and create reservation if necessary. The
following process can be adopted for releasing job:
Arranging the Largest Entry Cards in the classified order
Inserting the Book Card in the Book Pocket
Noting the Date of Release on the Date Label of each document
Putting the books on the display rack
Separating the Added Entry Cards
Separating the Largest Entry Cards
Separating the Shelf-list Cards
Typing out the Accession List from the Largest Entry Cards
The Technological Department does not have to maintain any register unlike other
departments, though; it has the exploit of other suitable records, shapes and stationery. The major
records are the Catalogue, the Shelf-list and the Power File. Further, there is the Job Diary and
the necessary routine files.
The mainly significant record of the department is the Catalogue itself. But this is kept in
the library for public exploit; the catalogue will have to be regularly referred to through the staff
in the Technological Department. Hence, few libraries prefer to maintain a copy of the public
catalogue in the Technological Department for its own exploit. But this involves more job,
expenditure and legroom.
The Shelf-list is maintained through the Technological Department under safe custody.
The Shelf-list is in card form and the cabinets containing the Shelf-list inhabit substantial
legroom in the Technological Department.
The Power File is another card file to be maintained in the Technological Department.
Job Diary
There is requiring for maintaining proper job diaries in the Technological Department.
Job diaries can be maintained at two levels, for an individual staff member, and for the
department since an entire. The job diary for the department can be written on a daily or weekly
foundation and consolidated later on a monthly or annual foundation for statistical reporting
since well since for job evaluation purposes. The following can be reported for through the job
diary of the Technological Department.
Items received for processing
Thing physically processed
Items classified afresh
Items catalogued afresh
Items consolidated with the aid:
1. copies added
2. editions added
3. volumes added
Items released
Items displayed
Items listed/typed
Catalogue Cards written:
4. Largest Entries
5. CRE/subject analytical
6. CRIE/See and See also entries
7. Class Index Entries
8. Other added Entries
Shelf-list Cards written
Book Cards written
Catalogue Cards filed
Shelf-list Cards filed
Files
The Technological Department may not have many files to maintain unlike other
departments. Though, the following may become necessary. Files containing Accession Lists
brought out File relating to the purchase of stationery, materials and equipment Files dealing with
several policy decisions
As, periodical publications are now a major information disseminating media, the job of
the Periodical Publications Part assumes great magnitude and importance in libraries of
universities, research organizations and other learned bodies. They, though, form one of the
"sources of perplexity" in library job. "Their vagaries may transcend all imagination dry
anticipation. It seems since if nothing relating to a periodical publication can escape the sport of
caprice-publishing community, name, periodicity, format, pagination, excrescencies attachments
to all story volumes and, last but not the least, the span of the lives and resurrection", says
Ranganathan. In other terms, the kinds of complexities pertain toirregularity in volume
number, irregularity in publication, transform of title and sponsor, amalgamation, splitting,
supplement, etc. These vagaries not only make troubles to the cataloguer but also break the back
of the Periodical Part which is entrusted with the task of acquiring periodicals. In addition, if the
non-receipt of a scrupulous issue is not brought to the notice of the publisher, the chances of the
library receiving it later are rather slim.
A brief account of dissimilar kinds of periodicals and sources of information helpful in
structure a periodical collection are discussed in Elements 5 and 6 respectively.
Definition
A periodical is defined since "a publication issued in successive sections generally at
regular intervals and since a rule designed to be sustained indefinitely" through A.L.A. Glossary
of Library Words. On the other hand, Ranganathan defines a periodical publication since a
Conventional Document of Kind 1 with the following attributes:
A volume, or a small group of volumes of it, is designed to be published or completed
normally once in a year, however irregularity in interval is not ruled out.
Each successive volume, or periodical group of volumes, is generally distinguished
through the year of publication and/or through a number belonging to organization of
easy or intricate ordinal number. Such a number is generally described the Volume
Number.
The intention may be to continue the publication of the volumes for ever, however not
actually be accepted out,
The intention may be to continue the similar title in all the volumes, however this may not
actually be accepted out.
On the other hand, ISO Average 3297 defines a serial since "a publication in printed form
or not issued in successive sections generally having numerical or chronological designations and
designed to be sustained indefinitely" Therefore, the word serial encompasses an very wide range
of material including journals / periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, technological and research
re-ports, yearbooks and annuals, and national and international government publications.
In modem times, it is necessary for the collection manager or librarian to be prepared to
trade with periodical / serial literature published in a diversity' of physical formats in addition to
the traditional print on paper. For instance, microfilm and microfiche have, for many years, been
popular serial formats. A significant development in recent years is the rising number of
periodicals / serials accessible in electronic formats, either since full text on-line databases or on
CD-ROM. CD-ROM is a particularly useful format for indexing and abstracting services, and the
number of indexing and abstracting journals on CD-ROM is rising. Core titles such since
Biological abstracts, Index medics, Science Citation Index, ERIC databases are widely avail-
able, sometimes from many dissimilar publishes.
Whatever may be the format, the behaviors of the Periodicals Department contain those
pertaining to selection, ordering and receipt of periodicals / serials.
In this context, the following set of objectives for a periodicals / serials department would
be useful:
To ensure that the periodicals/serials collection is, and remnants, relevant to require s of
the user society.
To ensure prompt and uninterrupted receipt of issues through careful budgeting, regular
updating and maintenance through financial manage organizations, timely payment of
invoices, claiming sections not received and secure liaison with suppliers.
To conserve and preserve material through binding and other conservation processes
To facilitate access to up-to-date information in relation to the range, scope and location
of material within the collection, etc.
Periodicals Selection
You have seen that acquisition job comprises three separate stages of behaviors.
Periodicals selection is the fist stage. The selection of periodicals for subscription, swap or since
gift is a significant function of the library. This procedure is harder than book selection. While in
the latter case, selection pertains to only one volume, selection of periodicals covers all the
successive volumes to be published. Due to this standing commitment, great ewe should be
exercised in periodicals selection. This involves two characteristics, namely, scheduling and
process.
Scheduling
Scheduling is a task or action that is required on a continuous foundation for the
management of all behaviors in an organization, including libraries and information
organizations. It is
.deciding in advance what to do, how to do it, when to do it and who is to
do it .it is an intellectually challenging procedure and needs the conscious determination of
courses of action and the basing of decisions on purpose, knowledge, and measured estimates.
The selection of periodicals through the library depends on the following factors:
Scope of the library
Requires/demands of the users
Requires of the collectionincluding availability / accessibility in organization, secure to
the library
Personnel, their knowledge and ability
Financial possessions accessible
We can look at below these characteristics of scheduling under four heads, namely:
Ascertaining demand
Acquiring sources
Allocating funds
Arranging personnel
Selection Process
There can be two sets of operations in the selection of periodicals: those relating to
continuing titles, and those relating to new titles.
Continuing Titles
Every library will have a set of periodicals that are currently received. The subscriptions
for them have to be renewed every year. The process involved in this renewal job can be outlined
since follows:
Preparing be current list
Reviewing the current list
Consulting the cooperating libraries
Reviewing the financial location
Selecting items for deletion
Consulting the experts, and
obtaining sanction
A complete list of currently received periodicals should be made with the new
subscription amounts payable against each title. This list necessity then is subjected to a review
through examining the desirability of continuing each thing. Such a review and revision of the
list will become necessary due to many reasons, like the unworthiness of sure periodicals, the
appearance of new and more worthy publications, the transform in the necessities of the clientele,
or inadequacy of funds. Although deletion of items once taken is an unhealthy practice, deletion
would become unavoidable in sure conditions. At be similar time it necessity be remembered that
periodicals have a permanent value. Even if a temporary decline in value can be establish in the
case of a scrupulous periodical, it is more prudent to continue the title than cancel it. Collection
structure with regard to periodicals is a job that needs great forethought. Frequent deletions from
current lists only indicate lack of this fore idea in the original selection. There may be occasions
when a cooperating library in the neighborhood also is subscribing to the similar journal. In such
a case; an understanding should be arrived at flanked by the two libraries to avoid duplication.
Deletions effected through such arrangements can be replaced through new titles. In any case,
necessary consultation with subject experts is a pre-requisite in finalizing the list. The final list is
then presented to the sanctioning power for sanction. The list is then ready for ordering.
New Additions
The process in the selection of new titles can be outlined since follows:
Suggestions from experts
Preliminary checking
Details composed from sources
Enquiries from publishers
Fund
Consulting experts, and
Obtaining sanction
Since and when specific titles of probable interest to the library are brought to notice,
their particulars are taken note of. The library comes to know in relation to the titles from several
sources like announcements and advertisements, deal journals, entries in national bibliographies,
suggestions from readers or indents from departments. These items are then subjected to a
,
preliminary checking with the current list, and items accessible already in it are scored off.
Complete details concerning the remaining items are composed from periodical directories or
union catalogues. The correct title, name of be sponsor, if any, name and address of the
publishers, periodicity, and subscription rate are the minimum details to be taken note of in each
case. In the case of newly published journals, such details may not be established in published
sources. Hence, enquiries have to be made from the publishers directly. Selection of periodicals
will be more effective if specimen copies are accessible. Extremely often, specimen copies of
new periodicals can be acquired from publishers free of cost. In few cases, specimen copies have
to be paid for, or returned after examination. The next step in selection is ascertaining the
financial location and ensuring that there is sufficient money to pay for the new selections.
Proposals for new additions have to be adjusted within the funds accessible. The experts are then
consulted for their approval of each thing proposed. The approved items are then presented to the
sanctioning power and the final sanction is obtained for ordering.
Periodicals Procurement
We have dealt with the selection of periodicals. Logically, the next step is procurement of
the selected periodicals.
Scheduling
Procurement has to be intended with due regard to matters like dissimilar means of
procurement, preparations and arrangement for ordering, like the choice of the way of ordering,
and in case of the agency way, the turns and circumstances of supply.
Means of Procurement
Since in the case of books, the means for procurement of periodicals are the following:
Gifts/donations
Swap
Institutional membership
Deposits
Purchase
Except for the fifth one, these means are general to books and periodicals.
Acquisition Through Gifts
Gifts constitute a significant source for the acquisition of periodicals in the library. For
instance, many communities send their periodicals / publications to the library free of cost for the
sake of publicity. Few publications also supply few of their periodicals for few time to create the
libraries subscribe to them at a later date. Though, the indiscriminate acceptance of gifts may
make administrative troubles pertaining to storage, processing, maintenance, cost, etc. Hence
they should be carried with much care after ascertaining their usefulness to the users of the
library concerned.
Acquisition Through Swap
Acquisition of periodicals through swaps another mechanism through which Collection
Development can take lay. The two commonest shapes of swap are on a piece-for-piece
foundation or on a value-for-value foundation. While in the former way a publication has to be
sent in swap for another publication irrespective of its cost, in the latter the swap is based on the
casts of the publications sheltered through the swap connection, The former has he advantage of
not requiring much accounting provided that a reasonable and appropriate thing is sent or
received in exchange. If the value of the thing received is uncertain it may be advisable to insist
on a closer degree of excellencies respect of the materials sent.
Smithsonian Institution, USA, offers for instance the swap of their publications with those
interested institutions of several countries. Likewise, there is a swap mechanism flanked by
DRTC and IASLIC for swap of serials/publications. Possibly, swap agreements flanked by
organizations concerned is a necessary prerequisite for a successful swap program.
Institutional Membership
Institutional membership is another potential resource of structure up a periodical / serial
collection. Learned communities usually publish one or more regular publications to
communicate their behaviors, programs and attainments to their members frequently. Hence, the
library will do well to enlist itself since a member of learned communities and therefore will be
able to receive the periodical publications either frees of cost or at confessional prices.
Acquisition through Purchase
Two dissimilar methods are accessible for ordering of periodicals. They are the direct
subscription way and the agency way. In the former case, the library spaces orders directly with
the publishers of each periodical. In the latter case, the order is placed with an agent who acts
since the intermediary flanked by the library and the publishers, Each of these has its own merits
and demerits.
The alternative to direct ordering with publishers is to acquire the periodicals through a
duly appointed subscription agent. A subscription agent is a person or firm acting since a liaison
flanked by the subscribing library and the publishers. Such an agent may also be described a
vendor or a dealer. The advantages of acquiring periodicals through mediators are:
Much paper job on accounting through the library can be avoided as orders are placed in
bulk and payment is effected against consolidated bills of the agent.
Mediators are more well-known with the peculiarities of individual publishers than the
library, and they can act accordingly.
There are also disadvantages:
Few argue from experience that many mediators do not honor the contractual agreements
entered into flanked by themselves and the libraries,
Periodicals received through mediators become more expensive for the library since they
take handling charges, and do not allow the library the benefits of confessional prices or
discounts allowed through publishers.
There can be few time gap flanked by the termination of one contract and the making of
another. Since a consequence, timely renewal of subscription cannot be affected and the
library is discovered to the risk of broken files.
Few mediators may not remit the subscription to the publishers in time although they
have composed the amount from the library. The publishers will resume supply of the
journals only after payments are effected. Here again, there is the risk of partial volumes.
Though, these disadvantages can be remedied to a considerable extent if proper care is
taken in the appointment of the agent. Prompt, regular and reliable service should be the chief
criterion in the choi6e of the agent. There are mediators with a good reputation and publishers are
happy to trade with such mediators. So, the choice of the agent is the crucial factor in the agency
way of periodicals' procurement.
Ordering Process
We have discussed the process until the selection is finalized and the lists and the cards
are forwarded to the Procurement Part for placing orders.
Ordering processes relates to two levels:
Pre-ordering job
Order placing job
Occupation Analysis
Therefore, the distinctive job of the Periodicals Part is to be intended with reference to the
following factors, according to Ranganathan:
Standing vendors
Current volumes
Block volumes
The job of getting periodicals is possibly the mainly hard action in the Periodicals
Department. It needs thoughtful scheduling and systematic routines and processes.
Scheduling
Scheduling for the job of getting periodicals has to do most with the methods for ensuring
the prompt receipt and recording of the periodicals. The methods of recording adopted not only
should explanation for the periodicals subscribed to and received, but also should alert the library
in relation to non-receipt of any thing after its expected date. It necessity enable the discovery of
the non-receipts therefore that follow-up actions like sending reminders and claiming
replacements can be done since a regular routine. The organization necessity also helps in
settling claims for non-supply and in avoiding overpayment. Though, there are dissimilar
methods in exploit in the middle of libraries, the mainly general being:
The Ledger Organization
The Card Organization
The Three Card Organization, and
The Kardex
Process
Periodical Getting job consists of three kinds of jobsimmediate, daily and weekly. The
immediate occupation pertains to getting periodicals that approach in the form of VP packets,
and return of wrongly delivered packets.
Wrapper examining
Sorting of packets into appropriate clusters
Current issue collating
Current issues alphabetizingAlphabetizing the collated current issues in each group
Current issue registering
Current issue cutting and stamping
The principal records to be maintained in the Periodicals Department are those concerned
with the payment of subscriptions and the receipt and registration of the current issues.
The job in the department has an enough scope for the exploit of several shapes and
stationery. These have to be evolved from experience according to require s of the individual
library. Likewise, letters inviting quotations and invoices, letters asking for clarifications and
further information, letters of reminder, etc, can be standardized and printed shapes can be used
to save time and money.
Job Diary
The Periodicals Department has to maintain a Job Diary which necessity is on a daily
foundation through noting down all quantifiable works completed, like
The number of periodicals received
The number of periodicals registered
The number of items collated
The number of items stamped
The number of items displayed
The number of wrong periodicals returned
The number of reminders sent, etc.
Acquisition Department
Libraries are organized into elements/departments/parts based on the functions that they
are expected to perform. Acquisition Department (=AD) is one in the middle of them and is
concerned with several behaviors relating to collection development. Its objective is to build up
information possessions in conventionality with the objectives of the parent institution on the one
hand, and that which is appropriate to the differential information necessities of the dissimilar
users on the other. It involves the procedures of selection, procurement and accessioning of
documents.
Selection Needs
A Selection Policy
Selection Aids and Apparatus which will help in selection and verification.
Specification of a Selection Procedure
Acquisition/Procurement Needs
In cases where no outright procurement is intended or possible processes for access to
sources, e.g., receiving on loan, photocopying pertinent parts, receiving permission to exploit
them in another information centre/ organization, etc., have to be set.
Accessioning Needs
Specification of processes for taking all the books and documents acquired to be added to
the stock of the library which involves the assignment of a serial number described Accession
Number and, if applicable, a Donation Number. Every thing and its bibliographic details
therefore, entered in the Accession Register. Therefore, these three successive levels of
operationsselection; procurement and accessioningcorrespond to the three parts of the
Acquisition Department. The collection of a library, since you know, can include several kinds of
documents. Few libraries may have a special preference for specific kinds of documents. Though,
in mainly libraries books form the major section of the collection. It is, so, usual to refer to the
behaviors in AD since book selection, book ordering and book accessioning respectively.
Nevertheless, it may be noted that acquisition of all kinds of documents comes within the scope
of AD. Though, there is one exception. Instead it is done through the Periodicals Department.
AD has to trade with periodicals and newspapers only when they are received since bound
volumes. AD has an extremely crucial lay in the overall organization of a library. Its importance
lies in the information that collection is the vital factor in the usefulness of a library and that
collection development is primarily the task of this department. AD, so, necessity organize tile
possessions made accessible to it in such a method since to facilitate the structure lip of the
collection in the mainly efficient and economic method. The fulfillment of this task involves all
the vital units and sound principles of scientific management.
Document Selection
You have seen that acquisition job comprises three separate stages of behaviors.
Document selection is the first stage. There are two characteristics in document selection,
namely, scheduling and process.
Scheduling
Scheduling here relates to the several preparations and arrangements you have to create to
carry out the process efficiently. Book selection is conditioned through three factors: demand,
supply and fund. Scheduling, so, necessity be most concerned with these factors. Demand and
supply necessity be recognized, and fund secured. Further; men and materials required for the job
require to be arranged. Echoing same views, Ranganathan suggest that the distinctive job of
Document Selection is to be intended with reference' to the following four factors: Sources,
Selection, Indent and Fund. We shall look at below these characteristics of scheduling under four
heads, namely:
Ascertaining demand
Finding possessions
Allocating funds
Arranging personnel.
Ascertaining Demand
As, demand is a vital factor in selection you have to develop a organization for
ascertaining the demand- Demand comprises both expressed wants and unexpressed wants and
unexpressed requires of readers. Likewise, requires of both actual and potential readers should be
taken into explanation.
Possibly, the following sources can be made exploit of in ascertaining demand:
Statistics relating to books circulated from, and consulted in the library;
Suggestions from library staff working in the service departments;
Suggestions from readers;
Indents from subject experts or departments;
Findings of user require survey mannered;
Syllabi and prospectuses of courses of studies; and
Profiles of researchers.
Demands have to be assessed in words of their volume, value and diversity. The final
rating of the demand should COMIM with the selection policy of the library. Each library ought
to have its own broad selection policy. Few libraries even have a written report of this policy. In
either case, the policy is the vital guideline in selection of documents.
Finding Possessions
Since said earlier, supply is another vital factor. Supply means availability of documents
for acquisition. Information concerning supply can be composed in the form of several selection
sources or apparatus. The library will be frequently getting several source materials. If not, they
have to be acquired. A good source collection may include the following:
Deal catalogues issued through individual publishers and booksellers
Book deal journals
Previews and announcements issued through publishers
Book reviews appearing in newspapers and journals
Book reviewing journals
Book selection lists brought out through competent bodies
List of textbooks prescribed for several courses of studies
Published catalogues of book exhibitions
Published catalogues of significant libraries
Subject bibliographies and subject guides to selection
National bibliographies
Comprehensive retrospective bibliographies like Books in Print
Catalogues of second-hand booksellers
The sources have to be sorted and stored for convenient exploit. Updating of the sources
and weeding out of old ones should be done on a regular foundation.
Allocating Funds
Fund is the mainly significant factor in document selection. Proper scheduling of fund is
vital to good acquisition job. Every library works according to its budget. The total budget of the
library will contain a distinct provision for books. This amount will have to be apportioned in the
middle of three heads, namely books, periodicals, and binding. This amount therefore set
separately for books is the budget placed at the disposal of the Acquisition Department. This
amount has to be used for purchase of books and other kinds of documents except for current
periodicals. For the balanced development of the collection, the books budget should be allocated
in the middle of dissimilar subjects and categories. This budget allocation is done through the
library power or its delegated body like the Book Selection Committee. The librarian and the
acquisition staff are also involved in this procedure as they are the people to give the information
required for budget allocation to the authorities. Such information may relate to an actual and the
potential requires of the clientele, the current and future programs of the parent organizations, the
strength and weakness of the existing collection, the price range of publications in scrupulous
subjects, etc. These and other kinds of information can also be used through the library to obtain
enhanced budget provisions. Though, once the allocation is finalized, acquisition job has to
conform to the financial discipline dictated through it.
Arranging Personnel
Scheduling for document selection should also cover the personnel or human factor. The
people involved in the selection procedure are the librarian, the acquisition staff, the subject
experts and the library power or selection committee. The ultimate responsibility for book
selection rests with the librarian. The acquisition staff is there to help him. But, neither the
librarian nor his staff is experts in all the dissimilar subjects. So, it becomes necessary to take
help from subject specialists. The selection committee may or may not be collected of subject
experts. Nevertheless, committee level decisions have the advantage of being more democratic
and participatory. You necessity keep in mind that document selection is not a one man
occupation. It should be the outcome of good team job. So, you necessity be extremely prudent in
choosing the members of this team. This applies to both the acquisition staff and the subject
experts. You require maintaining a panel of subject experts who will be willing to participate in
the selection procedure through giving objective opinions and advice.
Occupation Analysis
The job of Document Selection relating to the factors consists of the following items:
Sources:
9. Sources for acquiring job
10. Sources for arranging job
Selection :
11. Document Selection job
12. Document Selection carding job
13. Document Selection consultation job
Indents :
14. Indents scrutinizing job
15. Indents passing job
Fund :
16. Allotment job
17. Allotment watching job
In turn, each of the items consists of jobs which may be hourly, daily, weekly, fortnightly,
monthly, etc. Details concerning each of the jobs are dealt with in Ranganathan's magnum opus
Library Management. It would be motivating to note that he has not only given a Table of
Correlation showing the jobs that bring the document selection part into get in touch with other
parts, but also has given an Illustrative Time Scheme for the dissimilar jobs.
Process
The actual procedure of document selection may be initiated in dissimilar ways. The
acquisition staff takes note of the desirable items and presents them to the subject experts for
approval. Alternatively the subject experts themselves or the subject departments may create
indents for items they recommend. In both instances, the acquisition staff is responsible for the
routine jobs linked with selection. It is their duty to collect, complete and correct information on
the documents. Therefore also it is their risk to allow all unnecessary and unintentional
duplications. So, adequate care should be taken to ensure that the items selected are not already
accessible in the library. An acceptable selection process can be outlined since follows:
Scanning
All the currently received sources should be scanned frequently. Old sources should be
scanned only for specific requires. Items establish desirable may be ticked off in the sources:
Your knowledge in relation to the existing collection and in relation to the items already selected
or ordered will help you in avoiding duplication at this level. If necessary, the marked items may
be forwarded to the librarian and his concurrence obtained.
Scrutiny
The purpose of scrutiny is to rule out the possibilities of unnecessary duplication. This is
done through checking the marked items with the following:
Items selected earlier, through checking the "Books Selected" card tray;
Items ordered already, through checking the "Books-on-Order" card tray;
Items already received, through checking the "Books Received" card tray and the "Book-
in-Procedure" card tray;
Items accessible in the library, through checking the catalogue.
Only such items which are cleared after the scrutiny are retained with tick spots. Others
are scored out. Now you have completed the provisional selection level.
Recording
Consulting
Consulting job can be done at prescribed intervals or since and when needed for placing
an urgent order. For this purpose, subject lists are typed out from the cards in the "Books
Selected" tray. Each list should be forwarded to the concerned subject expert with the request that
he should return the list after considering every thing and making his specific recommendation
since to whether "approved", "rejected" or "deferred". Once the list is received back from the
expert, you necessity carry forward the recommendations to the respective cards. Cards relating
"
to the rejected" items necessity first of all be removed and disposed of Cards of the "approved"
items necessity be duly noted and removed to another tray labeled since "Books Approved".
Cards belonging to the "deferred" items may be apart kept in another tray labeled since "Books
Deferred". These items can be presented again to the experts whenever it becomes necessary.
Indents Passing
Since and when indents are received from experts or departments they necessity be
subjected to the similar procedure of scrutiny. Items establish already accessible in the library or
on order should be scored out unless additional copies are recommended. Clarification on this
point can be sought from the indenter.
After scrutiny, the indent has to be coasted. For this, the price of each thing should be
ascertained from proper sources and the total value involved estimated. The indenter should then
be informed of the financial location through an Indent Noting Form. The following details
should be incorporated in the Indent Noting Form:
Number of items recommended
Number of items already accessible or on order
Number of items recommended for additional copies
Estimated cost of items neither accessible nor on order
Estimated cost of items to be duplicated
Total estimated cost
Total allotment for the subject/department
Amount already appropriated
Balance amount accessible
Remarks, if any.
In the light of the financial statement, the indenter would be making appropriate
adjustments in the items designed or reconfirm the indent.
Sanction Obtaining
Book selection becomes final only when the formal sanction is obtained from the
librarian or any other sanctioning power. For this purpose, distinct lists have to be typed out from
subjects or categories of documents since per the classification in the budget allocation.
Necessary financial statement also should be prepared to accompany the lists, including the total
estimated cost, total allotment in each case, amount already appropriated, and balance budget
accessible. Sanction is obtained for each list. If any alteration or deletion is made in the list the
similar should be entered 'in the respective cards also.
Document Procurement
Once selection is finalized the library has to proceed with the procurement of documents.
Scheduling
Procurement has to be intended with due regard to matters like dissimilar means of
procurement, preparations and arrangement for ordering, like the choice of the supplier and the
words and circumstances of supply, the dissimilar kinds of orders to be placed, etc.
Means of Procurement
Books and other documents can be acquired through five separate methods. They are:
Gifts/donations
Exchanges
Purchase
Institutional membership
Deposit organization
As, lie library can have unlimited funds for acquisition of reading materials suitable to the
users' requires, it is suggested that a library procure documents by all the methods, the preferred
sequence being gifts, swap and purchase.
Acquisition through Gifts/Donations
Gifts and donations constitute a significant source acquisition of reading materials in a
library. Many a library has benefited enormously through accepting gifts and donations. Possibly,
it is a good practice to solicit gifts and donations. Though, one necessity is careful in accepting
them since it may cause administrative troubles involving the process of acceptance,
technological processing, placement, and maintenance. In addition, cost of maintenance should
be measured before accepting gifts.
Usually, individuals bequeath their personal collections. While few may not put
circumstances, others do. For instance, they may insist that all documents should be carried and
also that they should be placed since a special collection. This may not be acceptable to the
library concerned due to:
Irrelevance of few documents to the subjects of interest of the institution.
Difficulty in maintaining since a distinct collection since merging with the common
collection is more helpful.
Legroom thoughts.
Financial thoughts, like cost of maintenance, etc.
Therefore , the librarian should create it clear to the donor, right at the beginning, that he
is willing to accept the gift collection only and only if he is given a free hand to take decisions
of integrating into the common collection, discarding, exchanging, etc.,concerning its exploit
or otherwise. Hence, it is suggested that every library should formulate a policy concerning
acceptance or rejection of gifts.
In addition to personal collections, there are unprimed publications distributed free
through many agencies. These also approach under the category of gifts. Hence, it is necessary
that the librarian be vigilant sufficient to observe and request for such publications. To ensure
that he does not miss such announcements, the librarian should write requesting that the name of
his institution be put on the mailing list of these agencies.
Few libraries are indicates since Deposit Centers and receive free copies of publications
brought out through Governmental and non-governmental institutions. Karnataka University
Library is a Deposit Centre for U.N. Publications. Under provisions of the copyright Act or the
Delivery of Books and Newspapers Act, 1956, few national and state level libraries receive free
copies of all publications originating in India.
Acquisition through Swap
Acquisition through swap is another mechanism through which Collection Development
can take lay. Of course, it goes without saying that the library should have material that can be
exchanged. The United State Book Exchanges recognized in 1948 acts since a pool for
participating libraries who want to dispose of their duplicate materials of value to get in return
other materials which they do not possess. Other examples of institutions facilitating swap are
Medical Library Association, American Association of Law Libraries, American Theological
Library Association and UNESCO's Library Division. Since a mater of information, the
UNESCO Bulletin for Libraries used to have a part listing the materials accessible on a swap
foundation from foreign libraries.
Acquisition through Purchase
As, the library cannot build its collection purely on the foundation of gifts and exchanges,
acquisition through purchase becomes inevitable. But no library can purchase all relevant
documents owing to limitation of financial possessions. So, it becomes necessary to create a
judicious selection of all documents measured relevant to the library before purchasing them. It is
'
here that Ranganathan s Five Laws of Library Science and Principles of Book Selection approach
in handy. It is assumed here that the librarian has acquired the necessary knowledge and ability to
select the best documents for the library concerned.
In regard to acquisition through purchase, a number of methods are followed through
libraries. They are:
Tender organization
Quotation way
Direct ordering with publishers
Standing vendor way
Dealer Library Plan (DLP)
Standing order
Books-on-approval
Open purchases
Institutional Membership
Institutional membership is another potential resource in collecting documents. The
library may enlist itself since member of learned communities and organizations who publish
useful materials. Often the membership subscription may cover the right to receive their
publications either frees of cost or at confessional prices.
Deposit Organization
The deposit organization entitles few specially indicates libraries to receive free copies of
the publications brought out through governments, national and international institutions, etc.
There are many university libraries and state central libraries enjoying these benefits. There are
also the national and state legal libraries indicates to receive free copies of all publications
originated in India, either under the provisions of the Copyright Act or the Delivery of Books and
Newspapers Act, 1956. In all these cases the recipient library should be continuously on the alert
in relation tithe new titles and their timely receipt.
The choice of the supplier is most governed through thoughts of the maximum advantage
to the library. Three major items are there in the words of supply, namely,
Deal discounts
Conversion rates of currencies, and
Other circumstances of supply
Kinds of Order
Book ordering practices cannot be the similar in all cases. There are:
Specific Orders
Blanket Orders
Standing Orders
Pre-paid Orders
The large bulk of ordering is for specific items. But others may require a dissimilar
treatment. Sometimes blanket orders may have to be placed to ensure that no new thing published
in a dedicated subject region is missed through the library. Likewise, standing orders will be
needed for the supply of all items belonging to a chosen publisher's series, or for getting an
unbroken set of multivolume books, or a book published in installments, or books lake annuals
and year-books. There are also items needing pre-paid orders. Government publications,
subscription books and books supplied on pre-publication orders fall in this category.
Ordering Process
We have described the process until the selection is finalized and the lists and the cards
are forwarded to the Procurement Part for placing orders. What follows in this part is the process
relating to ordering the selected items. Ordering process relates to three levels:
Pre-ordering job
Order placing job
Supply getting job
Occupation Analysis
Therefore, the distinctive job of the Book Order Part is to be intended with reference to
the following factors:
Standing vendors
Enquiries and quotations for rare individual books
Ordinary Books
Standing order booksSeries books, Multivolume books, Installment books,
Subscription books.
Gift books.
Troubles in Acquisition
Acquisition job is not a simple task. It has got its own troubles. Few are general to
libraries everywhere while few are peculiar to India. Major troubles are brought out in t part
therefore that you can be prepared to face them. They are:
Conflicting factors of demand, supply and fund;
The situation created through distant-off book markets;
The difficulties in dealing with regional book suppliers;
The troubles relating to foreign publications;
The special troubles regarding Indian publications;
Publications needing pre-paid orders; and
The question of out-of-print and unusual books.
Document Accessioning
All the books and documents received in the library are taken into its stock through a
procedure described Accessioning which involves the assignment of a serial number described
Accession Number. In the case of books donated, they are assigned a Donation Number in
addition to the Accession Number. When loose issues of periodicals are bound into a volume,
they are given accession numbers. While in few institutions the accession numbers are given to
documents after technological processing, in others is done first. Once an accession number is
assigned, it is deemed to be the property of the library.
Scheduling
Many believe that accessioning is a mechanical procedure and simple to perform. On the
contrary, it needs much experience and judgment.
Definition of "Volume
Economy in the cost of binding reduction in the number of undersized volumes hard to
handle, require for splitting in excess of dense and composite books that may admit of such
treatment and many other thoughts stand in the method of counting every volume that arrives in
the library since a distinct book for accessioning solely on the foundation that they were stitched
or cased and issued apart through the publisher. Hence, one needs a good trade of judgment in
deciding what constitutes a volume for the purpose of assigning a single accession number,
Periodical Publications
Accession Register
The vital question involved in accessioning job is the choice of the Accession Register.
The Accession Register is the vital record in the library in relation to the each document forming
section of its collection. The common practice in libraries is to have a single register in which all
kinds of documents whether purchased or received since gift or on swap or since deposit are
entered. But few libraries have the practice of by distinct accession registers for gifts and for
deposited items still another practice is to have the accession list in card form. In this case, the
card used at the level of book selection will be converted into the accession card and filed in the
accession number sequence and kept under safe custody.
Occupation Analysis
The job of the Accession Part in relation to the factors consists of the following items:
Ordered Books :
18. Supply Scrutiny Job
19. Wrong Supply Job
20. Bill Passing Job
Accession :
21. Collating Job
22. Transmission Job
23. Accessioning Job
Unsolicited Gift Books :
24. Gift Accepting
25. Donation Card Script
26. Donation Acknowledging
Accession Process
The following jobs are involved in accessioning:
Arranging the bills and the books in a similarity sequence
Entering details in the Accession Register
Script the Accession Number on each book
Certifying the bills
Transmitting the bills for passing job
Transmitting the books for processing
Noting and filing the cards.
Documents are entered in the Accession Register date-wise according to their receipt in
the library. All purchased books are entered in the order of the bills. For this purpose, the bills
have to be first arranged in the ascending order of their dates. Books sheltered through each bill
then have to be arranged and kept in the order in which they are listed in the bill. Book after book
and bill after bill are then entered in the Accession Register keeping the Accession Numbering
running continuously. The Accession Number receiving assigned to each document entered in
the Accession Register will be a unique number which can identify that document. The
Accession Number is then written legibly on the verso of the title page of the book and, if
necessary, on a clue page. The similar number is then noted in the bill against the thing. After
entering all the items sheltered through one bill a certificate necessity is famished on the bill
which should read since follows:
Certified that all the books since per the bill have been duly entered in the Accession
Register vide numbers from.to.
The bills relating to the books accessioned are then handed in excess of for Bill Passing
Job while the books are sent to the Technological Department for processing. The cards
belonging to them, after noting the date of accessioning and the Accession Numbers, are filed in
a method labeled since "Books-in-Procedure".
Passing of Bills
The several jobs involved in the Bill Passing Job are:
Checking
Certifying
Passing
Transmitting
A, serious risk involved in Bill Passing Job is either double payment or in excess of-
payment. Enough caution should be exercised to avoid both. Every bill should be cautiously
scrutinized through checking the calculations and totals, the conversion rates, and the deal
discounts provided. When verified and establish correct a certificate to that effect should be
famished on each bill. This should read since:
"Certified that the net published prices at the approved rates of conversion have been
"
charged, and agreed rates of discounts have been allowed .
Each certified bill jointly with the Accession Register should be placed with the librarian
for the final passing. He should satisfy himself after checking the bill and the corresponding
entries in the Accession Register. He then should put his initials on the Accession Register and
pass the bill for payment. This is done through script at the bottom of the bill the terms "Passed
"
for Payment! and putting his signature and office seal below. The passed bills are then
transmitted to the Explanation Part for effecting the payment.
Non-book Materials
The word
non-book materials (=NBM) comprise four categories of information sources
drawn from the second edition of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR), namely:
Sound recordings;
Video recordings, including interactive video discs;
Graphic materials-photographs, illustrations, postcards and slides;
Micro-computer software, including CD-ROM
In addition, other shapes sheltered through the word NBM are microforms -microfilms,
microfiche, etc., models, wall charts, etc. Since a matter of information, microform dates back to
the year 1839 when John Benjamin Dancer, an optician and professional photographer, produced
the first micro-photograph. These microforms, possibly, offer an alternative to book storage and
help in solving the legroom troubles encountered through libraries.
Commenting on the value of NBM, it was said through Leslie Gillert and Jan Wright
since early since 1971 that
"NBM have increased the range and means of obtaining and exploiting information for
teaching, studying and research purposes, but to distinct books from NBM is to divide
information into false compartments. Hence, it is essential that books and non-books can
"
be together recognized and located to meet scrupulous requires
In spite of this recognition, NBM have not become popular in libraries due to the
following reasons:
A lack of understanding or only recent concern with the studying procedures through
university academics.
The strong belief in the primacy of the printed term for research collections.
Small demand from users, who, possibly, were dominated through the conventional
information possessions and with small exposure or access to NBM.
Lack of motivation and funds to build up NBM collections, etc.
Acquisition of NBM
Once it is decided that NBM will form a section of the collection of the library, attempts
should be made through the librarian to create an intended selection of NBM that would satisfy
the differential necessities of all the clients. But, it is not a simple task due to few characteristics
that are peculiar to NBM. Hence, the librarian should acquire the necessary expertisei.e.,
knowledge and ability for identifying several sources of supply and a familiarity with troubles
hampering acquisition of NBM.
While the common process for selection and procurement of books would be applicable
to non-book materials also, it necessity be remembered that as the physical attributes,
manufacture and publishing of NBM are dissimilar, suitable modifications should be effected in
their acquisition. Unlike books which can be procured through regional vendors, NBM producers
distribute their own material and consequently there is no equivalent to the book shops in the
NBM field. Further, as NBM are fragile, the publishers insist on the library paying for any
material which is damaged throughout preview. In addition, NBM are not accessible on approval
like books due to
Their fragile nature; and
Possibly, more significant, due to the dishonesty of few librarians who copy the material
and return the original!
Another problem in NBM acquisition is the lack of bibliographic manages which creates
it hard to the librarian to identify NBM accessible in the manufacture and sharing agencies.
Bibliographic apparatus for NBM are, possibly, conspicuous through their absence, or, if they are
present, they are extremely some in number. In other terms, there does not look to be any
coherent bibliographic organization for NBM. These are merely hundreds of distinct publishers'
catalogues and lists. So, it may be crucial for librarians wanting to build a NBM collection to set
up get in touch with other librarians, to attend exhibitions and visit suppliers. It may also be
useful to read the case studies of libraries in NBM published in the periodical Audio-Visual
Librarian.
The Acquisition Department has to exploit suitable records, registers, files, shapes and
other stationery at the several levels of its operation and processes. Necessary shapes and
stationery have to be evolved from experience since require arises.
Book Selection Card
The purpose of the selection card is to record data relating to the document under
consideration. The chief advantage of adopting the card form for this record is the flexibility in
arrangement and operation. In information it is the similar card which is written at the level of
initial recording of a document that is passing through the dissimilar card files corresponding to
successive levels of operation:
Books Selection
Books Approved
Books-on-Order
Books Received
Books-in-Procedure
It is usual for libraries to exploit printed selection cards. An appropriate format for this
card can be intended through the library.
Accession Register
The average mass of an Accession Register is 16" X 13". In Illustration 4 you will
discover the columns provided in an Accession Register.
Job Diary
The Job Diary is a desirable record to be maintained in the Acquisition Department. The
diary can be written on a daily or weekly foundation. Monthly and annual statistics can be taken
from the diary for reporting since well since for job evaluation. All quantifiable occupation items
can be reported for through the diary, like the number of
Titles noted for selection
Title designed
Titles suggested
Titles scrutinized
Selection cards written
Titles forwarded for approval
Titles listed for order
Titles checked for ordering
Titles ordered
Titles supplied
Titles carried
Titles passed for payment
Titles forwarded for processing etc.
Few Observations
The Acquisition job of a library is one of its home-keeping behaviors. The end re job can
be integrated with the other major housekeeping operations such since cataloguing, serial manage
and circulation. They may be computerized, even in small libraries, with a judicious selection of
a hardware configuration and exploit of a suitable software package.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SELECTION TOOLS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE
Let us revise in brief how information materials are produced, the agencies that produce
them and the information channels through which information in relation to the published
documents are disseminated, etc. It may be worthwhile to possess this backdrop knowledge in
relation to the book and non-book world and their behaviors therefore since to facilitate choosing
the right kind of information materials. In addition, it would be useful to be knowledgeable in
relation to the current and future trends in the knowledge industry.
Producers of information materials can broadly be divided into three major clusters:
Producers of print materialscommon books, textbooks, reference books, periodicals and
serials, bibliographical publication, patents and specifications and other;
Microforms and audio visuals;
Electronic and machine readable materials.
In recent years, though, a motivating trend is steadily emerging. These shapes are
receiving integrated, in that a print document is also concurrently being made accessible in
microforms since well since in machine readable form. For instance, many of the secondary
publications such since indexing and abstracting services are accessible in print, microforms and
machine readable data bases. This trend is likely to continue for many more years, since facilities
for making exploit of these newer media modify in the middle of countries; the acceptance of
these newer media through users is also rather slow and halting. Hence the producers of
information materials and publishers have to tune themselves to dissimilar market circumstances.
Notwithstanding these growths, the print medium continues to control, particularly in developing
countries like India. So, we begin our revise in relation to the publishers of printed documents.
Print Materials
The author, publisher and bookseller are all partners in turning ideas into a finished
product. These clusters operate since a team with division of responsibilities but with proper
linkages flanked by them. Usually, publishing of documents involves the following behaviors:
Flow of manuscripts to publishers office;
Publishing preliminaries: Selection and evaluation of manuscripts, in words of
excellence and marketability, contract flanked by author and publisher, etc;
Manufacture: Editing, printing, binding;
Sharing: Dissemination of information in relation to the published documents,
promotional behaviors, including advertising, bringing out catalogues, bibliographies,
announcement bulletins, leaflets, folders, etc.;
Sales and marketing
While little intimate knowledge of all these behaviors is desirable for collection
development, we-shall concern ourselves only with sharing behaviors with which libraries are
directly related. Publishing agencies fall under three broad categories:
Deal Publishing Homes /Companies, Booksellers and Others; they publish
27. Books of all diversities ;
28. Periodicals and serials;
29. Bibliographical publications such since indexing publications, abstracting
publications, reviews, etc.
Not-for-Profit Publishers: Taught communities, professional bodies, etc. These publishing
agencies concentrate on publishing
30. Scholarly and research journals
31. Conference proceedings
32. Technological statements.
Government agencies: Ministries, Departments, Directorates, and such other agencies:
.
Government is an extremely major publisher today; all diversities of documents such
since books, monographs, statements, periodicals, serials, and secondary publications are
brought out through government agencies and organizations.
In the middle of these categories of publishing agencies, deal publishers are the ones who
are extremely active in promoting their sales, through advertisements, issue of catalogues and
bibliographies, announcement bulletins, leaflets, folders, etc. Information in relation to the newly
published books, forthcoming publications in a diversity of subjects keep constantly flowing into
libraries. In information, this flood of announcements, catalogues and folders, etc., pose a
problem to libraries, not only because of their bulk and weeding job involved but also because of
the paucity of time to scarf them.
Publishers specialize in subject regions such since medicine, science and technology, law,
arts, music, etc. and bring out books for special clusterschildren's' books; textbooks for schools
and colleges; paperbacks, reference books, reprints of out-of-print books and such other.
The publishing deal is therefore well organized and information in relation to the books
published and to be published flows systematically and frequently into libraries. There is a well
recognized rapport flanked by the book deal and libraries and hence collection structure in this
region operates satisfactorily.
In the case of materials published through learned communities, professional associations,
etc., libraries have to set up regular contacts with them through becoming institutional members,
to be on their mailing lists to get information in relation to their publications, exhibitions, etc.,
organized through professional bodies to keep track of their publishing behaviors.
Since there is no organized organization operating collectively for publications of these
bodies selection and acquisition of materials published through these bodies poses troubles for
libraries.
Government publications are in the middle of the mainly hard regions in collection
development. Through its extremely nature, the government set up is a slow machinery;
extremely often it operates without any time schedule, particularly in its publication job.
Announcements of new publications, catalogues and special lists do approach out, but without
the necessary speed to market them, particularly in countries like India. But these publications
are of immense value for special and academic libraries.
Non-Print Materials
Non-print materials entered the mainstream of collection development in libraries in the
last two decades. Audio, visual and audio-visual materials are establish to be excellent
supplements to printed packages for teaching and studying in schools and colleges and in other
instructional and training organizations. Films, filmstrips, slides, audio tapes, records, etc. are
used in conjunction with conventional instructional materials with good results. This provides
opportunities to many enterprising business companies to invest in these regions. These business
firms have most chosen to concentrate on one aspect of the field of non-print materials and to
develop and refine it.
Moreover growths in the educational set-up and advances in information technology have
offered new scope to libraries for storing and retrieving information through the newer media
such since computers, microforms and other electronic devices. This has led to the practice of
structure collections in microforms of backfills of periodicals, newspapers and other kinds of less
used materials therefore saving precious storage legroom. Online access to data and information
through computer networks emphasized the advantage of by these newer media in libraries.
Collection structure in libraries in industrially advanced countries laid equal emphasis on no-print
materials, although in developing countries, only a beginning has been made to think in these
directions. In India, mainly of non-print materials will have to be imported which poses troubles
of selection and acquisition besides being highly expensive. There are also no dedicated agencies
which produce these kinds of materials while there are mediators for procuring them from
countries where they are produced and marketed.
Non-book materials, particularly microforms and audio visual materials are produced
through firms specializing in microfilms and microfiches and those specializing in educational
teaching and studying materials respectively. Machine readable databases are produced through
major publishing agencies like American Chemical Community, Institute of Scientific
Information, Engineers Joint Council and such others, in their respective field of specialization.
Library wholesalers stuck these materials, particularly audio visual material and supply them.
These producers advertise their wares most in professional periodicals and other publications and
occasion-ally bring out catalogues, promotional materials like folders, pamphlets etc. Video
cassettes, tape-slide kits are accessible for machine readable data bases like chemical abstracts,
citation index etc., and helping the procedure of exploit. All these give good facilities to know
these non-print materials, and decide on their acquisition,
In addition to contemporary physical media, electronic media have arrived and changed
the concept of a library's role in community. These contain the magnetic mediamagnetic tape,
magnetic disk, floppy diskand the optical mediaCD-ROM, WORM, etc.,and rewritable
magnets optical disk, etc. Increasingly, these are being produced through firms and are being
acquired through contemporary libraries due to the many separate advantages they possess and
also because they have become one of the key units in ensuring effectiveness of libraries and
information centers.
Current Lists
Current booksthose that are published throughout the yearsymbolize the majority of
materials generally acquired through mainly libraries, although it may not always be therefore in
case of large re-search, industrial and academic libraries which cater to the special necessities of
their respective users. But even in these libraries, a large proportion of their acquisition may
relate to current books.
In countries with a high volume of publications in a year such since the USA and the UK,
there may be weekly listings of new books. Listing of this kind normally gives information on
author, title, and publisher, lay of publication, year of publication, pagination, special
characteristics including series information, and International Average Book Number (ISBN).
Sometimes cataloguing data, including subjects are also given. Information on subject contents in
the form of subject headings is particularly precious, since extremely often the titles of
documents do not convey adequate information in relation to their contents.
Monthly lists are general, either since accumulations of weekly lists or since first listing;
there may be quarterly, half yearly and annual accumulations of such lists. Lists of forthcoming
publications are also issued regularly, but there are two limiting factors in these cases. Quite
often they may not be on schedule and in some cases; these titles never get released for one cause
or the other.
Publishers market their products however announcement leaflets, pamphlets and other
such methods. Usually such announcements include more information in relation to the books
than those published since weekly or monthly lists. A lot of useful data is accessible such since a
brief note on the contents and other descriptive characteristics. Useful since this information is, it
should be noted that these announcements are to promote sales and hence information contained
in them may not always be reliable or objective.
Catalogues and Bibliographies
There are a number of commercial institutions like publishers, booksellers, distributors
and printers whose largest action is to bring out publications in relation to the publications with a
business motive. These publications are brought out at periodic intervals, i.e., regular periodicity,
and' while few of these are priced publications, few are sent free to organizations and individuals
either on request or in anticipation of a demand.
Bibliographies
Table 2.1 those who produce bibliographies fall into the following chain if arranged in
evolutionary sequence; the kinds of bibliographies corresponding to each are shown in
juxtaposition:
Current Bibliographies
Reed Reference Publishing Catalogue 1996. It not only comprises the frequently updated
editions of the institutions well recognized reference works but also the introduction of
new products, such since, Bowker-Saur's European Research and Development Data-
foundation.
Aslib Publications Catalogue 1995. London. Announces a selection of new books and
editors of titles in demand, directories, CD-ROM, CEC Publications, Translations,
Journals, etc.
Indian Books 1995: An annual bibliography. Today and Tomorrow's Book Agency, New
Delhi.
Retrospective Bibliographies
National Bibliographies
Ranganathan defines the word National Bibliography since "A list of books, periodicals,
and of their published in a country or on the country, or the citizens of the country, or in the
language of the country, or written through any citizen of the country irrespective of the country
of publication". Therefore, national bibliographies are not necessarily confined to books or
printed materials but may bring out national lists of films, records, audio-visuals and other kind
of non-print material.
Depending upon the policy, it may contain only one of the categories or any combination
of them. Since publication of a book is a continuous procedure, a national bibliography may be
published weekly, monthly, quarterly, or since fascicules and cumulated at intervals of time
ranging from quarterly to yearly or more.
Mainly countries with a book deal, except for the United States of America, have few
form of national bibliography. They are authoritative and highly reliable sources of information
of recorded knowledge of a country. So they serve since excellent selection apparatus not only
for current materials but also good for retrospective materials. The only limitation is that they
symbolize only the national outputs.
The Indian National Bibliography (INB) is a classified list of current Indian publications
in all the major Indian languages and English. INB is compiled from the materials received at the
National Library under the Delivery of Books and Newspapers Act, 1954. The categories of
publications excluded are:
Musical sources,
Maps,
Periodicals and newspapers, except for the first issue of a new periodical and the first
issue of the periodical under a new title,
Keys and guides to text-books and
Ephemeral items.
INB was published in two sectionscommon publications and government publications,
throughout 1959 to 1972, From 1973, the two sections have been combined into one, comprising
two partsclassified and alphabetical. The arrangement of entries in the classified part is
through Dewey Decimal Classification. Bibliographic data given are class number, author, title,
imprint, pagination, illustrations, mass, price, series note, etc. The second part is an alphabetical
index to the classified section, with author and subject approaches.
The author and title of publications in Indian languages are transliterated into Roman
writing and arranged in one alphabetical sequence under each class.
For current and retrospective selection of Indian books, this is possibly the best source.
The only limitations are time lag in the publication of INB and the items left out because of non
supply of these through publishers. INB is cumulated annually and every five years.
The British National Bibliography (BNB) is a weekly list of newly published books in
Great Britain, compiled on the foundation of books received through the Copyright Receipt
Office of the British Library. The categories of material excluded are: periodicals, except for the
first issue of a new periodical and the first issue of a periodical under a new title, music, maps,
sure government publications, publications without a British imprint and cheap novelettes, etc.
There are monthly, quarterly, half yearly and annual accumulations. The classified section
is also cumulated once in five years.
BNB is in two sections classified and alphabetical. Entries in the classified section are
arranged through the Dewey Decimal Classification. The alphabetical section provides the author
and subject indexes. BNB is accessible in print, microforms and in machine readable form.
BNB is a comprehensive and excellent guide for British books. The technological
excellence its maintenance of international standards in its computerized form, innovative subject
index and the common layout and manufacture are examples to follow. BNB is one of the best
book selection apparatus for books with the British imprint.
With the advent of computer networks, national bibliographies of many countries are
avail-able online. This enables access to international publications and is an invaluable facility
for collection structure in large academic and special libraries.
Subject Bibliographies
Subject bibliographies are useful selection apparatus for retrospective books. If they are
compiled through professionals with a subject backdrop of the field, these bibliographies could
be of great value in selection and collection development. Few examples of subject
bibliographies are:
Aiyar C.P R. Bibliography of Indian Philosophy. Madras, Sanskrit College, 1968.2V.
Alexandrowicz, C.H : Bibliography of Indian Law, Madras, University of Madras, 1958.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. Indian Scientific and Technological
Publications: a Bibliography. New Delhi, 1950.
Kanitkar, J.M. Bibliography of Indology Von Indian Anthropology. Calcutta, National
Library, 1960.
Narayanasamy, V Bibliography of Indology V.2 Indian Botany. Calcutta, National
Library, 1961.
These kinds of publications generally do not get disseminated in time and widely, and
hence access to them becomes hard. Many of these kinds of bibliographies are not always avail-
able in print and therefore special attempts have to be made to get them for the library. The
limitations of this kind of apparatus are the excellence of items selected, correctness and
availability of documents listed.
Since indicated earlier, no single source can meet all the necessities of selection and
collection development. A judicious combination of selection apparatus, both for current and
retrospective publications have to be made and their inflow into the library necessity is assured.
Current Reviews
Review columns appearing in newspapers and periodicals are a significant aid for book
selection. While selection apparatus discussed therefore distant do not provide enough
information to judge the value of a book in words of quality, or suitability to a scrupulous
requirement, one can infer the excellence of a book to a sure extent from the reputation of the
author and the publishers. Book reviews appearing in newspapers and periodicals are often
reliable sources to evaluate the excellence of books.
A book review, in common, provides information in relation to the contents of a book, the
treatment of the topic discussed in it, its excellence since also its suitability for a scrupulous kind
of user in a library. It is, in essence, a critical evaluation of it. Book reviews can be divided into
three common kinds:
Reviews for persons in the book deal and for libraries;
Reviews for specialists in dissimilar subjects;
Reviews for the common public.
Book selectors exploit all three kinds, but the greatest exploit is made of deal and
professional re-views. Few differences in emphasis do exist in the middle of kinds of libraries in
making exploit of book reviews. Since noted earlier, special libraries create the least exploit of
reviews, but when reviews are needed the first two categories are given the greatest credence,
with a preference for the specialist review. In academic organizations also, the first two kinds of
reviews are used extensively. Public libraries, on the other hand, create exploit of popular
reviews more often.
Reviews for persons in the book deal and for libraries, can be examined in two sub-
categories: a) those intended to promote the sale of books, and b) those intended to evaluate
books and to indicate their suitability for libraries. Publishers Weekly and Book Seller are
primarily aimed at the book deal, although they are used extensively in libraries for book
selection. Reviews written specially for book selection through professional experts are the ones
that serve the purpose of libraries. Library Journal, Wilson Library Bulletin, Library Association
Recordall these are primary journals in library science, and carry book review parts where
professional review provide their evaluation of books. These reviews are not only descriptive and
evaluative but also occasionally relative. Reviews of this kinds are particularly precious since
they are written with library requires in view.
A second category is the specialist reviews published in specialist periodicals. Scientific
and research journals acquired through the library often include sure scholarly and technological
articles in basic subject meadows and also carry many papers of regular book columns,
containing re-views that are scholarly, informed and pinpointed. These reviews, in practice, are
useful for:
Deciding selection, in doubtful cases; and
Examining whether any significant thing has been left out through oversight in the
procedure of book selection from other sources.
Deserving special attention is the British Book News, the bimonthly reviewing journal of
the British Council Library. Although meant to cater to the special requires of British Council
Libraries, it can be usefully scanned since separately from the brief, descriptive and evaluative
reviews, every issue contains a useful bibliographical characteristic, for instance, "Recent British
Books on Chemistry." These are invaluable since a tool for stock revision.
Though, the major drawback of all reviews is their haphazard appearance in relation to a
book's date of publication. The time-lag flanked by the appearance of the review and the
publication date is sometimes since much since one year, which renders it invaluable for
retrospective stock revision, but rather less timely since an aid to selection of new books. The
following are few examples of periodicals carrying reviews:
Science
This weekly periodical issued through the American Association for the Advancement of
Science, Publishes reviews of some significant titles and announcements of twenty to thirty
others.
Nature
Therefore British weekly journal of science publishes excellent reviews of few books,
announcements and advertisements of others: Once a month, it comprises a comprehensive
listing indicated since a supplement: Recent Scientific and Technological Books.
Library Journal
Publishes quarterly lists of scientific, technological and medical books announced for
publication through publishers.
The third category of review sources is directed towards the common public. Daily
newspapers have a convention of publishing book reviews of selected books in their weekly
review parts and are indeed extremely precious. Reviews of Times Literary Supplement, New
York Time Book Review, those that seem in leading Indian daily newspapers carry precious
sources for book selection, particularly for public libraries. Book Review Digest (BRD) and
Book Review Index (BRI) are two publications exclusively devoted to book reviews. Both are
American Publications. BRD publishes every year 5000 to 6000 summaries of new books,
covering 70 leading journals and newspapers. BRI notices reviews that seem in 325 journals and
gives citation to 40,000 reviews each year. In addition, many of the common periodical indexes
contain book review citations which also give access to reviews.
While book reviews are excellent sources for book selections, there are limitations which
compel us to look for other sources. A small percentage of published books get reviewed; even
these reviews seem with a time gap of many months after the book has been published; and the
excellence of reviews varies. In spite of all these limitations, book reviews serve since extremely
significant selection apparatus.
Special Lists
Special lists of best books, recommended books, core collections in specific regions and
for specified periods are compiled and produced. They serve since useful selection apparatus for
structure up representative collections in a subject or for a scrupulous group. Examples of this
kind of list are: Public Library Catalogue, H. W Wilson, New York; Books for Secondary
Schools, R.R. Bowker, New York. Books for College Libraries, American Library Association,
Chicago. The choice of items in these compilations is made through the compilers and hence
subjective.
We discussed printed books, in common, brought out through commercial publishers and
other agencies and disseminated through several kinds of catalogues, including deal and national
bibliographies. Let us talk about selection apparatus for sure significant categories of print
materials like periodicals and serials, government publications reference books, theses and
children's books.
Government Publications
Government publications approach from all branches, divisions and levels of government.
They embrace the whole universe of information, since there are extremely some subjects outside
the scope of government behaviors. They give reasonably priced current information on a
diversity of subjects: history, geography, law and order, legislation and parliament, demography,
weather, flood, famine, industry, business, banking, fund, health, nutrition, food, agriculture,
'
women, minorities, sports and games, science and technology, discourse and transport, standards
and specifications: in information, on all imaginable subjects. This immense body of information,
at a modest cost, creates government publications a worthwhile information resource for
collection development.
Government documents also approach in a diversity of shapes. They can be in dissimilar
sizes, channels or media. There are books, technological statements, periodicals, pamphlets,
microforms, posters, films, slides, photographs, maps, presently to name some possible diversity.
Besides publications of national government, international governmental agencies such
since the United Nations and its family of institutions do bring out an extremely large body of
precious literature. Few libraries have a depository privilege of receiving them but man', other
libraries may have to procure them.
Reference Books
All kinds of libraries stock a good selection of reference books without which information
and reference services in libraries would be impossible. Reference books contain bibliographical
apparatus also, few of which serve the purpose of book selection since well.
Patents
Patents are a significant source of information. Several primary and secondary journals
publish information concerning current patents in specific subject meadows. Official gazetteers
of patent offices of several countries are precious sources of patent information. Some examples
of sources of patent information are:
Official Gazette of U.S. Patent Office
Chemical AbstractsCites significant patents granted in all countries pertaining to
chemical industry.
HOUGHTON. Technological information sources: A guide to patents, standards and
technological statement literature.
Translations
There is a rising require for translation of articles and books from foreign languages into
English in the field &fundamental and applied research. So, several commercial and non-
governmental institutions undertake translation job. Few of the sources of translation are listed
below:
Technological Translations. Published through U.S Dept. of Commerce.
Scientific Translations: A Guide to Sources and Services. Published through U.S. Dept of
Health, Education and Welfare.
Index Translation: International Bibliography of Translations. UNESCO.
The manufacture and sharing of non-print materials, is a recent development and so not
since well organized since in the ease of print materials, particularly from the point of issuing
selection aids. The major kindsmicroforms, audio-visuals and machine readable form are
produced and distributed through the Unites States and countries like India have to import them.
Another constraint is that these materials can be used only with special equipment. Though,
despite these constraints, Indian libraries cannot ignore these materials. Naturally selection of
such materials will have to be done extremely cautiously.
Microforms
Micropublishing is retrospective, being merely the reprinting of previously existing
materials. Back files of newspapers, periodicals and out-of-print materials are accessible in
microfilms. Scientific journal publishers were experimenting with publishing their journals both
in hard copy, i.e., paper-print, and also in microprint. This has not been a success, although few
journals are accessible in both the formats.
Technological statements are accessible in microfiche, particularly in subject meadows
where a large number of such statements are produced. Technological and research statements in
nuclear science and agricultural sciences are accessible in microfiche.
Another kind of original publications of rising importance to libraries are the
bibliographies and catalogues produced through the computer-output-microfilm (COM) way. In
this, computerized data is reproduced on microfilm or microfiche without first being produced in
paper-print form. COM products, such since the British Library's Books in English, are now
being produced on a size level.
Microforms can be used only with microfilm or microfiche readers. These cannot be
owned through individuals and so they will have to visit the library for making exploit of them.
Audio-Visual Materials
No comprehensive bibliography exists at present for identifying and selecting useful
audio-visual materials. One series of indexes published through the US National Information
Centre for Educational Media, focuses on audio visuals in the field of education with a fairly
wide definition of education. These publications are useful to all kinds of libraries, since they are
constantly revised and updated. Few of their vital publications are:
Index to 16 mm Educational films
Index to 35 mm Educational filmstrips
Index to 8 mm Motion cartridges
Index to Overhead transparencies
Index to Educational Audio tapes
Index to Educational slides
Index to Educational video tapes
Index to Producers and Distributors
Computer-based Materials
Computer-based materials are a recent development but have become extremely
significant to contemporary libraries of all kinds, specifically computerized bibliographic
databases. Marketing of these products to libraries is accomplished most through advertising
these products at library and information science meetings and conferences. This is an expanding
industry of rising importance to libraries.
Institutional Aspects
A come to an understanding of the meadows of interest of individuals to be served and of
the organization since an entire could begin through acquiring backdrop information in relation
to the organization / mission / project. This would involve finding answers to the following
questions:
What are the goals' or objectives of the organization / mission I project Reports answering
this question may be establish in few
internal" document, such since memorandum of
association, charter of incorporation, policy report, etc.
What are the meadows of action and the scope of each discernible action of the persons
involved?
Such information is generally given in few
internal" documents or in organizational and
functional charts.
What information do they exploit or require in order performing efficiently their
respective tasks? Such information may have to be gathered through interviews of,
questionnaires to be filled up through, and/or potential users.
Where do they now get the information?
Such information may have to be gathered through interviews, questionnaires, etc.
Through what channels and media do they now get the information? Information on the
channels and media may have to be gathered through and observation of information flow
patterns, a revise of organizational charts, interviewing and a questionnaire based survey
of potential users.
Is the information accessible adequate, timely, reliable and available at reasonable cost?
Such information has to be obtained through survey, through interviews and
questionnaires.
Is there in the middle of the users and interest in or awareness of the value of information
and of an information centre?
Can the existing information centre be customized for a bigger information service or is a
new information centre (IC) needed?
User Clusters
The next step would be to identify more specifically the potential user clusters. This may
be done on the foundation of interviews, questionnaires, revise of organizational and functional
charts, etc. The kinds of questions to which answers will have to be established contain:
Can the user group be recognized? Is it a separate, visible, homogeneous group?
Can the recognized group be benefited from the information services?
How diverse is the information requirement of the group with respect to professional
objectives, functions, job patterns, educational backdrop, etc?
What are the user-related constraints on the services? For instance :
33. Are there sub-group or individuals who would be given a higher priority in
providing information services?
34. Is the composition of the group regularly changing and is there a mechanism
through which the changes can be quickly recognized?
35. Is there a preference in the middle of sub-clusters and individuals for scrupulous
kinds of in-formation services, the time when such services are to be rendered,
etc.?
36. Will little information be restricted in dissemination for named persons only?
37. Will few, all, or none of the services be charged for? If there will be a charge, on
which category of users will the charges be levied?
38. Are there individual differences in personal attitude, educational backdrop,
training, experience, competence, region of specialization, etc., in the middle of
the users that may power the kinds of services requested?
Information Possessions
Documentary Sources
A document embodies thought. It is a record of job on paper or other material for simple
physical handling, transportation crossways legroom, and preservation through time. It may be
said that the idea content of a document symbolizes the information it contains. A document may
be a macro-document like a book, monograph, thesis, dissertation, statement, etc., or a micro-
document like an article in a periodical. Documents have also been grouped since Conventional,
Non-Conventional, Neo-Conventional, Meta documents, etc. Since a matter of information, these
documents are accessible in several physical shapes such since books, periodicals and also since
audio-visuals.
Non-Documentary Sources
On the other hand, non-documentary sources contain:
Institutional Sources
Human Sources
Colleagues
Peers
Information Gatekeepers
Guides, Advisors, Consultants
Vendors, Contractors, Collaborators, etc.
Classification of Documents
Documents of several kinds have been classified on the foundation of their physical
aspects, familiarity and usage into four classes through Dr.S.R Ranganathan. On the other hand,
C.W. Hanson and Denis Grogan have categorized these documents on the foundation of
information aspects.
Conventional documents are those which are generally recorded on paper in a natural
language through script, typing, printing or little close to-printing procedure. These are the
mainly popular documents in exploit. These contain books, periodicals, maps, atlases, etc. Neo-
conventional documents are a new class of micro-documents, such since standards,
specifications, patents, data, etc. Non-conventional documents are a record in non-conventional
mass, form or material. Audios, visuals, audio-visuals, microforms, etc. are incorporated in this
category. Meta-documents are a record of phenomena made directly, unmediated, through the
human mind. They are an instrument-record of natural and social phenomena made possible
through instrument technology, photography, radar, etc.
'
Ranganathan s classification clusters documents in the chronological order of their
development and does not take into consideration the information aspects of a 'document. He
does not create any variation flanked by an ordinary periodical and an indexing periodical. Also a
book and a periodical belong to the similar category according to him.
Books
Books form one of the primary sources of information. They give cohesively organized
information on a specific subject of optimum depth. As, book script, editing, processing and
publishing call for a considerable amount of time, books can be said to include ideas which are
fairly well recognized. They form useful repositories of information both for teachers and
learners in a scrupulous field since they include a crystallized presentation of ideas helpful to the
majority of readers.
A book is a physically self-governing document since distinguished from a periodical
publication, that is, it has been completed in a definite number of volumes. A book normally
trades with a subject of great extension and less intension. It is therefore a macro- document.
A book may be a single-volume or multi-volume document. It may be a common
document or a textbook or a reference book
Single-volumed book: A book maybe in a single volume or in more than one volume.
The latter is recognized since a multi volumed book. A multi-volumed book generally has
a general index. It also has the similar sequence of pagination sustained in all the volumes
of the set.
Easy book and Composite book: A book, either through a single author or through two or
more authors. that provides a continuous exposition of the subject, is recognized since a
easy book. A book through more than one author, all contributions of which do not form a
continuous exposition but have one title separate and self-governing, is a composite bock
If a composite book has a single generic title to denote all the contributions collectively, it
is an ordinary composite book, otherwise it is an artificial composite book.
Common book, Reference book and Textbook: A book is a common book, a text-book or
a reference book. A common book trades with the subject in a common method. A book
giving common exposition on the subject, or a biography, or a fiction is a common book.
Examples of common books are: Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science, Girja
Kumars Philosophy of User Education, Dhyaneshwar's Gita: the Mother.
A textbook is one that supports a teaching program. It trades with the fundamentals of the
subject by the language and approach that suits the students. An author's newly propounded
theory is generally not establish in it. Dissimilar courses of revise have dissimilar textbooks to
support them. Guhas Documentation and Information, Prasher's Introduction to Reprography,
Vishwanathan's CataloguingTheory and Practice and Krishan Kumar's Theory of
Classification are textbooks on documentation, reprography, cataloguing and classification,
respectively, meant for library science students.
Whereas a common book or a textbook belongs to the category of books that can be read
through for information, education or inspiration, there is another class of books meant to be
consulted or referred to for a definite piece of information. These are recognized since Reference
books.
Government Documents
Government publications are the official documents brought out at government expense.
They are the records of behaviors of the:
Executive,
Legislature,
Judiciary, and
Research institutions sponsored through the government and same others.
The power under which these documents are brought out, may modify, such since a
ministry, a department, a government undertaking, an institute or any authorized agency of either
central or state government or this power holds responsibility for the authenticity of the contents
of the documents.
Government documents are a class through themselves, dissimilar from common
publications. In mass they range from pamphlets to voluminous books and in content they
modify from an article with a popular appeal to technological treatises of value to scientists and
academicians. Theses documents are usually divided into two categories:
Parliamentary documents, and
Non-parliamentary documents.
Another significant kind of documents is post-graduate dissertations and doctoral theses
submitted to the universities for degrees. They are precious primary sources which statement
original job in specific meadows. Besides yielding invaluable unpublished information on a
specific subject, lay or person, these documents have long bibliographies and footnotes which are
generally of immense exploit to researchers. These documents often remain unpublished. This
creates difficulties in their selection and procurement.
Theses are primarily useful for their original contribution. Subjects dealt with in theses
may not have commercial application. Dissertation Abstracts International published through
Universal Microfilms Inc. generally covers doctoral theses in many subjects.
Statements
Statement literature is a significant primary source of information, particularly for a
research library. This new medium for discourse of information came into being throughout
World War II due to scarcity of paper, restrictions in sharing, and delays in bringing out
periodicals. Statements not only solved the troubles then, but proved quite useful to be sustained
after the war.
Statements originate in several research institutions and government departments and
seem in a wide diversity. Mainly of them statement in relation to the research and development
projects, in progress or completed. They may present quick preliminary information in relation to
the job in progress; or they may provide complete information in relation to the job presently
completed. In few subjects, such since nuclear science and aeronautics, a good amount of
literature is accessible in the form of statements.
Technological statements may be issued ad hoc or in series periodically. Examples of
statements are NASA statements, EURATOM statements, EEC statements, etc. Even in India,
many organizations publish statements. National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, publishes
many statements every year. A special feature of a statement is that it contains details of the
project and comprises a large amount of data. Information in statements is usually meant for
internal audience. It may be said to be a nascent, unedited, non-formalized presentation of
findings with a considerable amount of usage of jargon, acronyms, abbreviations, etc.
Pamphlets
A pamphlet is a self-governing publication. It is normally a document of some printed
pages, generally less than 49. Pamphlets cover a very wide range of subjects, but their uniqueness
is that an individual dedicated topic is dealt with precisely and concisely. It is an ideal resource
for anyone learning in depth a dedicated topic. Further, much of the information seems in
pamphlets before it is included in books. Pamphlets are a current source of information and are
indispensable to libraries because they may include information not avail-able from any other
source. They are relatively less expensive than a periodical or book. As, they include information
on a narrow subject-field and are presented in a unique manner, they are extremely useful to
dedicated users. Their usefulness increases if they are objective and balanced in presentation.
Patents
In science and technology, patents form a significant source of information. A patent
specification is a kind of legal defense for the inventor. In addition to a detailed account, patent
specifications contain a report of claim through an applicant concerning the scope of the
monopoly he seeks to cover in his invention. The claim is relatively broad in nature, its purpose
being to specify the range of products or procedures that the patentee claims to monopolize. It,
so, covers variations of the invention referred to in the patent. Therefore, while a patent is a legal
document, it can also be used since a source of industrial information.
A patent is an agreement flanked by a government and an inventor whereby the latter
discloses his invention to the public in swap for an exclusive right of use for a fixed era. Each
patent presents a detailed explanation of a new manufacturing procedure or an improvement of
an existing procedure, a new product a new way of testing and manage, etc., which may not be
accessible in this form in other sources.
Every nation has a Patent Office. The Patent Office at Calcutta and its sub-offices grant in
excess of 3,000 patents each year. The output of each urbanized nation is much more.
A comprehensive collection of national and foreign patents necessity be urbanized
through all special and research libraries because of the following advantages:
They provide technical information which is not established in any other source.
In addition to the information on the common utility of the invention, they inform us in
relation to the practical application of the invention in industry since also little backdrop
material.
They reveal information on specific technical items more totally and earlier than other
sources do.
Deal Literature
Deal literature consists of documents that provide information on the procedures and
materials involved in the production of a product, several kinds of product catalogues,
compilation of deal data, manuals, guides, home journals, etc. Deal literature is issued through
manufacturers and dealers. The vital purpose is product advertisement. These documents
normally give accurate technological information in relation to the products and materials that
are offered for sale. This information is generally not accessible from tinny other source. In a
special library, deal literature is a significant source of information.
The information contents of deal catalogues contain details in relation to the uses, mass
and specification of products, the range of the products of a firm, properties of materials, design
data, test results, operating instructions, etc. Though, deal catalogues become obsolete quickly
and are superseded through newer catalogues.
Microforms
Microforms are those documents which embody idea in a reduced form that cannot be
read with the naked eye. They need few devices for reading. They comprise microfilms,
microfiche, and micro-opaques. These documents are now general in libraries. The reasons for
heir popularity are:
Micro-shapes reduce the bulk of documents and help the libraries save considerable
legroom.
Out-of-print documents which are either not easily accessible or too expensive in the
original form can be easily acquired in micro-form
Documents in original are too bulky to be transported rapidly. Micro shapes, greatly
reduced in bulk, are more appropriate for simple and quick transportation, since also for
airlifting.
A readable photocopy can be prepared from a microform easily. Microforms are
accessible indifferent diversities and dimensions. Their organization and maintenance
.
also needs special care.
Audio-visuals
These documents consist of slides, gramophone records, phonotypes, cassettes, motion
pictures, video records, etc. Through the exploit of these documents, one can hear the original
voice or can see the incident since it happened. A gramophone record or a phototape when
played can bring to us the chirping of birds, the hissing of a cobra, roar of a lion or Rabindranath
Tagore singing his own songs. Likewise, a motion picture or a video record can bring back to us
Mahatma Gandhi and his followers taking section in the Salt Satyagraha. You can also witness a
cricket match sitting right in your drawing room. No other form of document can give this
facility. These documents are being extensively used since teaching aids these days.
Audio-visual documents today form a significant section of any collection in a
contemporary library.
Selection Principles
Selection of materials for a library needs sagacity, adroitness and attention to people
requires for everything from books and periodicals to films and recordings. The kind of library is
a major factor that powers selection. Since a good selection you should have a substantial
tolerance and flexible attitude to enable you to the varied requires of the users. You necessity be
capable of telling dispassionately what is the best, and why, and for whom. At the similar time,
you should also be aware in relation to the possessions budget, manpower, legroom, etc. and
the constraints they would bring in.
The principles of selection are significant and should be given due aright, but require s of
the users served necessity be catered to.
Public libraries are recognized for their variety since each one of them is to serve its own
society. Selection priorities, so, do differ from library to library. Nevertheless a public library
should cater to such material since gives information on social and cultural matters and on the
daily requires of life.
Academic libraries have an advantage in excess of public libraries. Their clientele is
homogeneous. They exist to support and promote the educational programs of the institution with
which each one of them is attached. The selection should cater to the curricular, co curricular,
and research requires of the respective organizations.
Special libraries are for dedicated users, having collections of dedicated material to
support the research programs of their parent institutions. They generally buildup a collection of
current literature comprising periodicals, government publications, statements, standards, patents,
reviews, advances, handbooks, manuals, data books, etc.
So, dissimilar selection principles have been enunciated through librarians and/or
information professionals.
Drury's Principles
The vital principle, which still governs the selection of reading material for a library, was
"
enunciated through Drury in 1930. It states: To give the right book to the right reader at the right
time". The reader is the central character. A document is right or otherwise in relation to the
reader. It is to be provided when the reader requires it for exploit. The selector should know the
readers and their necessities. He should select only that material which caters to the information,
educational and recreational requires of the readers. The selected material should be procured
expeditiously to be made accessible to the user when he requires it. Knowing requires of the -
readers and knowing the documents which can meet these requires is significant in making the
selection of documents. But more significant than this is the making of an efficient mechanism to
ensure the availability of the selected material at the light time.
The more significant of the principles of Drury's book-selection are given below:
Revise open-mindedly the society, endeavoring to examine its desires, diagnose its
ailments, give for its wants and satisfy its requires.
Give for both actual and potential users. Satisfy the former's common and specific
demands since distant since possible; expect the demands which might or should corm
from the latter.
Enact appropriate standards for judging all books and strive to accommodate then.
Apply criteria intelligently and evaluate contents for inherent worn:,
Survey for established clusters, reflecting every class, deal, employment, or recreation
which develops a natural interest.
Be willing to buy, since distant since funds permit, the works asked for through
specialists and society leaders.
Select books that symbolize any Endeavour aiming at human development material,
mental or moral.
Do not strive for completeness in sets, series, or subjects unless influenced hat this is
necessary.
Restrain the unduly aggressive patron but recognize the inarticulate one.
Aim at receiving the best on any subject; but do not hesitate to install a mediocre book
that will be read in preference to a larger one that will not be read.
Stock the classics and the average works in attractive editions.
Duplicate the best rather than acquire many.
Select for positive exploit. A book should not be basically good, but good for something.
It necessity do service.
Develop the regional history collection; its items will be sought for in the library.
Refrain from bias-personal, literary, economic, political or religious, and select with
tolerance and without prejudice.
Do not be intolerant of fiction if it measures up to average. It has educational since ue11
since recreational value and is now the dominant forage of creative art.
Buy volumes which are appropriate for the library purpose in format since well since in
contents, and are attractive and durable in binding, paper, and printing.
Get .to know the publishers, their output and specialties; the authors, their works and their
ranking; and the costs. In short get to know everything in relation to the books.
Control possessions through cooperation with regional, local and national institutions.
Discard or refrain from adding books for which there is no actual or anticipated demand
Keep within the budget, knowing the total amount accessible and maintaining a presently
proportion in allotments.
If followed cautiously, may ensure the selection of the best reading for the users.
Deweys Principle
'
Melvil Dewey s principle states: "The best reading for the largest number at the least cost"
According to this principle a library should select, within the financial possessions accessible, the
best documents which may satisfy the information requires of the maximum number of readers.
The word "best" is comparative. It means a document which "may be the best in its own
field, the best that will be read, the bet, of which good exploit will be made, and the best that will
answer sure demands". The best documents are those which satisfy the presently demands of the
users for recreation, knowledge and revise; the documents which cater to the social and cultural
requires of the users. A classic or a masterpiece may not be in demand for the time being, but it is
the best book to be selected for its literary worth and for its exploit to the coming generations.
The second section of Dewey's principlefor the largest numbersrefers to the users of
the library and their information requires, specified or unspecified. Our selection of documents
should be such since to satisfy since many readers since possible, the limitation of possessions
notwithstanding. This is possible when we know our readers and their reading requires.
The last section of the principle at the least costreminds us that the book budget of a
library is never sufficient to meet all the information requires of the users. The confessional rates,
acquisition of documents through gift and exchange, are few of the methods to save the limited
funds for more purchases. The suggestion is that whatsoever is to be bought necessity be bought,
but with an eye on strict economy. At the similar time it should be seen that this economy does
not result in the development of a poor book collection consisting of cheap books through
incompetent authors. The principle expects us to be careful in our selection and economical in
our purchases to ensure optimum satisfaction to the maximum number of our readers.
McColvin's Principles
L.R McColvin advanced his Demand and Supply Theory of Book Selection in 1925. He
states, "Books in themselves are nothing. They have no more meaning than the white paper upon
which they are printed, until they are made serviceable through demand. The more closely book
selection is related to demand, the greater is the resultant and possible service". The word
"supply" refers to the availability of reading material in all its diversities. "Demand", on the other
hand, means expressed and unexpressed informational requires of the users. This theory
advocates the selection of only those documents which are demanded through the users for their
informational requires. Whereas the development of the collection should be require-based, it
should at the similar time be seen that we develop a balanced collection. No document of value
should be left out even if demand does not exist for it. Such documents are likely to be in demand
in future.
Ranganathan's Principles
Possibly it would be worthwhile to believe the Five Laws of Library Science of Dr. S. R.
Ranganathan since the vital guidelines for formulating the objectives/policies and processes for
document selection and procurement.
Ranganathan's first three Laws of Library Science are helpful in formulating the
principles of document selection.
The First Lawbooks are for exploitcreate it obligatory that only those documents
should be selected which are of exploit to the clientele of a scrupulous library. While selecting
the documents, the present and potential necessities of the users necessity are kept in view. A
school or public library should avoid the selection of costly books which are not likely to be in
frequent demand. For a children's library, the books should be illustrated in bold typeface and
attractive.
The Second Law of Library Scienceevery reader his for bookdirects the selector to
cater to the informational requires of all the users of the library. The subject or the language or
the approach of exposition of documents to be selected should be in accordance with requirement
of the users. This is possible only when the selector of documents knows the users and their
necessities well.
Ranganathan's Third Law of Library ScienceEvery book its readersuggests that all
attempts should be made to put to exploit those documents of value which have been selected in
anticipation of require s of the users.
Though, few of the vital principles and policies from Five Laws are given below:
Procure since exhaustively since possible only selective/ representative documents in the
region of interest of the library.
Enter into an agreement of coordination / cooperation in acquisition with organizations
distribution same interests;
Depend since much since possible on inter-library cooperation to meet the information
weds in the penumbral area of interest of the library.
Depend entirely on inter-library cooperation to meet the information requires in the then
area of interest of the library.
For the purpose of procurement, whenever feasible, adopt the mode in the following order
of preference: Gratis, Swap and Purchase.
Whenever a section of the document purpose, prefer it to the entire document.
Prefer microform to a microform if it serves the purpose.
Information source; structure, and significant function of the library, should be based on
sound policies and programs. Based on the principles enunciated through Drury, Dewey,
McColvin and Ranganathan, one can formulate a Collection Development Policy considering for
instance the following objectives:
To identify the programs or user requires to be supported.
To identify the common subject boundaries of the collection.
To identify the common priorities and limitations governing selection, including
43. Degree of continuing support for strong collections;
44. Shapes of material to be composed or excluded;
45. Languages, geographical regions to be measured/sheltered or excluded;
46. Other duplications;
47. Extent of duplication, if any.
To formulate cooperative collection agreements, if any, with other institutions which
complement or otherwise affect the policy of the library.
To identify the source for selection and the selection and acquisition processes to be
adopted.
For a detailed analysis of the Collection Development Policy for subject meadows
sheltered through the library, the following requires to be indicated:
Level of collection intensity codes to indicate
48. Existing strength of collection
49. Actual current level of collection action
50. Desirable level of collection to meet program requires
Languages
Chronological periods to be sheltered
Geographical regions to be sheltered
Shapes of material collection
The element in the library or selector with primary selection responsibility for the field.
The vital question of who should hold power and responsibility for structure a stock of
documents and ensure their excellence necessity is unambiguously stated.
While the financial and administrative powers would rest with the highest executive
power, the Library Advisory Committee which lays down policies on all matters of the library
would also set broad guidelines on which the library should build its collection. Book selection
committees for dissimilar clusters of subjects, represented through subject experts, form the
second level who would recommend individual items to be acquired through the library, keeping
in view the necessities and the excellence of the publications. The third level responsibility rests
with the head of the library and the library staff at senior levels, which have knowledge in
relation to the clientele since well since the world of documents. The librarian and his staff are
concerned with the comprehensiveness, balance and up datedness of the collection. Their duty is
not to take direct responsibility for the excellence of the collection but also to keep informed the
other committee members to help them evolve suitable policy guidelines. It would be a good
process if all these characteristics are recorded in a policy report.
Norms and standards generally pertain to:
Optimum mass of the collection;
Proportion of allocation of funds to books, journals, and other categories of documents,
Proportion of allocation of funds on the foundation of service to dissimilar user clusters,
for instance, children, adults and the blind, the undergraduate students and research
scholars in academic libraries, operational and research staff in dedicated libraries.
There are no carried standards for all these, particularly in India. Few norms are
s
accessible in the context of the we tern industrialized countries but they may have to be examined
in the Indian context. Since distant since public libraries are concerned, few norms and standards
have been prescribed through several library committees which have gone into this problem.
These can provide broad guidelines to evolve more acceptable standards in the present context of
the country, keeping in view population growth and sharing, literacy/illiteracy, job, students at
dissimilar levels, bureaucracy, etc.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Explain the functions of the Technical Department of a library
What information should a Shelf-list Card contain?
Describe the responsibilities of a coordinator of the Technical Department of a library.
Explain the methods of ascertaining the demands for periodicals in a library.
Explain the concept of document selection.
Describe the selection tools.
Describe the use and functions in a library.
Distinguish the characteristics that differentiate a primary document from a secondary
document.
CHAPTER 3
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
Identify the factors with reference to which circulation work can be planned;
Suggest a suitable stacking system for a library
Procedures and routines of binding work in a library
CIRCULATION WORK
Circulation work is the primary task of mainly modem service libraries. A collection of
documents, thoughtfully and painstakingly built up since a library, is meant to be used and hence
should not be allowed to idle on the shelves. In effect, every reader should discover a book in the
library useful to him/her and every book should have a user. Libraries, so, have introduced a
service, through which books can be borrowed through users for reading at their own convenient
time at their houses or at any lay outside the library, or even within the library in research
cubicles or in the common reading room. Such a situation though arises in university libraries or
in libraries attached to archives or museums. There are sure categories of publications which, for
security or other consideration, are not allowed to be taken out of the library. In other terms,
books are allowed to circulate in the middle of readers. All jobs related to a way of borrowing
books and returning them after exploit, making and maintenance of relevant records and files,
and therefore on are referred to, since circulation job.
Circulation aims to maximize the availability of all library material to users and thereby
optimize their exploit. The major concern of any circulation service is to perform this task with
economy and efficiency. This means, adopting effective charging and discharging organizations,
and processes of lending for all kinds of users with reference to the dissimilar kinds of
documents. It also implies the formulation of policies that will serve to create library material
optimally accessible to users while ensuring effective manages of their movements. Archiving
these goals through the circulation division of a library is a management objective.
Circulation Organizations
A circulation organization helps a library user in the exploit of books and other library
material that have been sent through the technological processing division of the library to the
maintenance division mainly effectively.
The components of circulation organizations will normally contain:
A file of registered borrowers,
A record of all loan transactions,
A organization of charging and discharging,
A renewal mechanism for extending due dates for return of books, and
Reservation of books already on loan for members who require them.
In addition to these, the circulation division may be required to take responsibility for the
shelving of materials, recording and maintenance of circulation statistics and protecting the
collection to ensure its fullest long-word exploit. It also helps to remove any obstacles flanked by
the individual user and the library material.
Historical Development
The charging organization which just exists in Indian libraries has evolved in excess of an
era of time. From an easy register organization of recording loan transactions, circulation
organizations have now evolved into sophisticated computer-based organizations. A number of
factors have contributed to this development and development: Firstly the concept of
librarianship has shifted from excessive conservation and preservation of books to increased
concern for public exploit of books. Secondly public library organizations are fast developing.
There has been a phenomenal augment in book collections which are accessed through a large
user population. In information, the development of charging organizations is closely connected
with the growth of public libraries. So, it became necessary to develop more liberal set of rules
and simplified processes for the circulation of books. Many kinds of organizations were
urbanized. We shall effort a quick review of these organizations, in four broad clusters since
given below:
Register organizations
Card organizations
Semi-mechanical organizations
Automated organizations
Register Organizations
The earliest way of charging books for house exploit was a relatively easy one of script
the author, title and borrowers name in a Day book. A Day book was a register that recorded
all daily transactions sequentially in a register. Later, this way was superseded through the
Ledger organization with distinct pages for each registered borrower. Each borrowers
transactions were recorded in his/her respective page. This avoided the tedium of searching
through the Day book for a single entry. The ledger organization remained in exploit until the
transitional of the nineteenth century.
The disadvantage of both the Day Book and Ledger organizations was the absence of a
mechanism to locate the whereabouts of the books. A solution to this shortcoming was
established in the Dummy Organization. In this organization a block of wood or cardboard in
relation to the mass of an ordinary book was sheltered with sheet of ruled paper on the back of
which was entered the number of the borrower, call number, title of the book and date of issue.
The wooden dummy was filed on the shelf in lay of the book that was withdrawn. This way
eliminated require for going through lists of names and titles to discover a specific book. This
way made possible, for the first time, to identify of both the borrower and the book charged out.
The next step forward was the development of the Temporary Slip Organization. In this
organization, a slip is prepared at the time of issue of a book, with the particulars of the book
such since the call number, author title, and the particulars of the borrower, i.e., name registration
number, address, etc., and the date of issue: These slips are arranged at the counter either date
wise, or through alphabetically in the name of the borrowers or the registration numbers of
borrowers. These slips are either destroyed or given back to the reader since a receipt upon the
return of the books. The largest advantage of this organization in excess of the Dummy
organization was that it kept the circulation record jointly at the circulation counter instead of
scattering during the shelves: These temporary slips were later replaced through a permanent slip
or a card for each book.
Card Organizations
With the augment in the number of readers by libraries, it became necessary to devise few
way of identifying both the book and the borrower. Therefore the two card organization, one card
for the book and one for the borrower came into subsistence. First, identification cards were used,
which were later substituted through borrowers card on which all book transactions were
entered.
Of the two card organizations, two organizations, namely the Browne and the Newark are
popular and widely used even today in libraries, particularly in India. Since suggested, talk about
briefly these two organizations.
Browne organization: Towards the end of the 19th century, Nina E. Browne devised a
charging organization which used pockets or envelopes for each borrower instead of
cards. When a book was to be charged, the book-card was removed and placed in the
borrowers pocket which bore the borrowers name, address and registration number.
These borrowers pockets, each containing one book card were then filed under the date
either through call number, author or title of the book under circulation. This organization
involved only a single operation to create books accessible. Although measured to be
notable advance in excess of the temporary and permanent slip organization, it had one
shortcoming there was no permanent record of the loan.
Newark organization: Approximately the turn of the century a new organization came
into exploit, which utilized the borrowers card and book card to the best advantage. This
new organization was adapted through the Newark Public Library, and soon became
popular. The simplicity and flexibility of this organization made it adaptable to both small
and large public libraries. Its positive attributes contain accurate files, conveniently
located at the circulation desk through patrons name, due date and call number. It can
also generate accurate statistical statements and accommodate dissimilar loan periods.
The largest disadvantages are the labor rigorous nature of the operations: It set the level
for associating patron information to items through the loan transaction and the eventual
exploit of transaction numbers.
Semi-Mechanical Organizations
The next level saw the replacement of human labor through machines when mechanical
charging organizations were urbanized, essentially mainly subsequent organizations, involved the
exploit of cards with pre-punched holes approximately the edges, one of which could be cut to
indicate the date on which an thing is due. The cards are arranged through call number in a single
sequence. The insertion of a knitting needle through a given hole will allow all the books overdue
for a given date to fall free of the bunch of punched cards. This organization is characterized
through inventory and date access but placed a greater burden on the borrower. A borrower had
to write the borrowers name and address and the call number, author and title of a book
borrowed.
The next organization to be urbanized was the photo charge organization. In this
organization micro photos were taken of the borrowers card, the book card and a sequentially
numbered date of issue or date due slips. This due date slip contained all the necessary
information in relation to the book since well since the borrower. Nevertheless this also had
many drawbacks since the availability whole information on loan transactions was limited to a
roll microfilm which introduced major operations difficulties.
Circulation Functions
User Registration
An obvious first step in any circulation organization is to register the users or borrowers.
This is a time consuming and somewhat expensive process but mandatory for many reasons. This
process establishes the potential borrower since a legitimate member of the library. Registration
specifies the borrower since a member of the society in the case of public libraries or since an
enrolled student or faculty staff member in a typical academic environment. This identification is
necessary for the accomplishment of the controlling procedures like holds, recalls, fines, etc.
Separately from this, it also serves since a useful point for informing the clientele of the library
policy and processes. It is one of the initial get in touch with points with the user society. Another
significant purpose of registration, particularly in the case of public libraries, is that it gives an
accurate statistical account of the user population.
Registration Process
The registration process is fairly well standardized. The borrower to be is given an
application form to fill. The application form may preferably be in a card form, therefore that the
similar is alphabetically filed to serve since an alphabetical registration record. The information
generally requested is the name, address, telephone number, job, business address and telephone
number. If it is -a public library, the job, name, address and telephone number of a referee or a
guarantor is sought. The signature of the applicant and the guarantor is also insisted upon.
College and university libraries grant borrowing privileges to all faculty, staff and
registered students. The way of student identification differs in the middle of organizations. The
student may be asked to illustrate his/her identification card issued at the time of entry into the
current academic session. Another alternative is to need the borrower to illustrate his/her
admission receipt. The third alternative needs the student to get the head of his institution or
Department to countersign his application and in case of faculty or, administrative staff a copy
of the appointment letter. It is significant to set up the bonfires of the student or faculty.
Registration enables the user to create exploit of the privileges of the library. The form of
registration is directly convinced through the kind of circulation organization. The borrowing
privileges of members are also indicated in the borrowers register. Borrowing privileges refer to
the kinds of documents that can be borrowed, the length of retention, recall right of the library,
etc.
Controlling Procedures
The controlling procedures further regulate the circulation of library materials.
Renewals
Renewals symbolize an extension of the loan era through recharging the similar thing to
the similar borrower. Few books are required through readers for a longer era for several reasons.
Books may be renewed if there is no demand for the similar book, since indicated through the
reserves record. Books may be renewed through presenting the book in person or through
telephone depending on the library policy.
Reserves
The reserve process is also recognized since hold process. In this library materials already
on loan are recognized and held or reserved upon request for other patrons. A record is then made
at the circulation desk that serves to identify the user making the request and the book in
question. The next step occurs upon the return of the book. When the book in question is returned
the charge record designates that the book is now on hold for another user. Such On hold
books are separated and a notification to the requesting patron is sent to the user who made the
request.
In academic libraries, textbooks and other related materials are in great demand through
the students. Due to paucity of funds or non-availability of the thing, college and university
libraries are not in a location to acquire multiple copies to satisfy the demand for the similar
books through many students. With fixed book funds, a balance has to be struck flanked by
multiple copies and ensuring equitable access to sure titles for all users for house exploit.
Recalls
Another significant controlling action concerns circulation is recalls. Libraries often allow
patrons to renew books on the condition that the thing will be promptly returned if another patron
later requires it. The action of calling books back into the library therefore that they can be lent to
the other person is recognized since recall. Therefore, a request for a hold or reserve initiates a
recall of a book on first loan or already renewed;
Reminders
Sending regular reminders for overdue books is one of the mainly significant jobs of
counter staff Readers may not return books in time either for selfish reasons or due to
forgetfulness. The librarys inability to locate the book promptly and ensure availability may also
prompt the readers to retain the books with them for a long time. To avoid such monopoly of
books through some persons and to provide every reader a fair chance to exploit these books,
reminders should be sent at regular intervals. A record of the overdue books, the concerned
readers name and address necessity is made frequently. Printed reminder shapes may also be
used. In college and university libraries help of faculty is also sought in making reminders more
effective.
Charging Organizations
These organizations are: the Browne Charging Organization and the Newark Charging
Organization. We shall define these organizations in detail with reference to the following
characteristics.
Equipment and materials used
Charging routine
Discharging routine
Reserves
Advantages of the organization
Disadvantages of the organization
Specimen of materials
Charging Routines
Charging routines are a small more elaborate and time consuming in this organization
than in the Browne Charging Organization. The steps involved in charging are follows:
Borrowers Cards are presented through the user to the assistant at the circulation counter.
The due date or date of issue, whichever is used, is stamped on the date slip in the book
through the assistant.
Likewise the due date is stamped on the book card taken out of the book pocket and the
borrowers card.
The borrowers number is written opposite the date in the book card and filed behind the
concerned date guide card.
The borrowers card and the book are returned to the patron. Therefore , the book is duly
charged,
Discharging Routines
Reserves
Reservation process in this organization is same to the Browne Charging organization. It
is in information easier. The reserve ticket: filled in through reader is attached to the borrowers
card in the charging tray. When the scrupulous book on hold is returned, the reserve card beside
with the book card is pinned with the borrowers card and the book is kept in a special sequence
and Intimation is then sent to the reader who has reserved the book.
Advantages
There is a permanent record of the number and kind of books circulated and the kind of
books borrowed through each reader.
It is possible to know at all times, where a given book is, to whom it is charged, and when
it is due.
The record of the number of times a book has been circulated is accessible even when the
book is not in the library,
As, the transaction is recorded both on the borrowers card since well since on the book
cards the danger of dislocation is minimal. If the borrowers cards are lost, the record on
the book cards is accessible and vice-versa.
Many assistants can carry on the routines simultaneously.
The borrowers can be allowed to borrow books from any branch library of a larger library
organization, provided there is a central registration file at the largest library where an
alphabetically arranged copy of all branch registrations is accessible.
Disadvantages
Routines are slow, and cumbersome. The process of script/stamping of the date of
issue/due-date and the borrowers membership number on the book cards are
script/stamping of issue/due date on the borrowers cards are time-consuming.
There are chances of inaccuracies creeping in, especially when transcribing borrowers
card numbers. This is particularly true throughout rush hours.
Two registration files are necessary: an alphabetical file through borrowers name and
addresses and a file of registration numbers assigned to each borrower.
On the entire, the Newark Organization is measured to be foolproof and safe. This
advantage may not always be accessible
Inter-Library Loan
Since it is neither desirable nor feasible for a library to be completely self-enough, they
require to depend on other cooperating libraries in the municipality or area, to obtain books and
other library materials required through the patrons. The resource distribution networks and
programs of libraries facilitate behaviors like borrowing material not accessible in a specific
library from other participating libraries. Such loans flanked by libraries are recognized since an
inter-library loan. It is regularly the responsibility of the circulation department.
The inter-library loan is possibly the oldest form of cooperation in the middle of libraries.
Inter-library loan operations can be divided into two: those relating to borrowing and those
relating to lending. Both these behaviors are a more complicated difference of the common
circulation functions.
This process is simplified if proper apparatus like union lists and union catalogues are
accessible. Once the libraries are recognized, depending on the policy and process of interlibrary
loan arrangement a request is sent to a library owning the material through an average form or
letter. After the receipt of the requested book, the user is notified of its arrival and the thing is
charged out to him. In many libraries books acquired in a library on inter-library loan are not
allowed to be taken out of the borrowing library to ensure its prompt return on requisition
through the lending library since also to safeguard against possible damage due to negligence.
Once the user returns the book at the end of the loan era, it is in turn sent back to the owning
library. The lending behaviors for the inter-library loan are initiated upon receipt of a requested
best from a borrowing library. Then the availability is checked by the library catalogue and other
bibliographical apparatus. Once the thing is located, it is sent to the requesting library. A record
of these inter-library loan transactions are generally maintained apart in the form of a register.
One of the mainly significant characteristics of any library service to its users is the
circulation procedure. Scheduling is essential in this region to insure quick, efficient, and
convenient processes. As, the get in touch with made at the circulation desk is the only one for
many readers, the circulation procedure becomes a significant public relation factor for the
library. The library management must be concerned with the development of an efficient
circulation organization.
Factors in Scheduling
In scheduling the circulation procedure, there are many factors that the management
necessity believes. They are:
Multiplicity of materials: It is necessary to give for a multiplicity of materials like
conventional books, periodicals, media; etc., since well since the special equipment
needed to utilize these materials. The procedure necessity is intended to handle the mass
of the collection, daily volume expected and kinds of material circulating. The larger the
collection and volume of circulation, the larger and more involved the circulation
procedure.
Multiplicity of users: A public library, for instance, caters to a more heterogeneous group
of users, while a special library would have a more homogeneous group with an
identifiable nature of interests. Since it is possible to have more managed and access to
patrons in a special library, the circulation procedure can be much simpler.
Degree of service: It is an additional factor that requires careful consideration while
scheduling. Are all materials to be circulated? Should dedicated materials like cassettes,
films be circulated? If therefore, is the equipment to be made accessible to the patron for
house exploit? Limited circulation of few items is necessary for a diversity of reasons.
The length of time for which materials may be charged out or to whom is another matter
to be measured. In academic libraries, for instance, dedicated materials like non-print
materials and reference materials are loaned to faculty only. Books under categories such
since manuscripts, personal papers of eminent scholars, average reference books are
normally not loaned even to faculty. Generally a varying loan era relevant to the format of
material and the kind of patron is followed in many libraries. Sure materials may be
accessible only to faculty for overnight borrowing only. The old problem of overdoes and
fines is another region which requires to be clearly spelt out. Professional literature is full
of pros and cons relating to this problem. To fine or not to fine for overdoes is a
controversial issue. Circulation regulations generally define the parameters which apply
to circulation. Many libraries have limits on the number of items and the length of time
the materials may be kept. Other thoughts contain whether materials may be renewed and
if therefore, whether renewals may be made through telephones; whether books on loan
may be reserved etc. All these questions require to be cautiously measured before arriving
at a decision. The goals and specific objectives of the library necessity are measured since
the foundation for any decisions reached.
The choice of charging organization is an extremely significant factor that requires to be
measured while scheduling a circulation procedure.
The provision of personnel is another factor that management necessity believes. The
circulation procedure can be operated quite adequately be semi-professionals, clerical
personnel and others. Professional involvement is usually restricted to determination of
vital policies and processes and common supervision. Once the vital procedure including
policies has been recognized a semi professional or clerk can handle the day-to-day
supervision.
Circulation Management
Circulation is a necessary on going action. Since the environment of the library changes,
the circulation operations necessity also adapts. The choice of a suitable charging organization
necessity is periodically reviewed in view of the accessible technology. Since long since the
environment continues to transform, librarians will require to do a periodic review of the
organization.
Many contemporary management techniques like cost benefit analysis, organization
revise are made exploit of in evaluating circulation organizations. These methods identify the
comparative costs of organizations and effort to balance these costs against the comparative
advantages of each choice. Capital equipment, labor and material are weighed against such
benefits since patron satisfaction, operational efficiency and economy, and statistical
information:
Miscellaneous Jobs
Since the circulation counter is generally located secure to the entrance/exit gate, the
circulation department is entrusted with the task of maintaining of the gate register and the
property counter.
Gate register: A record of the daily visitors and their purpose of visit to the library are
maintained in the form of a gate register. Each visitor to the library is asked to enter the
details of personal information in the specified columns of the gate register which is kept
at the entrance of the library. This is a useful record to know the visitors. Analysis of the
gate register may throw light on the patrons of the library. Though it has limited value in
university and college libraries where the users are a defined group who remain the
similar daily and visit the library many a times in a day.
Property counter: Since users are not allowed to bring books other materials and other
belongings inside the library a property counter is generally installed close to the
entrance. In small and special libraries the property counter staff can also do the vigilance
occupation which is necessary to eliminate the unsocial habit of few members walking
absent with books of the library.
MAINTENANCE, SHELVING AND STOCK VERIFICATION, ETC
Of all the functions in a library, the maintenance job is the least discussed in professional
literature. Though, the importance of maintenance job cannot be in excess of accentuated. In
information, the ultimate success of several other functions like acquisition, classification and
cataloguing rests on the efficiency of maintenance job. No matter how well a collection is
classified or catalogued, books cannot be serviceable to users unless proper care is taken to
organize and maintain the book collection. It is one of those less glamorous, nonetheless,
extremely significant tasks in a library. Now let us talk about what constitutes maintenance job.
Maintenance job involves continuous monitoring of the proper stocking, arrangement and display
of books on the shelves in the stack rooms and taking care of them. This essentially implies two
characteristics:
Organization of the stack room and arrangements of books on the shelves
Conservation of books i.e. overseeing and supervising the physical circumstances of
books, overall cleanliness of the stack regions, etc.
Organization
In an open access library which allows users to browse, choose and select books of their
interest, shelf organization and arrangement of books are of primary importance. Books on
dissimilar subjects that are constantly on demand are to be easily available to readers. This means
that the professional classification schedules are rarely in tune with the laymans expectations of
sequence of books on shelves. In public library books of fiction, travelogues, biography may be
more popular from the readers point of view than the more serious books on literature, sciences
and social sciences. A classification scheme does not give the sequence of subjects of books on
their popularity.
Besides, reference books like encyclopedias, dictionaries, year books, directories, etc.
should be kept in a distinct lay for simple reach and uninterrupted exploit through readers. Recent
arrivals and books on current interest necessity are displayed at a prominent lay to draw the
attention of readers.
Conservation
The second aspect of maintenance job is book conservation. Only books in good physical
condition should be allowed to keep on shelves. Consistent shelf checking would remove torn,
soiled and damaged books from shelves for repair, rebinding or to be withdrawn from circulation.
This is a healthy practice and should never be underestimated.
Another significant aspect of conservation is that the stacks necessity be cleaned
frequently to protect books from dust, dirt and insects. Air-conditioning of stack rooms would be
ideal to protect books from dust, heat and moisture.
All these attempts are to aid the fundamental task of locating a book when it is wanted
and returning to its assigned lay when it is no longer needed; maintaining the order of books and
taking care of the books that they are wanted again:
All these tasks are generally entrusted to a maintenance part/division in addition to the
other functions.
Regions of Responsibility
The largest regions of responsibility of the maintenance part or division are:
Taking responsibilities concerning:
70. the way of stacking and kind of storage equipment;
71. the arrangement of the collection, including special arrangement for category of
materialsoversized books, non-book materials, etc.,
72. the effective and efficient exploit of the architectural characteristics of the
structure for stacking books:
Maintaining orderliness and cleanliness in the stockrooms;
Training and supervising the job of the maintenance part/division staff;
Decisions concerning the conservation of material, repair, binding, etc.;
Maintenance of records pertaining to stock manages.
Functions
The specific functions of the maintenance job contain:
Shelving
Location of documents
Shifting of collections
Dusting and cleaning
Preparation and maintenance of guides
Maintenance of documents
Shelf rectification
Maintenance of shelf list or register
Stock verification
Binding
Vigilance
Conservation
Fig.3. 1: Schematic of the Dealings of the Maintenance Part with other Parts
Management
The magnitude of maintenance job, like all other job in the library, depends on the mass
and complexity of the library and the quantum of operations. Decision concerning whether to
have a distinct maintenance part or not depends most on the intensity of operations. In
small/medium sized libraries maintenance may be under the circulation part. Separately from the
mass; another contributory factors whether the library is open access or closed access. In a closed
access library, shelving job is relatively less, while paging job is more. Paging involves the
occupation of locating the requisitioned book on the shelf and bringing it from the shelf and
giving it to the reader.
In open access, users quite often remove books from the shelves for browsing or
consultations and they are not, since a rule, allowed to replace the books on the shelves since
they are not likely to know the exact location. This task is invariably taken care of through the
library staff. In an actively used library, this job may keep the staff continuously busy during the
day, making shelving a major function.
It is a general practice to have a distinct maintenance part/division with one or more
assistant librarians in large libraries like university libraries. The number of junior staff needed
for shelf job depends upon the mass of the collection and the number of books circulated and the
number of users. In larger libraries, having multistoried stacks, at least one shelf worker should
be provided for each wing of the stacks.
Stacking Principles
Ranganathan s Laws of Library Science provide clear guidelines to the ways of
organizing stack rooms and the arrangement of books on shelves. Exploit of documents, rather
than preservation being the largest concern of libraries leading to the introduction of open access
organization, rising attention has been given to library architecture and structures with specially
intended stack room, specifically intended furniture for improving stacking facility and display,
etc. All these have contributed to improved facilities for the user of books.
Separately from these facilities, there are also few useful guiding principles that govern
stacking of documents in libraries. They are:
Ensuring maximum capability with minimum wastage of legroom;
Facilities for accommodating books and also other book-like and non-book materials;
Simple accessibility to books and also other related regions like Library catalogue,
Circulation desk, etc;
Proper ventilation for adequate flow of fresh and dust-free air, beside with temperature
and humidity manage;
Adequate artificial lighting; and
Provision for future expansion.
Having noted the principles that govern stacking and display of documents in a library,
we shall now talk about some of the stacking organizations which give several facilities for
storing documents.
Stacking Organizations
Hinged Stacks
In this way two shelves are joined jointly with hinges at one face. One shelf is fixed,
while the other is mounted in front of it at the hinges. In this organization, the entire shelf can be
opened since a door to reach the books on the rear shelf In order to facilitate the operation of the
hinged shelf a roller is attached to the bottom edge, running on a curved metal rack on the floor.
Rolling Stacks
These are metal stack elements mounted on ball bearing wheels which are placed face
through face. The ball bearing wheels help the individual elements to roll easily when they are
pulled aside.
Multitude Stacks
This way has been adopted through many large libraries during the world to solve the
legroom troubles particularly in the past. It consists of wooden stacks, supported through metal
framework extending from basement to the roof. The load of books and shelves rests on the
basement which has a strong basis to bear the load. The vertical extension of stacks is
economical than the horizontal one in this way since the floor on each stack is a temporary one,
which may be either a wooden framework or a lighter steel or concrete framework. This kind of
multitude stacks is used in many libraries in India.
Compact Storage
Another way of storage equipment is the compact storage organization. Compact storage
methods have been advocated and explored as the last century. Though, these became popular
only as the last two decades, due to the availability of many kinds of equipment for compact
shelving.
Compact shelves are a special kind of storage equipment which creates possible a
substantial augment in the capability of storage legroom through several arrangements of
elements, parts and complete shelving organizations, since well since version of the shelf loading
surface themselves. The construction, organization, and the way of employment of this
equipment differ from the traditional shelves and traditional storage equipment.
The storage of collections shelved with this equipment is recognized since Compact
Storage because of the higher degree of compactness achieved. Compact shelving falls into the
following kinds:
Stationary shelves combined with movable revolving segments.
Stationary shelves with movable drawers, and
Movable sliding shelves.
All revolving compact shelves exploit a suspended construction with vertically hung
hinged parts of several kinds generally combined with a guide rail arrangement. It could be either
doubling faced or single faced. The essential principle of compact shelving results in firmly
packed collections since against more porous or dispersed fashion of shelving. While traditional
shelves exploit up only 30 per cent of the floor legroom, the dissimilar methods of compact
shelving are said to augment the capability of the stacks having the similar region from 50 to 65
per cent.
Though, compact storage in addition to decreasing the accessibility, it has other
disadvantages. They are: Cost of the shelving equipmentsince the cost of fixtures themselves
are reasonable; augment in structure costs for mainly of these equipment needs structures
intended specifically for their exploit; mechanical functioning and safety characteristics.
Librarians have to be judicious in the matter and ensure that compact storage has enough
advantages to offset its obvious disadvantages.
Conventional Shelving
Since you may have observed in mainly libraries, books are kept on open shelves which
are generally arranged in similarity rows with passages from 75 to 80 cm in width flanked by the
rows. The normal height of the shelves is 190 to 205 cm which permits taking books from the
upper mainly shelf. Single faced shelves are placed beside the walls. Within the rooms
themselves, flanked by the aisles, the shelves are double-faced. Single faced parts have six or
seven one meter shelves. While double faced parts have twelve to fourteen one meter shelves.
Under these\conditions, taking into explanation all aisles and gangways and approaches only in
relation to the 30 per cent of the floor legroom is actually used for shelves themselves. The
conventional shelving organization is high on accessibility, but quite low on economy. Therefore
the question is that of striking the right balance flanked by the two opposing thoughts.
The degree of usage of dissimilar sections of the stacks of a library necessity becomes the
foundation for selecting the mainly rational arrangement of shelves. For collections which are n
active exploit or Etc. those that are open to free exploit through readers, the conventional
shelving is measured to be more appropriate. For collections that are rarely requested or used, a
more compact arrangement of shelves necessity be undertakenwith a view to augment
considerable to the capability of the region of the stacks in which they are stored. A recent trend
is to combine stacking of reading materials with provision for reading legroom.
Sequence Arrangement
Sharing of library materials in the library may be based on any one or more of the
following characteristics.
Access Consideration: The library may divide its collection into open access and closed-
access. Usually microfilms, manuscripts, art books, and books which are extremely old
and become rare, are placed under closed sequence. Likewise classified documents,
personal papers are also placed in closed sequence. Few libraries have a policy of putting
publications unto a sure date of printing in closed sequence.
Mass of Books: Dividing books into dissimilar sizesnormal, in excess of mass, under
masshelps more efficient exploit of shelf legroom. Books much smaller than this are
placed under undersize sequence and much larger under oversize sequence,
Purpose: In an academic library, the collection is arranged through purpose for which
patron will exploit them. Books with brief ready information such since dictionaries,
encyclopedias, bibliographies are kept in reference sequence. A set of books prescribed
for several courses of revise is placed in text book sequence.
Category of Materials: Category of Materials through level or approach of treatment is
grouped in sequences such since children books, adult readings etc in public libraries.
Physical Characteristics: As, material such since manuscripts on palm leaf, on clay
tablets, or on chemically prepared foundation material such since gramophone record,
tapes, films, paintings etc. present their own problem of preservation, they are arranged in
a distinct sequence.
Special Sequence: Sometimes a library specializing in a specific field may arrange books
in the field concerned in a distinct sequence e.g. Gandhiana Nehruana Publications of the
parent institution, etc.
Arrangement through a Combination of Sequences: In order to satisfy the varied and at
times intricate approaches to documents, the arrangement cannot be unitary, based on
subject alone. Normally a shelf arrangement based on a combination of the feature
characteristics of the books is followed. The combination depends most on the nature of
library service. For instance, in a public library, it is general practice to have a distinct
sequence for children/juvenile books, while in a university or college library such a
sequence is not at all relevant. It is a usual practice in mainly of the libraries to have
distinct sequence for Periodicals, Reference works, Microforms, Statements, etc. Mother
norm is to have distinct collections based on purpose or service status, i.e., books for
lending, for reading, etc. Within these distinct collections, dissimilar kinds of sequences
are followed. While it is general to have classified arrangement for books and also for
reference works, periodicals are, since a rule, arranged alphabetically through title when
the broad subject groupings. Dedicated collections are arranged on sure criteria which are
feature of that kind of material.
Shelf Arrangement
Once the library has a taken decision on the number of sequences in which the total
collection is to be organized the material in the shelf in each sequence is arranged.
Alphabetical through Author/Title: In small libraries it may prove more helpful to
arrange books through the alphabet in the name of the author or title. Usually books of
fiction are arranged in a distinct sequence through author of the book. Author
arrangement in large libraries does not satisfy laws of library science.
Classified Arrangement: Since has already been noted, subject is the permanent and
more useful foundation for the arrangement of books. Mass, title, sometimes even author
may transform from one edition to another edition of the book, but the subject remnants
simply unchanged. Hence books necessity is arranged systematically through subject if
the goal of library service is to be achieved. Arrangement of books on shelves has to be in
accordance with the majority approaches to the documents. Approaches of the users to
documents can be conveniently grouped since searching for recognized documents and
searching for strange documents. A document whose subsistence is recognized to the
user i.e., the user knows that there is a document written through such and such author/s,
with such and such, a title, are described since recognized documents. When the user is
not aware of the subsistence of the documents, such documents are described strange
documents. The categorization recognized and strange are from the point of view of a
user. Approaches to the recognized documentswhich are relatively less, are generally
through author title etc., and approaches to the strange documents is invariably the
subject come. Approaches to recognized documents are armed since Specific documents
come and approaches to the strange documents is termed since specific subject come
per cent The subject come is the mainly predominant come and therefore a classified
arrangement is extremely useful for the readers since they can discover all the related
materials at one lay, browse through them and select the ones that they require. A
systematic arrangement also leads them to the required materials.
Block Arrangement: This is the way of shelving books in a regular shelf to shelf, case to
case order according to the classification scheme. In few busy public libraries a variant of
this way is followed through having a rack of non-fiction books in flanked by busy
congested fiction racks. Though, there is always the danger of mixing fiction and non-
fiction books through the reader while browsing.
Broken Order Arrangement: Libraries following the classified arrangement do not
necessarily adhere strictly to the order of the chosen classification scheme. The general
practice of breaking absent from the order of the chosen classification, for several
justifiable reasons, is recognized since the broken order. This practice leads to a more
efficient shelf arrangement, due to the following reasons:
73. To shelve books, belonging to sure regularly used classes like fiction, at the
beginning of the stacks.
74. To bring two thematically related but classificatory separated clusters of books
jointly, like 650 Management Science and 380 Commerce, or 400 Languages and
800 Literature.
Accession Number: Arrangement through accession number could also be extremely
effective in providing access provided that the stacks are closed and readers have no
access to the stack, there are an extremely detailed and in-depth subject and author
catalogues providing access to content of the materials. That the requests are for specific
documents whose subsistence is recognized to the user. As, these circumstances are hard
to fulfill, arrangement through accession number is not generally preferred.
Stack Maintenance
We have explained that maintenance job implies the organization of stack rooms,
arrangements of books on shelve in stack rooms and conservation. We are dealing with the
maintenance of stack rooms which involves the following job:
Preparation and maintenance of guides
Shelf rectification
Maintenance of shelf register/list
Maintenance routines
Apparatus needed in the maintenance part.
Stack Guides
Guides are to be put up at dissimilar spaces in the library in order to enable a user to
discover his/ her method into dissimilar sections of the library with minimum of assistance from
library staff. In a stack room, the following guides will have to be provided.
Tier Guide: Each tier of stacks should have one tier guide showing the arrangement of
books on the shelves in that tier. These should illustrate the subjects sheltered in the
respective tier giving the inclusive class numbers and their verbal headings.
Gangway Guide: Each gangway should be provided with a gangway guide, indicating the
subjects sheltered in the scrupulous gangway with the help of class numbers and
equivalents in the form of verbal headings.
Bay Guide: Every bay of shelves is provided with a bay guide containing the concerned
class numbers and their verbal headings.
Shelf Guide: Every shelf should be provided with a shelf guide giving the class numbers
to denote the subject on which the books are establish in a scrupulous shelf.
Common Guide: A guide giving an overall view of the stacks and the arrangement of
books has to be provided preferably in the lobby or somewhere close to the entrance.
Common Instruction Guides: The maintenance section should give the following guides:
75. No Smoking Please
76. Talk and Walk Softly
77. Silence Please
78. Do not shelve the books. Leave them on the table etc.
Shelving
Books received from the processing parts of the library require to be displayed for a week
or ten days on the latest additions shelf, before are taken to the stacks for shelving. This may be a
weekly action. But books received from borrowers necessity are returned to the shelves
frequently, preferably the similar day therefore that they are readily accessible for exploit through
others.
The maintenance staff at all levels in a library would do well to devote their free time to
learning the books on the shelves therefore since to develop a fair knowledge of their contents.
This knowledge is of basic importance to the efficiency of their job, particularly in their relation
to the reference part. An intimate knowledge of the book collection would be invaluable in
answering reference enquiries which involves prolonged search.
Books are extremely often misplaced on the shelves through readers who browse through
them. Readers are to be strictly instructed not to replace books on shelves but still it may occur
quite often. A book wrongly placed is since good since lost. Hence restoring order in the middle
of the books is absolutely essential. This job is referred to since shelf rectification.
Damaged Books
Shelf revise and shelf rectification would also enable the maintenance staff to identify
books that require mending, repair, rebinding, etc. Unsocial units could also mutilate books
which can be exposed throughout shelf revise or rectification. These books have to be withdrawn
from circulation temporarily till they are repaired or replaced through a fresh copy if they are
significant.
Shifting and Re-shifting Books
In order to take absent the monotony of appearance of shelf arrangement and to introduce
a unit of novelty, books have to be reshuffled to keep in tune with the changing popularity of
subjects with the reading public. While this cannot be done too regularly, the whole library may
be reshuffled once in five years. But this is necessary; however it involves extra job and little
dislocation in service.
Assistance to Readers
Readers often require advice and help in locating and identifying books of their interest.
Although reference assistant may do this occupation, the maintenance staff that have a closer
knowledge of the contents of me library could go to the name of their colleagues in the reference
part.
Book tags carry call number of books fixed at the bottom of books or on their spines. This
helps the arrangement of books on the shelf. These book tags get damaged or worn out after
repeated exploit and they have to be re-fixed if they get soiled. In many libraries, book tags have
been replaced through tooling, a procedure through which call numbers of books could be written
on the spines or at the bottom of the covers. This will reduce the job of the library.
Apparatus
The maintenance part requires to be provided with the following apparatus:
Books ends or book supporters: At least two book supporters are required for each plank
of the shelves to ensure that the books are standing upright.
Book lifts and trollies: In a multi-storeyed library structure book lifts are needed to carry
books from one floor to another. Likewise book trollies are needed to transfer books from
one end to the other end of each floor.
Shelving tables: One table for sorting out books for shelving should be made accessible
on each floor of stacks.
A number of stools for short persons to browse books kept on top shelves and also for
simple replacement of the books.
Two step or three step ladders for reaching upper shelves for shelving, cleaning and
dusting.
Stock Verification
Stock verification implies the physical check up of the articles on record. This is a general
practice in all institutions whether private companies or government departments. Strictly
speaking it is undertaken to ascertain that all the books acquired through the library are reported
for. In a narrow sense it means physical check up but in a broader sense it would mean to have an
assessment of the collection of documents.
Stock verification is a controversial subject in the middle of librarians due to the
conservative attitude of authorities for holding librarian responsible for losses due to theft while
no facility is provided or provision is made to develop security arrangement.
Methods
Advantages
Through revealing the number of books lost in a library it helps to replace the lost books.
Provides an indication of books popular with readers although often in academic libraries
such books are not necessarily those recommended in the course.
Enables the library staff to get a bigger acquaintance with the books, which is extremely
necessary for the maintenance staff.
Ensures thorough dusting, cleaning and rearrangement.
Facilitates identification of worn-out books for mending, repair and binding.
Helps to keep the library catalogue and other stock manage records up-to-date.
Provides an indication of the efficiency of the library staff with reference to vigilance and
carefulness in maintaining the collection.
Disadvantages
Regular routine of library job gets disturbed
Inconvenience to readers is caused;
Measured to be a waste of time, power and money through few ;
May turn out to be a futility as the reality may never be revealed for several reasons.
Loss of Books
Loss of books is inevitable in open access libraries wherein the users have the freedom to
browse through books, however a closed access organization is also not immune from loss as
theft may take lay through staff which has access to the stock. The reasons for stealing or
mutilating of books may be since follows:
Few are regular thieves and stealing is their inherent character. Despite necessary
precautions it may be hard to manage this kind of thieves;
Poor vigilance may tempt few people to steal. The reader may discover stealing an simple
method out compared to borrowing;
Extremely strict rules and regulations concerning the exploit of books may also induce
people to steal. For instance, sure materials are not lent out for house reading and a reader
may be disinclined to refer the similar within the library premises for several reasons. It is
extremely general in academic libraries to discover issues of periodicals with pages
missing, because of this cause.
Few book lovers have a pervert possessive attitude towards books and may steal them.
Lack of proper security policy in libraries.
Wrong assumption that theft is only through library users and staff is free from such trait.
In order to maintain a strong and efficient book stock withdrawal and weeding both are
essential behaviors of a library.
Withdrawal
A book may be withdrawn from collection/from the stock register and shelf list if:
It is outdated
Worn out beyond repair
Establish lost in stock verification
Damaged to the extent that it is unusable.
The library should have a policy report spelling out appropriate circumstances and time
schedule for withdrawal of books. To withdraw a thing from the collection, first match the shelf
list card to the thing or its books card.
If shelf list designates only one copy one of the two courses is open
79. The thing can be reordered
80. The thing can be discarded, in which case the whole set of catalogue card
including the shelf list card necessity be discarded.
If the shelf list .designates more than one copy of the title, the record concerning the
withdrawn copy may be , indicated on the largest card/tracing part since "lost" "damaged",
"withdrawn".
Weeding
In course of time few books in the library become outdated. Few time later research result
into making information in earlier edition inaccurate. Same are books less circulated or fatigued
one. Not all old books are precious in each library. Require for weeding out such books can not
be in excess of accentuated. The following steps are suggested for weeding out unwanted
material.
Arrange such books in correct order
Assemble the necessary relevant catalogue record
Put a disposition slip in books to be withdrawn.
A tabular record for books withdrawn/weeded since per illustration may be maintained. In
all such cases approval of the relevant parent body also necessity be taken before effective
withdrawal/weeding.
ELEMENTS OF BINDING AND PRESERVATION
Preservation and binding are those characteristics of librarianship that have regularly been
neglected. It is usually acknowledged that in the present day pre-job with exploit of library
materials preservation aspect of documents has received too small attention. In order to build up
a good collection, you should have acknowledged since well since an appreciation of the
collector s feelings in relation to the books. Few are of the opinion that the profession since an
entire necessity demonstrates a bigger appreciation of books since substances of art in addition to
their value since sources of knowledge.
Periodicals
Now let us talk about the kind of documents that require binding in libraries. In the
middle of these, periodicals require to be bound for their archival value. Periodicals constitute an
extremely important segment of library collection, especially research libraries and university
libraries. The binding of these materials in a research library symbolizes a significant unit of
conservation. They should be cautiously checked at intervals all through the year for
completeness and due care should be taken to obtain for every periodical its title page, contents
and index from the publishers when accessible. The checked sets may then be bound according to
the exploit anticipated. The advent of their wear and tear is comparatively less. Therefore
libraries can save legroom and money through going in for light storage bindings, that is, a cloth
binding with boards of strength adequate to save unnecessary expense. It is not advisable to bind
permanent materials which are fragile, unusual items, archives and newspapers. For their
defense, they should be laminated. File envelopes and specially sized flat storage boxes are more
appropriate for archival material: Special collections, rarities and other beautiful works may be
bound with special fine bindings,
Newspapers
Of all the library materials, the newspaper is almost certainly the mainly comprehensive,
the easiest, to collect and the mainly vanishing kind of a source. The newspapers reflect the
circumstances, measures and forces of its time and the information contained in a newspaper is
precious. As, newspapers are printed on newsprint they disintegrate extremely fast. So, they have
to be conserved in a suitable manner. Temporary bindings may result in few savings but such
way is generally not satisfactory for long range conservation. Microfilming offers the best
accessible solution to the problem of conservation of newspapers. Newspapers can be bound in
canvas covers or in an economy-binding consisting of stout boards sheltered with a paper like
material with cloth of leather spines. Documents not measured since permanent to the collection
require not be bound even if their initial exploit is heavy sufficient to warrant it. Few libraries
prefer to acquire multiple copies to satisfy heavy initial demand and bind only one copy for the
occasional request later. To this category belong current fiction and textbooks which are
regularly revised.
Fiction
Fiction requires mainly careful consideration in view of heavy demand and exploit and its
ephemeral nature. Still its heavy exploit may prompt librarians to decide on binding, but at the
similar time has to retain a large stock to avoid complaints from readers that there are no fiction
books accessible on the shelves. Binding a worn-out fiction is no less expensive, if not more
expensive than purchasing another copy. Fiction has also been given the similar treatment since
other books in the past, resulting in excess of-binding. Since a reaction against this policy many
librarians today advocate cessation of binding for fiction which they claim can be purchased
since cheaply since the cost of binding, with an improved psychological effect on readers.
Though few librarian consider that in order to keep stability of actual volume of book stock,
binding is still necessary.
Materials of temporary value and limited exploit can be bound according to the
specifications or the library and binder jointly can develop a kind of appropriate binding.
Though, such material does not require more durable binding.
Pamphlets
Pamphlets are paper sheltered materials of fewer than fifty pages. Mainly libraries collect
pamphlets and if these materials are to be used effectively and efficiently, considerable attention
must-be given to their proper care. They may be treated in many ways. One of the earlier
methods was to bind an appropriate number of these pamphlets into a book form. This practice is
not at all satisfactory from the point of arrangement, although it has the primary advantage of
ease of handling and economy. Another practice is to lay pamphlets in vertical files, boxes or
envelops or wire-staple them into manila covers. Another alternative is to exploit contemporary
suspension filing organization. This way has the great advantage of permitting extremely secure
subdivision, of giving visual indexing.
The decision since to which way a library should follow depends upon the emphasis
given to preservation of pamphlet materials, upon the nature of the pamphlets and also the mass
of the pamphlet collection. Handling of special material requires careful consideration. The
specifications have to be clearly spelt out. Technological statements have to be stored in little
form of pamphlet or storage boxes. Since standards and specifications and few other materials,
are subjected to frequent revision they need few form of loose binding.
House Bindery vs. Commercial Bindery
The decision whether to send material to a commercial binder or to have a binder in the
library is to be decided first. Since binderies become more and more mechanized, the investment
in machinery alone creates one to hesitate to take the latter decision. Rising labor costs, lack of
trained help and excessive labor turnover tend to raise operational costs. The amount of
Liberians time and power that necessity be expended in supervision and maintenance is also
another factor to be measured.
Having library binderies has many advantages such since the closer manage of the job, a
possible speeding up of the job, and the skill to decide the approach and excellence of the
product. Having books and especially periodicals always on the premises is both desirable and
convenient. Though, comparative economies, benefits and convenience have to be worked out
clearly. A house bindery is possibly of great value in university libraries and few research
libraries where the consistent demand for the materials create it advisable to keep them on the
premises. According to one power unless there are more than 20,000 items for binding annually,
no substantial economy can be achieved through a public library. There are claims that a library
bindery can economically used also for jobs such since making book card pockets, illustration-
mounting, magazine cover making. In the final analysis though, regional facilities, conditions and
situations naturally affect the decision. The question of whether or not a library should operate its
own bindery is a significant one but one which cannot be settled categorically for all libraries.
Binding Procedures
The, binding of books is both a craft and an art although the artistic aspect has receded to
the backdrop in modem binding, except for few special categories of books. The manufacture of
binding is in two sections. All the procedures of binding books before lettering and decoration
are recognized since Forwarding . This is a craft, requiring a high degree of technological ability
,
and also a good knowledge of materials and procedures used in book manufacture. Finishing
i.e. decoration of the cover in several styles, is an art in which few, fitted binders of the past have
attained substantial heights of attainment, comparable to artistic creativity. Finishing which
embellishes a book with artistry is regarded more hard but forwarding is the mainly significant.
However the lettering and decoration contribute nothing to the life of the binding, they though
identify the book and create it pleasing to look and handle. Separately from the utility value of a
good binding, forwarding provides pleasure in the compactness of the book the method in which
it opens and the precision of execution, while finishing delights the eye through the brilliance of
gold, the harmony of the colors and the form of decoration.
Collation
Collation is the first task in the binding procedures. All the sections and the pages of a
volume have to be correctly sequenced. In the case of periodicals, collation is extremely
significant since it involves correct sequencing of the distinct issues and insertion of usual title
and content and index pages in the proper spaces. While binding worn out, torn, soiled and
damaged books, special care has to be taken while collating: It is to be ensured that the paging
sequence is in order and that no page is either defective or missing. Collation is a hard occupation
in the case of manuscripts and other printed books since they are usually not paged.
If a book is to be rebound it necessity is pulled. Pulling is the procedure of separating
cover from text and removing old threads, tapes and glue which is often a tedious procedure. If
folds of old books are damaged, a guard would be necessary. Guard is a narrow strip of paper
used to repair a damaged for or to attach a plate or a single leaf. Special techniques are employed
in guarding and mounting maps and folded sheets.
Sewing
Before sewing, the pages of a books necessity are pressed firmly, to expel air and also to
crease the folds of the sheets. Books are to be trimmed before sewing. There are several styles of
sewing. Stabbing is the mainly primitive of these. Over sewing was urbanized in the eighteenth
century to hold heavy plate books jointly firmly. It is a way for making a series of parts, then
sewing all beside them. Over sewing machines are the mainstays of contemporary library
binders.
Attaching Covers
Regardless of the sewing way used, the sewn book necessity be "knocked up" to be
square at head and spine. Through hammering beside the back edges, the expansion resulting
from the sewing can be reduced. The spine is glued with thin hot glue diluted with little
insecticide such since DDT. The book again is "knocked up" to round the spine and the spine,
line. Preparation of cover boards for the book case needs exact measurements. To prevent the
authentication of coloring matter of the boards from showing through the end papers, the boards
are to be lined up and marked for sewing and for fixing tapes. The board is then attached to the
book and pressed and the glue is let to arid.
Endpapers
Marbling is the classic kind of decoration used and commercial binders often exploit
maps, engravings or pertinent photographs for endpaper illustration. The endpapers perform a
protective function and therefore need leaves for good excellence paper.
Gilding
Gilding or coloring edges may be done either at the time of trimming the edges or after
cutting the boards. The purpose of gilding or coloring is primarily or protects the books. Gilding
or coloring of the edges provides a smooth solid surface that will prevent dust accumulation.
Secondly, the gilding or coloring enhances the seems of the hook.
Headbands
Headbands function since decorative pieces. The back is lined up by dissimilar Methods
of lining up. Though, the dissimilar methods of lining up have one item in general, that is,
smoothening of the surface of the spine through gluing a soft Kraft paper in excess of it.
Hollow Backs
Hollow backs help save the spine from cracking. This kind of back is achieved through
marking a kind of tube with heavy wrapping paper. A paper three times the width of the spine
is taken and one thickness is glued with the spine and two thicknesses separately from the spine.
The binding is sheltered either wholly or partially through leather, cloth or paper.
Finishing
Finishing is the final procedure of making the binding more artistic and attractive. This
comprises:
Preparation of the leather covering
Imaginative design for the cover
Tooling i.e. fixing the title, call number of the book, etc. On the spine or at any other lay
on the cover decoration i.e. giving the final touches to get a finish
Usually leather is used to give fine covering for the bound book, but cloth or canvas is
also used for this purpose. These covering materials have to be prepared for tooling. Tooling is
the procedure of fixing the letters of titles, call numbers, etc. This is done to create the lettering
on the spine stand out in relief not only to create the binding more attractive but also to read them
easily when they are kept on library shelves. When tooling is done through gold leaf, it is
described gold tooling. When gold not any coloring matter is used, it is described blind
tooling. Lettering may also be done through script individual letters by an electric stylus.
Finally the outer leather or cloth binding is given a polish and the lettering is given an
embellishment needed to get an artistic finish.
Having got a brief introduction to the procedures of binding, lot us talk about the kinds of
binding required for the dissimilar kinds of documents in a library. These Contain:
Library binding: Full leather binding; Half leather binding, pull cloth binding; Half cloth
binding.
While dealing with reinforced binding and library binding, extracts from standards of
Binding through the American Library Association and Ranganathans specifications for books
that are to be either rebound and to be bound for the first time, are given.
Library Binding
Binding should be suitable to the kind of material and to the expected exploit. Early
binding for libraries stressed strength, appearance being only a secondary consideration. Books
were usually bound in half leather with cloth sides. Magazines and newspapers were usually
bound with leather backs and corner and with cloth sides lettering was stamped in gold. Scarcity
of leather throughout World War I led to the exploit of cloth for whole cover.
In 1935 the American Library Association issued its minimum specification for class a
library binding followed in 1939 through its Standards for reinforced New Books issued with
the Library Binding Institute. These standards have been combined and have been revised since
needed, to reflect new materials and new procedures through the Library Binding Institute.
These standards which are useful are given below:
All books shall be careful collated before being taken separately to detect any missing or
damaged leaves or any peculiarities of paper or constructions that might take rebinding
inadvisable.
All tears through print shall be mended with Japanese tissue or onion skin bond, and all
tears in margins with bond paper of appropriate weight.
Books unsuited for in excess of sewing shall be prepared and reinforced through their
folded parts.
Books that are to be over sewed shall be divided into uniform parts, each part not to
exceed .050 inch in thickness, except for flexible pulpy paper which may be thicker parts
not to exceed .606 inch each.
All end papers shall consist of three functional sections: a paste-down or outward end-leaf
which becomes the cover lining; at least two free-leaves, and reinforcing fabric.
The construction of end papers shall be such that the sewing will go through the
reinforcing fabric the similar since through the parts of the book.
Mainly books having proper inner margins and appropriate paper shall be sewed with
thread through Over sewing way, either through machine or through hand. If sewed
through machines, all parts shall be pasted. No over sewing shall exceed 3/16 inch from
the back of the edge of the volume and no nearer to the head and tail than 1 /2 inch.
All books shall be trimmed since slightly since possible.
Edges shall be sprinkled, stained or left plain since instructed.
Backs of books shall be glued with approved flexible glue, well rounded and backed, and
lined with approved canton flannel extending to within 1/4 inch of head and tail of books
and well onto each end paper
Covers shall be made of heavy weighty starch-filled or propylene-filled buckram or drill
foundation propylene-coated material of an excellence at least equal to the standards set
forth in section v of these specifications.
Covers shall be made cover hard-rolled binders board, with uniform squares, in a neat
manner. The thickness of the board shall be suited to the mass and weight of the book.
Books shall be cased in with glycol paste and pressed flanked by metal-edged boards until
thoroughly arid.
Lettering shall be done after proper sizing in clear tape of a mass suitable to the book in
approach and location since instructed, by X.X.23 carat gold deeply impressed to insure
long adhesion to the cover.
All books shall be sprayed or treated with a protective material evenly and lightly applied
in excess of their lettered backs.
Full Leather Binding
Full leather binding means that entire of the card board is sheltered through leather.
Books which are extremely expensive and are unusual may require this kind of binding.
Generally reference books such since encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, etc., are given full-
leather binding.
Half-leather Binding
This is a kind of binding, wherein half the board is sheltered with leather and the rest
through cloth or buckram. The back and the corners are sheltered through leather since they are
the portions which require defense. Back runs of periodicals and magazines, may require this
kind of binding.
The spine and corners of the board are sheltered through cloth and the rest of the cover
boards are sheltered through cheaper materials such since paper and other decorative materials.
Books which are slightly cheaper are given this kind of binding.
Perfect Binding
Require to discover a less expensive procedure for binding paperbacks led to the
development of the perfect bindingMeasured since the mainly imperfect. This substitutes an
adhesive for sewing. Development of new materials has made these adhesive bindings
approximately since durable since over sewn bindings. Though, they are not appropriate for large
or heavy volumes or coated papers. They are, excellent for cheap and porous papers, for
publications with narrow inner margins and where it is desired for books to open flat without
undue strain on the spine.
Binders are able to create up special variations on any of these bindings appropriate to the
individual require of their customers. Because not all library material requires excellence binding
the ALA has also approved minimum specification for small used materials. These are referred to
since LUMSPECS. For these, Class A specifications are followed in relation to materials, where
applicable, but covers consist of hard rolled binders boards with buckram spines.
Plastic covering for books: Librarian are always interested in efforts at preserving the
freshness of newly purchased books for since long since possible, particularly those with artistic
and decorative dust jackets. Colorful dust jackets draw the patrons to the books. Several methods
have been tried to prolong the, life of these fragile papers, such since backing them, with differ
paper or attaching them to the books cover. Though, the mainly effective way is to attach
transparent plastic covers to the book. These covers are reasonably priced and can be easily
fitted. The book is also protected from the units, thereby achieving the objectives of
conversation. They are sometime accessible in prepared sleeves and the foil is accessible in
rolls of several gauges of thickness.
Binding Materials
The excellence of binding depends on the kind of materials. Since a working librarian or a
prospective librarian you would require being conversant with the kinds and excellence of
binding materials.
Covering Materials
Leather: Leather was the primary covering material for books until the third decade of
the last century. It is only later that the commercial publishers began to exploit cloth since
a covering material. Goatskin, sheepskin and calfskin have also been used in the past.
Calfskin was popular in the sixteenth century and sheepskin in the seventeenth and
eighteenth century. Morocco was widely used in the eighteenth and the nineteenth
century and is still in exploit today. Because of its pliability, strength and permanence
leather is measured to be an ideal covering material for forwarding, finishing, tooling and
lettering purposes.
Kinds of leather: The principal leathers used in fine bindings are:
Morocco: Levant morocco or real morocco is made from goat skin. Its feature
characteristics are its long fiber and prominent granules on the surface. This material
should only be used for extremely precious books which need a handsome and dignified
binding. It is extremely durable and satisfactory provided is of good quality. There are
diversities of morocco like Persian, Niger and Levant morocco, of which Levant morocco
is the best.
Roan: This is a kind of inferior skin with a dissimilar grain and surface from Persian
morocco and is cheap leather often used for sure classes of books like, less popular works
of travel, science, theology, fiction, etc. This is now most superseded through cloth
binding.
Pigskin: It is the strongest leather of all, and also the mainly durable for much used heavy
books. All reference works since such since dictionaries, atlases, directories and other
volumes which are constantly used are to be bound in this because it is hardwiring and
also attractive in appearance. It is mainly useful for binding large volumes like
newspapers. The largest defects are its thickness and inflexibility.
Sheep skin: Sheep skin is good excellence leather and is attractive, brown in color,
extremely soft and durable. Proper tanning is essential to retain its original quality. It is
used for rebinding and covering old books.
Calf leather: However nondurable, calf leather is smooth, delicate and beautiful. As,
strength or durability is more significant than appearance in book binding it is measured
quite inadequate for binding purposes.
Imitation leather: Rising cost and unavailability of real leather and also the accessible
technology has given method to imitation leather and leather cloth. These are cheaper
stronger than real ones and since such have substituted for leather. It is accessible in a
diversity of qualities, shades and colors. It is accessible in a diversity of qualities, shades
and colors. It is stain resistant, has good finish and has grained surface but is sticky.
Cloth: It is claimed that good leather and good binders cloth have small variation in
durability and cost. Good excellence binders cloth is amazingly durable and creates
excellent covers for all kinds of library materials: The technology now accessible has
made this cloth water evidence and oil resistant, with many diversities in graininess and
color combinations.
The total thread count including wrap and filling, shall not be less than 110 threads per
inch. The breathing strength shall not be less than 120 pounds per inch for the filling and not less
than 200 pounds per inch for the sum of wrap and filling.
Cloth substitutes: A material made up of strong fiber like unlaundered paper is
substituted for binders cloth. This substitute seems strong sufficient but is in information
weaker than cloth.
Paper: Cover boards are sheltered with little colorful or chancy thicker paper, therefore
giving a pleasing look and since well since protecting the cardboard. Many childrens
books and other popular books are bound in this manner. Wooden boards were used
before paper boards were accessible but now a diversity of paper boards is accessible.
They are straw board, mill board, grey board, split boards.
Straw boards: Straw boards are a cheaper excellence of board used for smaller and
cheaper books. It is made up of straw and is establish in abundance in Holland.
Mill Board: Mill board is manufactured from old hump ropes and other rags etc. Fine
excellence mill board is highly calendared. Calendaring adds strength to boards and
therefore they are made tough and hard wearing. This is a good excellence popular board
used for average, books.
Grey board: This is a medium excellence board since it is compact and hardwearing.
Split boards: Split boards are usually used for reinforced library binding. Dense black
mill board is glued to dense straw board to get these split boards.
Sewing Materials
Thread
Sewing is the central operation in binding. The life of binding depends extremely much
on the kind of sewing and the material used for sewing. Thickness of the thread necessity is
suitable to the thickness of the book. Too dense thread for a thin volume or vice-versa will result
in damage to the book or to binding. Thread used should be of larger excellence otherwise,
binding may become undone causing wastage. Irrespective of the sewing way, sewing depends
on the excellence of thread.
The diversities of threads contain cotton, linen, silk, nylon and ethylene. These diversities
differ in quality. Linen thread is much stronger and cheaper than cotton. Silk thread is much
stronger and cheaper than cotton. Silk thread however used in the past it establishes to be
unsatisfactory since it is hard to handle. Contemporary synthetic fibers are much stronger and
uniform. These are free from any tendency to rot in dampness and retain strength upon wetting.
Unlike cotton these fibers maintain a perfectly smooth know-free surface. In view of these
qualities they are measured to be larger to traditional thread.
Thread Gauze
A closely woven cotton mesh is glued to the spine of the book and both of its ends are
inverted into the inner face of the covering board. This is thread gauze adds strength to binding.
Adhesives
Adhesive, however necessary for binding also damage the binding. The damage drying is
prone to, cracking. The characteristics expected of a good adhesive, after drying is prone to
cracking. The characteristics expected of a good adhesive are its skill to wet the surface of the
materials, fluid form, quick setting and the bond strength.
There are diversities of adhesive accessible in the market now. They contain starch past,
industrial pastes, glues and gelatins and other kinds of glues.
Decoration Materials
Usually leather, cloth and canvas have been used for the purpose of fine covering for the
binding. Usually gold tooling or white lettering is used for decorative purposes.
Binding: Organization and Management
If we believe the practice in several libraries, we can conclude that there is haphazard
organization of binding in mainly of the libraries. Binding has not usually received the attention
that has been, given to acquisitions, cataloguing, circulation and reference. In few libraries
binding is combined with acquisitions; in others binding may be the responsibility of the
periodical department, the maintenance part, the circulation department or the cataloguing
department.
The scope of book conservation covers a series of tasks from the time of receipt or library
materials to the time of discard. The tasks containselection of material keeping in view its
usability and useful life; examining circumstances of all materials acquired; providing proper
storage and housing in accordance with its conservation requires since well since its exploit;
assuming responsibility for its condition at all times: ensuring its proper handing through staff
and patrons; inspection and supervision of collection in order to identify the materials needing
conservation; deciding on the proper treatment of all material needing attention; supervising the
treatment and, deciding on storing and discarding.
It can be readily be seen from the binding is the concern of the library and not of any one
department. It is for this cause, that binding is not easily integrated into the average
organizational pattern and therefore has not received the systematic come given to other
characteristics of library services. Recognition of binding since a section of a total program of
conservation would result in giving suitable status for the binding job/division. The
responsibility of a Binding Division/Part/ Department in a library is towards the newly
accessioned and catalogued books received in an unbound state or with unsuitable binding.
Behaviors of a Binding Division
Identification and preparation of materials for binding
Recording of all such materials requiring binding
Specification of the approach of binding, lettering and special instruction to the binder in
accordance with the library binding policy.
Reviewing materials, especially periodicals and other special materials prepared for
binding
Maintaining current records of material in the procedure of binding and permanent
records of materials bound
Compiling statistics of binding in terns of the approach of binding and of the divisions/
parts of the library from which the materials was received.
Care and Preservation of Library Materials
Since should not be shelved too tightly or too loosely. The former damages the binding en
other books are forceful inserted and the latter causes larger books to sag and to strain sewing.
The public will also not respect books or keep them cautiously if the staff is seen throwing books
carelessly into heaps, or casually dropping them on the floor. A regularly overlooked point is
requiring for caution in opening new or newly bound books. If these books are too abruptly
opened the glue on the spine or even the stitches will be strained and permanent weakness will
result. A significant aspect of stock management is knowledge of conservation methods and
preservation of library material. Conservation comprises:
Prevention of deterioration and restoration of deteriorated library material, and
Treatment, storage and handling techniques to ensure that the material remnants in
current state of preservation.
Manhandling, clumsy or excessive photocopying, injudicious rebinding and improper
storage condition do great harm to the library stock. More than the library user it is the lower
grade keep who due to lack of essential knowledge and careless handling inflict great amount of
injury to library stock. To implement a successful conservation program, the staff necessity
knows:
The nature of foundation materials and manufacturing procedures of the library materials.
Principles of exploit of the equipment necessary to exploit them.
The environmental circumstances and special storage methods mainly suited to each
form.
Methods of cleaning and maintenance handling of each thing.
Preservation is since much a management responsibility since binding. In information
binding is only one aspect of preservation. Preservation comprises maintenance of substances in
their original condition through retention, proper care and if it is damaged restoration. A pre
requisite for successful preservation program is the require for clear understanding of materials
from which items to be stored are made: Paper based materials, photographs, slides, microforms,
films, video tapes, sound, recording, view discs and computer tapes and disks. Robert Patterson
has suggested the following steps for a successful preservation scheduling:
Look at the environment in the library and the condition of the collection.
Prepare a disaster plan
Look at current practices, recommend changes and ascertain additional necessities to
meet current standards.
Ascertain what professional conservation advice and expertise are accessible to the
library.
Time when a thing requires treatment beyond the facilities accessible in the library or
requires being withdrawn from circulation.
The greatest enemies of books are dust and dirt. However air-conditioning is the only
final solution, regular dusting and routine cleaning would help avoid the damage. Dust and dirt
should not be allowed to accumulate on open shelves. Insect, pests can be disposed off through
placing the book, with leaves opened, in a warm cupboard containing paradichlorbenzene
crystals for in relation to the two weeks. Special attention should be given to old or unusual
books collection. Ancient bindings with metal bosses and corners and fine ornamental bindings
require special care. These bindings have to be either protected through loose cloth covers or
enclosed in cautiously fitted boxes lined with little soft material to guard against friction,
separately from careful handling; this material should be complemented through judicious
application of leather preservative where suitable. This fluid cleanses a great amount of dirt from
the old bindings and also enhances the appearances of old leather since well since retarding
deterioration, without harming the skin.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What are main objectives of a circulation system?
2. Explain the limitations of the ledger system of circulation.
3. Describe stock verification work of a library.
4. Distinguish between open access and closed access libraries with reference to shelf work.
5. Explain the library material arrangement.
6. Describe the objectives of conservation of library materials
CHAPTER 4
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
Explain strategic and operational planning for HRD
Perceive the advantages of applying HRD principles to Indian libraries and information
centers
Explain the personnel planning.
Know the meaning, components and applicability of Participative Management in
libraries and information centers
The effective participation and excellence performance of human beings in the several
behaviors of an organization result in an HRD procedure which gets built in into the management
operational building, lends credibility to the organization and provides it a direction for further
growth and development. This is necessary for organizational success and might suggest
diversification of products and services and give directions for further growth. In consequence,
this come would benefit the personnel in the organization in a numerous ways. So HRD should
be the concern of every group and individual at all levels of an organization.
Components of HRD
An HRD program for an organization has, so, to be an intended action. It should contain a
clear report of objectives and goals, strategic and operational scheduling, and suitable means,
mechanisms and instruments for execution.
This come would encourage institutions to plan their future staffing buildings and to take
into explanation changes in services and technology. Exercised properly, and on a continuing
foundation, it should eliminate troubles of oversupply or undersupply of scrupulous skills within
an organization. It also aids the determination of training requires in relation to new skills
required.
Operational scheduling would take care to implement and execute the behaviors and
program to achieve the targets set through the objectives and goals of an organization. Further it
handles personnel recruitment, selection, placement and deployment, and personnel ability
development through training and hands-on experience. The sharing of personnel to the several
elements, divisions and departments and done through task analysis, occupation analysis,
occupation account, occupation specification, competencies etc. The implication of this exercise
is that the right person should fit into the right occupation that would not only ensure job
efficiency and excellence but also provide the concerned person occupation satisfaction.
Mechanisms
The first step towards HRD is to set up an element in the organization to trade exclusively
with personnel development programs. The mechanisms to implement these programs are to
introduce a procedure of performance evaluation of staff at all levels, assess deficiencies or under
performance, and such other shortfalls in performance. Corrective steps are to conceive and
design specific instruments to set things right and get maximum productivity through the
optimum efficiency of the staff.
Performance Appraisal
It is a periodical evaluation of employees' performance. Proper evaluation is accepted out
with suitable yardsticks; data on performance review and feedback from the employee are
estimated with reference to the employee's optimum potential. Performance coaching and
counseling would enable employees to contribute to their optimum potential.
Role Analysis
Role is the location an employee occupies since defined through expectations of
dissimilar important persons has for the person. Role analysis is concerned with optimum stress,
linkages and autonomy. Optimum stress refers to tuning a person to raise his contribution to the
optimum level. Linkages give for infra and interrelations flanked by individuals and teams within
the elements and outside. Autonomy permits an individual to display initiative in dealing with a
new problem and finding a solution to it.
Training Policies
These are widely laid down and practiced in mainly institutions to build up staff skills.
Training has to be with reference to the kinds of training required through an organization, in-
home training or training through professional bodies or organizations, evaluation of trained
employees and utilization of the training obtained.
Discourse Policies
Occupation Rotation
Judicious transfer of persons to pick up experience and expertise in dissimilar regions of
job in dissimilar elements of an organization also would contribute to the health of the
organization.
Organization Development
Organizational Civilization
For the development of an organizational civilization, a suitable environmental climate is
necessary. Discourse within the organization that permits top-down, bottom-up, horizontal,
circular and external discourse has to be built into the organization.
HRD Procedure
HRD is a continuous procedure and not merely a set of scheduling, and setting of
mechanisms, instruments, techniques, etc. The mechanism and techniques such since
performance appraisal, counseling, innovations in organizational development, etc., are meant to
initiate, facilitate and promote the procedure of implementation. These mechanisms, instruments,
and techniques require to be constantly reviewed for their effectiveness.
Every job-related issue should be examined at periodic intervals and at every level
managerial since well since operational Task analysis, excellence of job life that comprises job
laid democracy, autonomous job clusters, active participation, etc.
A healthy atmosphere contributes to success and growth of an organization. Behaviors,
methods and techniques will have to be reviewed constantly to improve the impact and
effectiveness of the organization... This is done through organization development which is
concerned with the development of competency through effective teams to diagnose troubles and
initiate the procedure of collaborative job to trade with them. Procedure competence is improved,
aiming to monitor and maintain sound: organizational health, assisting non-performing elements,
helping healthy elements and departments in self-renewal, clash management, making of strong
teams, etc.
Organizational studying is a procedure of obtaining new skills through involvement,
thereby picking up precious experience. This is a certain method of adding value to every
function in the organization. This is extremely greatly helped through a research wing in the
organization which would collect data on dissimilar issues, examine such data, interpret, evaluate
and apply positive results to solve troubles.
To sum up, discussions on strategic and operational scheduling, mechanisms, instruments,
techniques and all other ideas are to be taken in their integration and not in separation; although
for the sake of presentation here they have been broken up into parts and sub-parts. Concepts
such since appraisal, career orientation, training, job analysis, organizational and job civilization.
Self-renewal, etc. are to be superimposed on organizational scheduling and operational analysis
and scheduling.
Generally it is the top management that is responsible for a well defined program, for
evolving strategies and for achieving targeted goals and objectives, but it is persons operating at
lower levels of management who have the responsibility of implementation.
HRD since discussed in this Element may look to be somewhat irrelevant to the
circumstances prevailing in Indian libraries and information elements (LIU). The large majority
of LIUs are small in words of staff deployed and budgetary provisions. There are, of course,
national library and information centers operating since self-governing and distinct organizations.
Universities, institutes of technology and such other academic and research organizations have
large libraries and information centers. But even in these larger organizations, these ideas of
intended HRD are not operative. Since it stands now, in mainly LIUs personnel characteristics -
are handled, through and large, through their respective parent bodies. The administrative
departments of these parent bodies trade with personnel, mostly in relation to salary and
allowance, discipline and manage, training and deputation to conferences, performance appraisal
in a limited method and such others. Moreover few of the limited personnel developmental
avenues are accessible only to sure levels of staff, seldom percolating to lower levels. No
personnel/HRD departments look to exclusively exist to take care of all personnel characteristics
since discussed in this Element.
The relevance of this Element or HRD, though, is with reference to future possibilities;
separately from the exposure it gives you to comprehend HRD concepts and issues. Libraries and
information services at -the national level and at the higher education and research level are
rising in words collection, mass, diversity, and services with computerization and networking.
Personnel troubles, not necessarily to trade with the large number of employees but few of the
other characteristics like designing suitable instruments for performance appraisal, training to all
levels of employees, development of organizational and job civilization, which are discussed in
this Element are certain to crop up. These characteristics and others that might help even smaller
LIUF to design and develop high excellence products and services may contain:
Personnel scheduling;
Orientation towards contemporary information products and services;
Productivity;
Customer satisfaction;
Excellence of products and services;
Acquisition of new skills and knowledge;
Task analysis for deployment of personnel;
Performance appraisal, counseling and coaching;
Motivational characteristics;
Organizational development; and
R & D.
Stress should be on excellence and value added information organizations and services,
aiming at quality. HRD is one and a significant strategy to build up a cadre of highly competent
professional staff.
PERSONNEL PLANNING
Scheduling and policy making are the two sides of the similar coin. They are
complementary and supplementary to each other. A policy is a guide, helping a specific course of
action. Policies can be specific or common. Common policies are generally broad and
comprehensive, directing a course of action for the whole organization. Specific policies relate to
operational levels of job, having significance to regions of job. Rules and processes are to be
framed in accordance with policy guidelines
Personnel policies serve a number of dissimilar functions. Firstly, formulation of policies
may relate to the practices to be recognized flanked by employers and employees. Secondly it
may lead to a constant application of rules and processes to all employees. Thirdly such policies
would assure stability of action, irrespective of transform in supervisors in any department or
division. Policies are communicated to employees through discourse channels and should be
administered consistently and equitably.
The routine operations involved in recruitment and selection of persons are generally
mannered through the personnel departments of the parent organization. Screening applications
to shortlist candidates for interview, conducting personal interviews or other methods to ensure
the suitability of persons for dissimilar positions, are in the middle of the steps for recruitment
and selection.
In doing this job, the initiative has to be taken through the head of the library/information
centre, even however the procedure of recruitment and selection are handled through the
personnel department of the parent organization. The interests of the library have to be well
guarded.
In scheduling training programs the following points freed care and attention:
Require for training identification of regions of training and number of persons to be
trained in a time frame,
Assessment of training programs, internal since well since external to decides which one
would fulfill the requires of the library and staff,
The excellence of the training programs,
Evaluation of candidates who have undergone the training,
Every region of training necessities requires to be measured, viz., administrative,
financial, professional and others.
Discourse
A discourse organization in an organization serves to supplement and complement
training programs for staff. Jointly these two give the synergetic effect in structure up staff
strength, capabilities, behavior and professional quality. Discourse may help personnel
development through:
Organizational civilization, viz., values, ideas and practices in establishing a societal
connection. This notion ethical value builds a behavioral pattern in the middle of
employees that is described organizational civilization. This civilization is meant to
promote adherence to a set of - do's and don'ts and not concern does any concrete
methods and techniques but may serve to guide and building concrete action.
Periodic meetings of employees to talk about a general interest, to achieve few purpose or
goal. This is a healthy method to cultivate organizational behavior. The constitution of
dissimilar committees for dissimilar purposes ensures staff participation in scheduling,
decision making, problem solving, performance appraisal and other regions. Handled
effectively and efficiently, meetings will result in creative thinking, multiple idea input,
enhanced group cohesiveness, cooperation and discourse leading to bigger decision
making and problem solving.
Written terms which contain annual statements, periodic statements at shorter intervals,
statements on special issues. These give opportunities for the employees to announce
their attainments, if any. Internal newsletters, staff bulletins and others are good discourse
media to keep everyone in the organization properly informed in relation to the programs
and behaviors of the organization
Excellence Circles (QC) which is the current way of opening up news channels of
discourse in participative management is a significant means of discourse. QCs are small
clusters of employees who normally job jointly, meeting frequently to agree upon ways of
improving quality, productivity and other characteristics of their day to day working
arrangements. These kinds meetings are encouraged through management since a healthy
means to improve job quality.
The involvement of staff in the decision making procedure of the organization and having
increased awareness of the organization's purpose, depend upon two significant factors:
Leadership
Organizational Approach.
Leadership
Leadership behaviours lead to highly motivated staff. Subordinates rely upon the
leadership skills of their superiors to illustrate them how to achieve requires of motivation,
rewards and skill to perform their allocated tasks. Leaders resolve interpersonal differences.
Formal organizations are simplified and efforts are made to make a more open, reactive
organizational environment. Require for leadership qualities turns more towards the skill to get
people to interact. The capability to mediate is extremely significant, and the skill to plan and
examine feedback is accentuated. The leader's role is not diminished but it is changed in its
nature. Participative leadership involves employee participation in management. Subordinates are
consulted for their opinions since section of the decision-making procedure.
Organizational Approach
Whether the participative come can really job depends upon the kind of organization and
its' functioning. An open organization is more likely to encourage participative management than
a mechanistic one. The emphasis in organizational discourse from top to bottom through
informal, group, team and party meetings is laid on self-starting qualities, the capability of staff
to .develop themselves in their own jobs and to grow professionally. The organizational approach
of functioning should encourage that people at job require satisfying their higher level requires,
for success, self respect and self-actualization, since well since their vital requires for material
support and security. Participative decision making has its effect on the organization's objectives.
Advantages
For improving the library and information service, the management follows the technique
of participatory decision making which has got the following advantages.
High Productivity: Participative Management assures high productivity in the sense that
involvement of staff in the decision making procedure gives one and all good working
condition, motivation, and skill to job and introduce the desired result in time. The
outcome of the decisions is always target oriented to meet the goals and objectives of the
organization. It taps the talents, the ideas, the knowledge and the skills of individuals who
might not otherwise be incorporated in the decision making procedure.
Larger Quality: Participative Management stresses that higher excellence decisions and
excellence of library services often result from these practices. Decisions are establish to
be larger especially if the group is collected of individuals of dissimilar regions of
expertise with a general require for a solution.
Wider Acceptability: Group decisions tend to be more readily carried through the group.
Participative decision making is also useful for resolving differences in the middle of
group members. The decisions are acceptable to all clusters or individuals.
Disadvantages
There are also disadvantages to participative decision-making.
Implementation of the tough decisions taken through the management through
participative decision-making sometimes stalls the whole behaviors taking the problem
from one committee to another committee.
Group decision-making can be expensive in words of staff time. A group decision
normally takes more time than an executive action. In order to estimate the full cost of
participative decision-making the decision-making time should be multiplied through the
number of people attending the group meeting.
Lower excellence decisions are also expected through participative decision-making
which is not truly effective. If superiors are present or if one member has a dominant
personality, the decision of the group may in reality not be a group decision. This can
have a lowering effect on group morale and of a negative factor for motivation making
for feelings of frustration and uselessness.
Total Quality Management (TQM) is focused on the necessities of the customer. A library
patron or user is a customer. He or she is challenging a service and expects that service. Total
Quality Management offers a come for an organization to design procedures, policies, and jobs
therefore that they are the best, mainly effective methods for serving users' requires, eliminating
inefficiencies and assuring excellence service. TQM is a significant strategic management tool
and a systematic come with strong internal and external customer orientation. The service is
defined through library users in the TQM context. As, users' require will continue to transform,
quality service will need a continuous improvement procedure. Libraries will continue to:
Identify customers' - who matters?
Identify customer expectations or requires - what do they want?
Translate customers expectations into operational procedures - what do we require to do
to meet users' expectations?
Decide on how to measure services - how will we know how we are doing?
Conduct evaluation of services based on recognized performance measures - what
procedures should we continue or transform?
The library shall be functioning since a "studying and resource centre" in its attempts to
keep abreast of changes in its internal and external environment and to augment the training and
skills structure programs for revitalization and renewal. The library should have direct get in
touch with internal and external customers and to encourage each employee to identify those to
whom he gives a service and to view such people since the library's internal customers. In this
method the customer orientation can spread into the organization.
Employee Involvement
Employee involvement and team structure helps in fostering collaboration, trust, open,
honest discourse and more structured and constant come to teamwork and problem-solving.
Employee involvement means that each individual necessity takes the initiative and not relies
upon someone else. Everyone necessity understand the equally and can only succeed through co-
operation and support.
Error-free Procedure
The objective of TQM is to prevent waste, reduce costs and achieve more effective,
efficient and error-free procedures. The procedures should give a method to gain more
knowledge to entire procedures and to keep them open to critical analysis and evaluation:
Performance Measurement
Performance measurement requires to be based upon timely measures of, and feedback
on, performance. It gives information on today's service and provides an indication of the level of
improvement compared with the previous feedback. A suitable questionnaire should be intended
for the purpose therefore since to examine and measure progress and understand perceived
strengths and weaknesses.
Continuous Improvement
The library should set goals for continuous improvement. To develop this focus on
training, education, discourse, recognition of attainments and team job are extremely essential.
Management should fulfill its responsibilities to motivate and train all employees at all levels to
improve all regions of operation. Statistical surveys and techniques may be applied if necessary
to collect data in relation to the customers, employees, technology and equipment that are
required. Charts and diagrams should be used to identify troubles, map workflow, illustrate
progress and point to solutions. Graphical techniques can illustrate an organization how its
procedures job, what its baselines are, where the variations lay, the comparative importance of
troubles to be solved, and whether changes made have had the desired impact. Continuous
improvement rests on the easy premise that a structured, problem solving procedure produces
bigger results than an unstructured one: Instead of presently trying to "do bigger" in an
undefined, intuitive method, the problem solving person should be based on quantitative
performance indicators and monitor progress towards these goals.
Identification of Customers
Who are the external and internal customers? Can customers be segmented either on the
foundation of the service that they need, or their attitudes to effective service delivery? This will
no doubt bring out dissimilar opinions from dissimilar clusters. Since a starting point, libraries
should focus their attempts on identifying the customers and determining their expectations. The
objective is to give excellent service to existing customers. Satisfied customers bring new
customers, dissatisfied customers discourage new and existing customers. Of course improved
customer service and satisfaction is a long-word strategic initiative. It needs commitment from
the head of the organization, staff, funds and time.
None of this will job without top management commitment which is basic for the
credibility, stability and longevity of the TQM initiative.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
What is human resources development?
Explain the need and purpose of HRD for Library and Information Centers
Distinguish between strategic planning and operational planning
Describe the different elements of personnel planning.
Explain the different techniques of personnel planning.
What is participative management and how it works in a library or information centre?
What do you mean by TQM and what are its basic elements?
CHAPTER 5
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
Know the need and purpose of financial management and its application in library and
information centers.
Identify its facets as far as libraries are concerned.
Know the meaning of budgeting and financial planning
Acquaint yourself with the process of budget preparation, budgetary control, accounting
and auditing.
LIBRARY FINANCE
Financial Management
Financial management is not presently managing cash or providing funds. It is the revise
of the principles and practices involved in the financial operations of an organizations, industry
or state. The fund function is the task of providing funds needed for the enterprise i.e., provision
of funds and their effective utilization. It trades with the troubles and processes of acquiring,
distributing and effectively utilizing funds, balancing of revenue and expenditure and accounting
of the whole transactions for bigger manage and evaluation. In other terms, significant stages or
components of financial management are:
Financial scheduling
Forecasting of receipts and disbursements
Realization of funds and revenues
Allocation of funds
Utilization of funds
Financial accounting
Financial manage
Financial auditing
The task of finding money; investing funds, managing property and receiving the sanction
for the budget and all other related matters of fund are the responsibility of the central executive
power of the parent organization to which the library belongs. Though, the library has a major
share of responsibility in estimating its own financial necessities, preparing a budget for its
functions, behaviors and programs, managing the funds appropriated and spending within the
specified era, maintaining accounts, and finally preparing a statement.
While these principles are useful in operating and managing finances in libraries, there
are statutory financial rules and processes laid down through the executive authorities. Libraries
have no option but to follow financial rules.
The other related meadows which require to be kept in mind through library and
information professionals contain cost accounting and economics, several apparatus and
techniques of financial management, economics and cost accounting like funds flow analysis,
ratio analysis, break even analysis, operating and financial averages. Financial forecasting,
capital budgeting, economic theory, theory of manufacture, costing, etc. have adequate scope for
application in library and information centre management.
There are sure difficulties in the financial management of service-oriented and not-for
profit institutions. The problem becomes acute if the budgets of such organizations are not
intended since section of the scheduling of the parent body and if they worry more in relation to
the accounting than scheduling.
In the middle of the significant aspects of service-oriented and not-for-profit institutions
are these are normally labor rigorous compared to profit-oriented organization, will not have any
inventory of services, will have dominance of professionals and the quality of service cannot be
inspected and considered in advance i.e., before rendering the service.
Further, there seems to be lack of a profit measure in such organizations and the absence
of a profit motive treasure is quite typical to service-oriented and not-for-profit institutions.
Profit-oriented institutions measure their output through the amount of revenue earned based on
prices charged for goods and services sold. For individual profit centers, revenue is considered
through transfer prices. Service-oriented and not-for-profit institutions either should devise same
monetary measures of output or rely on no monetary measures. Through and large, the output
measurement is a problem in service and NFP organizations.
Usually, there is no single criterion to measure the success of such institutions. Multiple
objectives, lack of a connection flanked by costs and benefits and difficulties in measuring
performance and comparing performance of dissimilar elements of the similar organization are
few peculiarities of such institutions.
There seems to be no direct connection flanked by the costs and benefits in service
institutions. There is a clear difficulty in measuring the performance of service-oriented and not-
for-profit institutions. Further, due to different functions, the organizational elements cannot be
compared in service-oriented and not-for-profit institutions.
Market forces play a less important role in service-oriented and not-for-profit institutions.
Due to lack of shareholders, there seem to be differences in ownership and authority.
Consequently there is a tendency for service-oriented and not-for-profit institutions to be political
institutions.
Historically the cost accounting and other manage techniques were urbanized for
manufacturing companies and hence they have less applicability to service-oriented and not-for-
profit institutions. Further, inadequate management controls have become a custom in such
organizations. Lastly, mainly service institutions are relatively small and operate at a single
location.
Information centers have not given adequate attention to output measurement. In the
absence of a monetary output measure, sure non-monetary measures could be employed through
service and NFP institutions. The non-monetary output measures could be classified in many
ways. They can be subjective or objective, discrete or scalar, quantitative or qualitative.
Significant non-monetary output measures are:
Results measures
Procedure measures
Social indicators
Inputs since proxy output measures
Sources of Funds
Library fund comprises both the funds appropriated to a library and its expenditure.
Libraries depend heavily on a continuous supply of funds for organizing their behaviors,
programs and services. In dealing with this, ensuring a continuous supply of funds not merely on
a yearly foundation but in excess of an era of time, i.e., dime or five years is extremely
significant. Fund plays an extremely important role in the organization and management of any
institution, more therefore in the case of libraries which have to acquire and build up a collection
on a continuous foundation during the year and even longer. With the rising costs of books and
journal subscriptions, it would be impossible to plan a collection development program, constant
with requires of users, without an ensured supply of funds. While appropriations are made for the
acquisition of books and journals, funding bodies quite often overlook or underestimate the must
of funds for processing the acquired materials and making them accessible for exploit. Therefore
competent persons should invariably procedure the expenditure on books. Further, a regular flow
of funds ensures the rhythm and tempo of the user services. These services have to run on a
continuing foundation. Unless adequate funds are provided for all these behaviors, libraries will
remain ineffective.
Dissimilar kinds of libraries receive funds from dissimilar sources; however few sources
are general, such since government grants. The greatest percentage of operating funds
increasingly approach from public funds raised through taxes. Funds are required on a continuing
foundation and a judicial estimation of funds required has to be done well in advance. The
sources of funds for libraries can be broadly grouped since follows:
Regular grants from parent body
Ad hoc grants from other departments/organizations
Grants from endowments and charitable organizations
Fees, subscriptions, sale of service and miscellaneous revenues earned through the library
Fines and miscellaneous sources: Few libraries impose fines on the late return of books
since well since for loss or misuse of books. Income from this source is extremely
meager. Since a matter of information, it cannot be measured since a source of income,
because the aim of the fine is not to raise revenue but to compel the user to return the
borrowed book in time and not to damage or lose it throughout his/her possession.
Moreover, libraries may not have the power to expropriate amount composed since fine
or overdue charges for any purpose
Miscellaneous sources may consist of money received through the sale of library
publications and waste paper, reprographic services, translation and other documentation
services rendered, etc. These services are rendered through libraries generally on a non-
profit foundation. Normally, such funds are added to the common finance of the parent
organization for allocation through normal budgeting.
University Libraries
University libraries receive their funds, in varying degrees from two sources. They get
financial support from the universities out of their own Ends and since special grants from both
the University Grants Commission and the state governments.
The UGC grants are most plan grants, whereas the state government grants are most non-
plan grants. Though, government grants are not given to the libraries directly. Generally the
government provides grants to the university and then the university allots to the library the
necessary share out of be similar. Grants from the University Grants Commission are most of
three kinds - recurring, non-recurring, and ad hoc.
Some university libraries charge a fee from their student members for the exploit of the
library. A charge or fee for library exploit is not made without protest from users. These days
there is a rising feeling that the university should give library services free of charge, presently
since it gives lecture rooms, laboratories, and other facilities free.
College Libraries
A question often asked is
How much does it cost each year to run a good library? The
amount will modify from college to college, depending on the nature of the curriculum, the
quantity and excellence of service expected, and the excellence of the present collection. The
total student strength in a college is another criterion to be taken into consideration while
allotting funds for the library. The troubles of financing the library of a recognized institution are
extremely dissimilar from those of a new college. Requires of the former are confined to
acquiring materials to remedy weaknesses and to keep the collection up-to-date; the latter
necessity give for a complete vital collection.
There are three largest sources of funds for college libraries. The principal source is the
allocation from the current operating funds of the college. Whether the college is public or
privately controlled matters less in this relationship than the amount of additional money the
library may require throughout any one budgetary year. Sometimes a section of the Amalgamated
Finance Collection is given to the college library for the purchase of reading materials.
Occasionally few portion of the contingency grant of the college is made accessible to the library
through the principal. A second source of income for college libraries is grants, individual gifts,
and endowments. But this is not extremely popular in India. A large number of college libraries
during our country receive grants from the University Grants Commission. Other sources of
income for college libraries are subscription/membership fee charged from the students, and
annual recurring and non-recurring grants from the state government concerned or the governing
body of the institution.
School Libraries
Promoting a good library service in schools depends extremely much on fund. In the case
of transitional schools, lower fee rates for library services can be fixed since there will be less
expensive books needed for students of lower classes. At present there are no fixed norms for the
provision of finances to school libraries in India.
The library finance of a school should preferably comprise a fee composed from pupils,
and equal contribution from the management, a matching contribution from the government or
regional body, other gift or special grants that may at any time be received specifically for the
library and donations from the public.
The library fee composed from students should be spent exclusively on books and
equipment. The state government or any education power administering the school should meet
the initial expenditure on be setting up of the school library including cost of new library
structures and the initial expenditure on fittings and books covering the vital stock needed since a
nucleus for library behaviors.
Public Libraries
The largest sources of public library revenues are subscriptions, a library and grants from
the government and endowments. Considering the library subscription since a source of funds is
widely disputed. An equally forceful opposite view is that subscription defeats the entire concept
of a free public library service advocated through Ranganathan. The statement of the Advisory
Committee for Libraries, Government of India, also supports the inadvisability of considering
subscription since a source of revenue. The Advisory Committee describes such subscription
libraries since "stagnating pools."
Of the five States of the Indian Union which have library legislation, few, viz., Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, have provision for a library. Tamil Nadu and Andhra
Pradesh Library Acts have provided in the form of a surcharge on land and property tax at the
rate of six per cent. The Karnataka Act has provided for a library cess in the form of a surcharge
at the rate of three percent not only on land and home tax but also on octroi duty, vehicle tax and
professional tax. In addition to the library cess, Karnataka public libraries receive a grant from
the government equivalent to three per cent of the total land revenue collection. The other two
states i.e., Maharashtra and West Bengal, have not proposed any library cess. In these states the
respective governments have made provision for grants for public libraries. Experience illustrates
that library cess/rate alone cannot be enough to meet the continuously rising requires of public
libraries. Besides, the taxable capacities of several regional regions differ, thereby making
average and uniform public library service during the country hard.
A public library service should be completely supported through regular budget grants of
the government, presently like education, public health and therefore on. Unluckily, in many
countries including India, this is not the location. Since a result finances for public libraries have
become inadequate. Only library legislation at the national level can transform things for the
bigger. It would be proper for the government to give for the initial expenditure, while recurring
demands of the libraries should be met from the proceeds of library cess, etc. Moreover, the
regional authorities should be encouraged to collect more funds through giving them matching
government grants.
Endowments, charitable trusts and private benefactions could be another source of public
library revenue. In countries like the USA this is a general characteristic, whereas in India it is
not therefore. The financial demands of the libraries are recurring in nature. Hence endowments
and benefactions, however welcome, should not be taken since a permanent or continuing and
adequate source of income. Endowments can best be used for constructing library structures,
acquiring furniture and fittings and therefore on.
Other sources of public library revenue are fees and fines, gifts in cash or kind. The
income from these sources is usually extremely meager and cannot be measured an important
source of revenue.
Special Libraries
Special libraries get their funds from appropriations made through their respective parent
institutions. Whenever the parent body takes up a new project or program, which requires library
and information support, adequate finances may be provided to the library to meet the special
support facilities. The library is expected to inquire for funds for any additional or special
services which are generally examined before funds are provided for such services. In addition,
ad hoc grants from governmental agencies are obtained for specific purposes. Of late, special
libraries have been seriously considering the ways and means of generating section of their own
possessions.
Financial Estimation
Through now you have realized the information that the success of any institution
depends upon an adequate and regular flow of finances. This is true of libraries also. The basis of
proper financing depends upon correct and effective estimation. Presently like the government,
organizations, individuals and families effort to create financial estimations of requires and
possessions, 6L.-cries also have to prepare financial estimates. How to estimate, on what
foundation, and. how much fund a library needs depends upon the age, jurisdiction, quantity and
excellence of reading material, number of readers, and other factors` relating to that scrupulous
library. Few significant bases for financial estimation for libraries are:
User population and its composition
Material to be acquired
Services to be provided vis--vis objectives
Hardware and software requirement
Unsatisfied service pressures, if any, are the mainly regularly used factors in determining
the financial requires -of a library
Recognized national And international standards for excellence in services often
expressed since minima of materials, personnel and operational funds for a given mass of
library
Augment in prices of reading materials and inflation.
Proportional Way
This way presupposes that the authorities give adequate finances to the library out of their
regular budget, and that a scrupulous minimum limit is fixed. A usually used measure of
adequate support is the percentage of the institutional budget which is allocated for library
purposes. Several standards have been recommended for deciding this limit in India. The
University Education Commission had recommended that 6.5 per cent of a university's budget
would be a reasonable expenditure on its library. The Commission suggested that
this
expenditure could modify from 6.5 to 10 per cent, depending on the level of development of each
university library". In practice, the majority of the universities in India hardly spend three percent
of their total budget on their libraries. It is usually agreed through mainly authorities that a
college should allocate to the library four to five per cent of its total expenditure. Ranganathan
suggested that either 10 per cent of the total budget or 6 per cent should be earmarked for public
library purposes. This way is likely to lead to a high disparity in case of special libraries since the
budgets of high technology and capital rigorous institutions are much larger than the budgets of
pure research, social science and humanities organizations.
Way of Details
According to this way all items of expenditure of a library are reported for while
preparing the financial estimates. These are of two kinds, viz,
Recurring or current expenditure and
Non-recurring or capital expenditure.
For estimating public library finances, Ranganathan suggested the circulation of
recurring/ current expenditure and non-recurring/capital expenditure. The Advisory Committee
for libraries, Government of India followed approximately a same way for estimating the
financial necessities for establishing a countrywide public library organization.
The UGC Library Committee in its statement suggested a staff formula for finding out the
quantum of library staff members of several categories required for college and university
libraries. It has also laid down their respective pay levels. The total amount required for meeting
the cost of the staff can be calculated through this formula. For cost of books and other reading
materials, the Committee has suggested a per capita expenditure formula.
You now have a thought of how a library gets finances for running its services.
Expenditure is the second significant aspect of financial management. Library expenditure
occupies the similar lay in the revise of financial management since consumption does in the
daily life of an individual. Since consumption is the end of all economic behaviors, therefore also
library expenditure is the end of all the financial behaviors of a library.
Principle of maximum aggregate benefit: The library exists for the service of dissimilar
kinds of readers. So since a librarian, you should be neutral, and should see that no
scrupulous individual is specially benefited through your expenditure policy. You should
plan your library expenditure in such a manner that the majority of readers derive
maximum benefit of library exploit.
Principle of advance scheduling: Library expenditure should be intended in advance and
a proper estimate should be made for dissimilar items therefore that adequate and
balanced revenue may be allotted to dissimilar heads. Orders should be placed in advance
therefore that the needed materials are acquired in time. The librarian should avoid last
minute purchases.
Principle of equitable allocation: Library funds should be equitably allocated for
spending on dissimilar kinds of reading material covering several subject regions. For
instance, books on science and technology are costlier than language books. Costly
reference books become out of date faster in few subject regions are others. Though, in
special libraries their principle may be applicable since mainly document has to be spent
in reference and periodical literature. Normally, 70 per cent of the publication grant is
allowed for periodicals. All such factors are to be taken into consideration while spending
money for library exploit.
Principle of economy: It means that you should not spend more than the necessary
amount on any thing, and the expenditure should not exceed your sanctioned grant.
Duplication should be avoided, because the extra amount therefore saved could be bigger
spent on purchasing new alternative titles covering additional subject regions.
Budgetary Methods
Every library, no matter how small, has to operate with a budget. In mainly libraries, the
librarian and his senior staff prepare the budget, according to budgetary norms issued through the
authorities. The budget is scrutinized, vetted, if necessary, and approved through the Library
Executive Committee before it is sent to the higher authorities for final approval and sanction.
The common practice is to follow the methods and processes of the parent organization. If they
are special service of a comparatively limited scope, few small special libraries may be exempted
from the preparation of a detailed budget. There are few methods of budgeting for preparing
library budgets which contain traditional ones practiced through many libraries and the more
innovative ones that have, in recent years, establish their method into libraries.
Almost certainly the mainly general kind of budget is the one that divides items of
expenditure, line-through-line, into broad categories such since books and journals, salaries and
allowances, equipment, supplies, capital expenditure, contingencies, etc. with further
subdivisions for each of these broad categories. This is the usual traditional way which, through
taking into explanation past expenditure on each thing, prepares the current budget, hence
described historical budgeting. The budget is prepared with a small augment of say 5 or 10
percent for each major thing of expenditure of the previous years allocation, assuming that all
current programs are since good and necessary.
The advantage of this way of budgeting is that it is relatively simple to prepare, present
and understand. To little extent it ensures that the funds provided are spent for the purpose stated.
It is extensively practiced. But it has sure weaknesses. This way does not suggest any future
projections. It does not necessarily involve any review since to what amount ought to be spent in
words of behaviors and services. Secondly, it moves in the similar manner since in the past year,
without any forward push. Thirdly, this tends to ossify and rigidify the budget. In other terms,
budget funds earmarked for a scrupulous thing cannot be spent for any other purpose i.e., the
financial rules would not permit the shifting of expenditure from one head to another. For
example, funds allotted for equipment, if unspent, cannot be shifted to acquisition of some
significant titles of current journals even if fully justified. It emphasizes apparatus rather than
what these apparatus have to achieve. It also has a tendency to tempt to disguise requires and
inquire for more money than needed.
Formula Budgeting
Based on financial norms and standards this way tries to relate few inputs like users
served, academic programs supported and ratio of book stock to total funds of parent body. The
formulae are used for financial estimation since well since budget justification. This seems to be
a broad and quick way and hence saves a lot of time. But it does not explanation for firer
variations in respect of each library and its customers and services.
Program Budgeting
This way propounded originally in the Hoover Commission Statement has three steps.
They are:
Report of agency objectives,
Full consideration of alternative ways and
Logical selection of the best based on effectiveness and efficiency.
Extended from the line-thing way, this way tries to answer the questions for
what
purpose the money is being spent? and
how have the possessions to be deployed for each
program? and more appropriate for a contracting economy. The financial plan is presented since
programs and subprograms built upon job elements or job loads. Job elements are assumed to be
measurable and the job element costs are the structure blocks of the program budget.
The focus in this way of budgeting is on the librarys behaviors and the funds are to be
earmarked for programs or services that the library plans to give. For example, if a library
decides to give a Current Awareness Service, the cost of that service is calculated and the
expenditure estimated. The budget is therefore prepared on the foundation of the cost of
programs and whether a program has to continue, get customized or deleted.
A library may also group its major programs or functions, which may correspond to the
organizational building of the library like administrative services, technological services, reader
services, etc, Each of these services may be organized through departments such since
acquisition, classification and cataloguing, reference and bibliographical services, documentation
and information services, jointly with summary descriptions of these functions or programs and
relative figures of current and proposed expenditure. In this kind of budget, provision is made for
several behaviors of each department to gauge their necessities and watch their expenditures.
Performance Budgeting
This budgeting way is same to program budgeting but the emphasis shifts from programs
to performance. The expenditure is based on the performance of behaviors and the stress is laid
upon operational efficiency. This way needs careful accumulation of quantitative data on all the
behaviors in excess of an era of time. Management techniques such since cost-benefit analysis
are used to measure the performance and set up norms. For instance, data on the number of books
acquired, classified and catalogued, actual man-hours for doing the whole processing job, etc. are
composed to determine the manpower and materials needed to perform the tasks.
It emphasizes the performance and operational efficiency of the programs. Like program
budgeting starting with a report of agency objectives, full consideration to alternate ways of
achieving the objectives and a logical selection of the best is made based on effectiveness,
efficiency and cost-benefit analysis. The element cost for specific operations multiplied through
the volume of operations anticipated would provide the budget.
The advantage of the way is the emphasis on the service mission of the library. Though, it
is hard to quantity service excellence and behaviors. In other terms, this way measures only
quantity not excellence which is rather hard to measure in words of money. In information, the
budget allocation for a service institution like a library has small direct connection to the degree
of satisfaction users receive from library services. Measuring benefits of libraries in rupees, the
intricate interrelationship of costs of dissimilar operations and the non-linear difference of cost
for every element output are few of the troubles. It may look too humble and begging for a
review of each operation through power.
ZBB improves the plans and budgets of libraries and helps to develop good management
teams. It also helps to add follow on benefits in excess of the years. Yet the serious problem of
the enormous time and attempts required jointly with other administrative troubles and troubles
of developing and ranking "decision packages" prevents its adoption in libraries.
Few of these budgetary methods are of recent origin and present a more readily
understandable view of the budgetary necessities of behaviors and services, a more objective
justification for them and are bigger instruments for purposeful spending. In practice it is
necessary to understand the "politics" of the budget procedure within the parent organization and
look for opportunity for personally participating in the final negotiations/ deliberations since well
since by personal informal contacts effectively.
In India, approximately all libraries follow the conventional historical way of budgeting.
It is only in recent years that little attention is given to other, newer, methods. One aspect that
requires careful examination is that mainly library functions and services are of a continuing
nature and cannot be discontinued on any explanation without reference to the past. While it is
necessary to evaluate performance and effect improvements to ensure excellence of service,
discontinuity of existing services would prove undesirable, particularly if circumstances do not
warrant. It is, though, possible to create a more objective assessment of these methods of
budgeting only if Indian libraries start making their budgets through these newer methods and
gain enough experience in their operations.
The second aspect of budgetary norms and standards that requires attention in this
element is the actual sharing of budgetary funds to dissimilar competing heads of expenditure.
The major heads of expenditure in libraries are books and journals, and salaries and allowances,
both of which are to be combined to generate services. Ranganathan has suggested that the
proportion of the expenditure of a university library on these two major items be since follows:
Staff : 50 per cent
Books and other reading, materials: 40 per cent
Miscellaneous : 10 per cent
The University Grants Commission Library Committee has suggested that a university
library with 5,000 students and 500 teachers and research fellows should have a budgetary
provision of Rs.3,50,000 out of which Rs. 175,000 would be spent on books, journals and other
kindred materials, and a same amount on staff, implying thereby that the expenditure on books
and staff may be equal-But common trend is that the expenditure on staff salaries trends to be
higher than on books. Item into amount the recommendations of University Grants Commission,
university and education commissions and library experts, the common norms seem to be since
follows:
Salaries and allowances 50 per cent
Books 20 per cent
Periodicals 13 per cent
Binding 75 per cent
Others 10 per cent
In the case of public libraries, the sharing is more or less the similar for the major items of
expenditure.
Salaries and allowances 50 per cent
Books 20 per cent
Periodicals and Newspapers 5 per cent
Binding 5 per cent
Others 20 per cent
Current thinking on library and information services, library budgeting and related
characteristics, is on the following lines:
Library and information services are to be completely oriented to user requires,
irrespective of the kinds of libraries. User requires necessity be systematically assessed
and obtained, on the foundation of which libraries should organize their services.
Library budgets, consequently, are to be in tune with requiring based services.
The element cost of every operation in a library has to be worked out and budgetary
estimates have to be built on this data. The cost of library operations and services,
particularly in India, is not attempted. Libraries mostly operate on appropriated funds
through the parent institutions without any scientific foundation for allotment. Cost
accounting is essential for fixing budgetary estimates.
With the tremendous augment in the cost of books, journal subscriptions, staff salaries,
library and information services, etc., the question extremely often arises whether library
services should be sustained to be given without any charge. Few of these services like
literature search, document supply, compilation of bibliographies, SDI, CAS etc. can be
priced. Of course, in the context of Indian circumstances these services may be subsidized
partially. On the entire, a more scientific foundation for library expenditure has to be
evolved in view of the importance of library services. Library budgeting has to be more
innovative and in tune with the new demands.
The budgets of dissimilar libraries modify substantially. Nevertheless, there are few units
which are essential and general for dissimilar library budgets. They may be reduced to some
guiding principles and applied to the perpetration of any library budget.
The librarian should be invited through the authorities to submit the library budget. The
librarian in turn necessity consults his departmental heads in relation to the book funds, and the
library staff members in relation to the personnel and other administrative costs. The final choice
of what goes into the budget and how much to inquire for should rest with the librarian.
The librarian should request enough funds in each head of the budget to support a sound
program of library development. Calculating the expenditure and anticipating income, inflation
rate, foreign swap rates, salary increases, insurance rate, public utility charges, etc. since well
since time-delay are extremely significant.
The budget should be prepared and submitted in time. This facilitates recruitment of
additional staff, ordering of materials and therefore on in a proper method. The budget should
symbolize library scheduling in words of educational goals and should not basically be a "crisis"
operation in which urgent current requires are hastily converted into rupee estimates to meet a
budget deadline. Scheduling to meet educational goals implies that the library will take into
explanation proposed new curricular changes, the impact of new courses on library books and
personnel, the effect of price increases in binding and the like.
The budget should be reasonably flexible in its execution; Classification of the budget
categories should enable the library to check its financial records easily against the periodic
balance reports. Few significant sources of fund for a library or information centre contain
Regular grants from parent organization and/or government,
Ad hoc grants or subsidies,
Fines, fees and service charges.
Effective budgeting can display endless diversity. The budgeting way used through a library or
information centre is normally decided through the parent institution.
The final decision in relation to the library budget is often taken through the chief
executive of the parent organization. The officials who are responsible for providing library
funds will quite naturally want to know why the funds are required. They will believe critically
the merits of the library request in relation to those of other departments or agencies and the total
financial possessions at their disposal. It is probable that funds will not be enough to meet all the
necessities in full and that budget allocations may be affected accordingly. The library budget
request should state apart and clearly the purposes for which funds are requested and explain why
additional funds may be required in sure categories. The supportive documentation and
justification for the budget has to be urbanized during the year. The justification for the library's
budget will already have been made if the arguments for services have been well presented in
detailed and timely statements other terms, budget preparation should not become a once-a
earlier. It is also necessary to understand the "politics" of the budget procedure and build up
effective rapport with the key members of the team or committee.
Sometimes the librarians may think it expedient to present an inflate information that the
authorities generally sanction less than what is ash" practice. Padding the budget is not only
ethically questionable but because it is hard to justify amounts in excess of proven requires, of
the college/university or other parent body and, since such, necessity realize that there are many
demands and constraints on the limited possessions in the majority of organizations. The librarian
should neither minimize the necessities of the library, nor be unduly discouraged if the library
committee or fund committee is unable to provide all that he asks for because of other pressing
and urgent necessities of the parent institution. The best that can be done is to present an honest
picture of the cost of running a library, in words of material needed and of services expected for
the clientele. After making an honest budget, the budget request necessity be accompanied
through a free, clear, and forceful argument proving require for the amount asked. Keep in mind
that there is no bigger method of sowing suspicion in the minds of the generally hard-headed
fund authorities than presenting an unrealistically inflated budget.
While preparing the budget you should remind yourself that, regardless of any other
values it may have, the budget document necessity be easily understood and therefore convincing
in its arguments that the appropriating power will be persuaded to accept it and give the
necessary funds. To produce such a document, you should exploit all the techniques and
supporting data that are accessible with you.
The librarian presents the budget to the library committee or any other power distant
discussion and approval. The library budget, with the approval and recommendations of the
committee, is sent to the university institutions office or any suitable office to be included in the
total university or organization budget. The whole university budget is passed through the
Executive Council/ Syndicate of the university. Plan necessities of the university library are
assessed through the visiting committee of the University Grants Commission. The visiting
committee visits the library and discusses the library necessities with the librarian. The approved
recommendations are consolidated and submitted for sanction to the University Grants
Commission.
In a college, generally the principal of the college approves the library budget, after
taking into explanation the necessities and opinions of the heads of dissimilar teaching
departments, and the necessities in dissimilar subject regions. In public and special libraries,
same processes are there to get the budget approved and sanctioned through suitable authorities.
Notification of the Budget to the Library
When the budget is passed, the similar is communicated to the library. This comprises
both plan and non-plan budgets. The plan budget is approved through the university authorities in
consultation with the state government wherever necessary. After the budget notification, the
university librarian informs the dissimilar academic departments concerning the budget
allocations. These allocations, in information, are funds in the names of dissimilar departments
placed at the disposal of the university librarian. Money is spent through the librarian on items
recommended through the heads of the departments. The subject-wise allocations for books and
periodicals are done through the library committee. This is purely an internal arrangement of the
library after the passing of the budget. If there are differences of opinion on allocations to
dissimilar subjects, they are generally adjusted, erased and balanced through the library
committee. Likewise is the case for special libraries.
Budget Excess
Bill or library commitments which exceed the sanctioned budget, if any, for the library
are generally adjusted in two ways, i.e.:
Through adjustment of the excess amount in next year's budget and/ or
Through additional allocation subject to agreement through the authorities.
Though, it has been observed in practice that the second alternative is not only theoretical but
also a doubtful and remote possibility. A budget excess adversely reflects on the attitudes and.
awareness of the management towards the library.
Mainly practitioners of librarianship are much concerned and serious in relation to the
stage of actual exploit of funds, accounting, auditing and financial manage. This stage in itself
involves allocation of funds since envisaged in the budget, encumbering funds under each head,
finance accounting and financial audit.
Allocation of Funds
Allocation of funds might have been based on past practices and performance, differential
publication rate and inflation nut, level of demand, actual exploit and the total program of the
library or information centre. Actual allocation could be through departments/elements, through
subjects, through kind of material, through users, through language or through format. Such an
allocation of funds gives bigger manage and a more effective method to monitor funds and has
the best chance to achieve fair balance in the development of programs and services. Though, a
rigid allocation, particularly for collection development, may lead to difficulty in transferring
funds from one explanation to another and consequently under spending may happen in few
cases when the other heads starve for funds. In addition to such ineffectiveness, approval, blanket
and standing order plans since well since development of reference, common and special
collections may not fit into any heads. Further, matching requires and money accessible becomes
complicated, time consuming and it may be hard to develop models even after massive attempts.
Though, it may be noted that such formal allocation of funds may not be necessary in a small
library.
Encumbering Funds
The mainly hard task in the budgetary manages procedure in libraries or information
centers are encumbering funds. Encumbering funds is an intricate procedure that allows one to
set aside money to pay for ordered items. The procedure of encumbering funds is hard and
complicated for several reasons. Firstly, it is general that there will be other under spending and/
or overspending in few heads. Secondly, there are few uncertainties in relation to the supplies.
Libraries create many orders for documents under many heads in a given financial year and
supplies are received continuously at non-fixed intervals. Usually there is no automatic
cancellation of non-supplied or unbilled orders and hence no disencumbering done automatically.
It is extremely general that prices, discounts and handling charges of documents since well since
swap rates for foreign currencies keep changing regularly causing difference in the value of funds
encumbered. Lastly, moving money back and forth through encumbering and disencumbering in
a manual organization can lead to 'errors.
Financial Manage
It has been stated earlier that the budget is a tracking device to measure progress,
highlight variations from the plan and illustrate require for corrective actions to put the operation
back on track. Nobody has the luxury of working without financial restrictions. Nobody gets
money without justifying why it is required. One should be prepared to face both sudden
windfalls since well since severe cuts in budgets. The budgetary manage organization is an
instance of an organization since well since a widely established manage function of the
management.
Budgetary manage is one of the oldest and middle manage techniques used through
managers. Budgetary manage is the procedure of comparing what was intended with what has
been accomplished throughout the budget era. It is not a past-oriented or post-action manage but
a future-oriented manages organization. It is not a post-mortem kind assessment but a continuous
examination of the progress made, comparing it with the cost standards and time lapsed therefore
that the manager is able to create adjustments in the operation on a day-to-day, week-to-week, or
month-to-month foundation for the rest of the era of the budget.
Since the budget is only a futuristic plan, how distant the actual operations of the library
or information centre have conformed to the budgeted program will be recognized only after the
completion of the budget era. Knowing post-facto how much deviation or under spending or
ineffective utilization of possessions has taken lay is like discussing the ways of avoiding
accidents after the accident has occurred. Hence continuously monitoring the operations to look
at how the operations are accepted out, whether there are any deviations, the causes for
deviations and ways to rectify deviations within a week or a month will be of immense help.
However the budget is prepared once in a year, the budgetary manage procedure is a day-to-day,
weak-to-week, fortnight-to-fortnight, month-to-month and quarter-to- quarter action for a check
of all revenues and expenditures budgeted and stated beforehand.
The three vital steps in the manage procedure are establishing standards, comparing:
results with standards and taking corrective action. Preparation of the budget is nothing but
establishing the cost average. This procedure begins with the top management setting goals and
objectives and the lower level managers developing budgets for their elements and the similar
successively reviewed and integrated at each higher level. Unlike profit-oriented institutions
where the budget for marketing expenses can power the amount of revenue, the service-oriented
and not-for-profit institutions should have dissimilar kind of easy matching of revenues and
expenses.
Reports relating to commitments and actual expenditure should be frequently checked
and continuously reviewed to manage the budget. In the actual practice of the budgetary manage
organization; operating reports have to be prepared for each of the budget centers involved.
These reports should form section of the management information organization (MIS) used to
manage the performance of the library or information centre against the budget plan. A good
budgetary manage organization should follow the theory of "management through exception" and
focus its attention on matters that are adverse or that illustrate an rare difference in addition to
providing full details of budget reports.
In practice, it may suffice to have monthly reporting in the beginning of the financial year
and changing it to fortnightly throughout later section of the year. Though, the element heads my
have data on a daily or weekly foundation during the year to facilitate operational manage and
the similar require not be sent to the head of the library or information centre.
Finance Accounting
Accounting means a systematic maintenance of the income and expenditure flow on
records. A properly mannered accounting organization is a vital prerequisite of efficient financial
management. Its largest purpose is to ensure that the library funds are spent correctly, properly
and within limits. It also helps in scheduling future budgets and for making special studies. In
other terms, the purpose of finance or financial accounting for not-for-profit institutions is to
assure proper exploit of monies provided and to create it possible to track expenditure.
The major section of the finance in a library is the operating finance. For finance
accounting purposes the operating finance can be divided into restricted finance and unrestricted
finance. Unrestricted finance allows flexibility in exploit for purposes other than that specified
whereas restricted finance cannot be used for other purposes.
The cardinal principle of finance accounting is that every financial transaction is charged
too little explanation and a record exists of what the transaction involved. The finance accounting
organization should allow for verification of all the transactions and give an accurate statement.
Proper finance accounting through allowing one to know how much money is spent, how much is
left and how much is encumbered or committed aids the budgetary manage procedure and
enables a continuous checking and reviewing of the situation and examination of the require for
reallocation or expropriation of funds. It creates clear to the spender how much amount he has
spent and how much is left, therefore that there is neither under-spending nor in excess of-
spending.
It helps the management to remain alert against misappropriations and maladjustments.
Before setting up a book keeping organization, the librarian should consult the fund part to
determine the process of accounting therefore since to serve best their mutual purposes.
Financial Records
All organizations which want to survive necessity meet sure standards of business
organization and the library is no exception to the common rule. Its financial records, like its
budget, should be set up in accordance with the largest accounting processes of the parent office.
It is no longer measured a good practice to maintain a distinct library explanation, handled
directly through the librarian. In mainly organizations, all library payments are made through a
central office. The fund part of the organization maintains the library explanation while the
library maintains the records of outstanding orders, bills forwarded, etc.
Since stated earlier, the largest purpose of library accounting is to keep expenditures
within the budget. In addition, accounting helps in the preparation of the annual statement and
budget, gives the factual monetary foundation for making decisions, assists the departments in
making a wise and systematic exploit of funds and gives information for library statements,
studies surveys.
Mainly of the libraries keep their financial records according to a single-entry
organization. However a sure amount of variety is establish in the maintenance of financial
records in dissimilar libraries, one largest point to be kept in mind is that these records should be
the simplest possible, constant with efficiency and should permit rapid and convenient checking
against office ledgers.
Financial Audit
Lastly, the financial audit section of the procedure enables a meticulous but example
scrutiny of financial transactions to have proper manages in excess of irregular, inappropriate and
wasteful expenditures. Auditing is a scrutiny of the financial transactions of government and
semi government bodies. It gives manage in excess of irregular, inappropriate and wasteful
spending. It is deemed necessary from the power's point of view for their satisfaction.
Libraries and information centers normally have post-audit through
external/central/statutory auditors, who generally look into the loss of reading materials,
irregularities in procurement procedures and outstanding advance payments and supplies. Even
however two kinds of audit organizations are prevalent in our country, government departments
and libraries usually follow post-audit. Post-audit means that the drawing and disbursing officer
prepares the bills, signs them and sends them to the treasury/bank/principal for payment. The
drawing and disbursing officer is responsible for the correctness of the bills. The officer or the
librarian necessity satisfies himself fully before signing the bill. In the post-audit organization,
only random audit is resorted to, after the financial year comes to a secure. Every thing is not
checked, but few months are selected at random. Payment items occurring throughout these
selected months are thoroughly and minutely verified. Mistakes, if any, are pointed out. The
person concerned is advised and warned to be careful in future.
The pre-audit organization is usually followed in autonomous bodies in which the audit is
under the regional finance explanation. In case of pre-audit, no thing can be passed for payment
unless it has been first audited. The pre-audit organization reduces the responsibility of the
drawing/disbursing officer in the sense that all the necessary verifications such since checking of
items, accessioning of items, charging of approved rates, correctness of calculations, debiting to
proper heads of explanation, etc. have already been done through the audit part in advance. Here
instead of the drawing officer, the auditors satisfy themselves before the bills are passed for
payment. Auditing is accepted out both through an internal audit team since well since an
external/statutory audit team. The problem of collecting and noting of vouchers does not arise in
pre-audit processes. This simplifies matters somewhat and reduces the auditing responsibility of
the librarian.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Explain financial management in a library.
Explain the features of Zero-Base Budgeting.
Why do we need a budgetary control system?
Explain the need and purpose of financial management and its application in library.
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