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Library Philosophy and Practice 2012

ISSN 1522-0222

Growth and Development of Architectural Engineering College Libraries in Haryana, India

Rajender Kumar
Librarian
Panipat Institute of Engineering & Technology (PIET)
70 K.M., G.T. Karnal Road
Pattikalyana, Samalkha, Panipat (Haryana)-132102, India

Introduction

Architectural engineering education plays a vital role in the building community and educates future leaders in planning and design of outdoor space. Information is a key element for any kind of research and development. Libraries help accelerate knowledge, creation in collaboration with educational and research organizations. The library helps improve collections, maintains, preserves, and organizes documents, cooperates with other institutions and is a link between information sources and users (Ku, 1996). Today’s libraries focus on electronic publications to provide rapid access to information and save storage space for traditional resources (Thakur, 2003).
The pillars of the development of libraries and information services are collections, information infrastructure, network with information resources, digitization of information, copyright of electronic resources, multimedia centres, and digital libraries (Skaliczki, 1999). Collection development includes assessing user needs, evaluating the collection, selection policies, and other kinds of planning and coordinating activities. Collection development is not a single activity but a group of activities (Kumar, et al., 2008).

Libraries of Architecture Colleges in Haryana

There are nine libraries of Architecture colleges in the state of Haryana. Eight are private/self-financing colleges; most of these were established from 2006 to 2010.

Literature Review

There is quite a good collection of literature on examining engineering college libraries, but only a few relevant studies have been discussed here. Sharma & Kumar (2010) found that the libraries of textile institutes are making an effort to do well in collection development, services, and infrastructure. Biradar, et al. (2009) did a study on use of information sources and services in library of an agricultural science college. Mahmood & Shafique (2009) found a number of problems with libraries in Pakistan, particularly public and school libraries. Most federal policies do not provide for the establishment of effective libraries. Gul & Khan (2008) discussed that describe how in the British period the Oriental library reached its zenith and that the Mughals also contributed a great deal to the development of Oriental libraries. Vasishta (2007) observed that present situation of deemed universities libraries of north India is not so satisfactory especially in area of professional staff and collection development of e-resources. Rukanci & Anameric (2006) observe that books and library tradition play important role in the scientific, social, and cultural formation of society in a nation. Voorbij & Lemmen (2006) applied the method of list checking in their study to look at books with and without ISBN. Olaojo (2006) states that collection development is a planned, continuous, and cost effective acquisition of quality, relevant materials to meet the needs of users and the objectives of the library. Abd, Mohd. Zain, et al. (2004) did a study on faculty awareness of the collection. Fombad & Mutula (2003) describe the challenges in library collection development in the area of book budgets, electronic material, delays in the delivery of ordered books and evaluation of materials. Turpening (2003) found that law libraries addressed their preservation problems. Byrd (1982) used a statistical method for determining subject strengths and weakness in a library book collection in relation to user demand.

Scope of the Study

The scope of the present study is limited and concerned only to those colleges, which offer degree level courses in the field of Architecture engineering and technology and approved by AICTE and Council of Architecture, India.

Objectives

The study assesses:

• Space and related facilities issues
• The various kinds of resources available in the library.
• Library hours.
• Number of users being served.
• Library staff and their qualifications.
• The collection policies and practices.
• The financial resources and expenditure on equipment.
• Technical processing of documents.
• Library services being provided.
• State of IT applications in the library.

Methodology

A structured questionnaire was designed to collect the primary data. The questionnaire was circulated to nine college libraries in the state and the questionnaires were received from all nine libraries. The presentation and interpretation of the analyzed data are given below.

Libraries in Architecture Colleges

Table 1

There are nine Architecture engineering colleges in Haryana state. All offer a bachelor's degree in architecture. All are self-financed except DCRUST. Only three colleges namely DCRUST, GCAD and LU provide a master's degree in architecture engineering.

Analysis

Library Opening Hours

Table 2

Library opening time is an important factor in the utilization of library collections, Table 2 shows that each library has different time schedule. Two libraries 'DCRUST & OMIAD' are kept open for seven days in a week for eight hours a day.

Seating Capacity

Table 3

Table 3 describes the area and the seating capacity of all the responding libraries.

Library Membership

Figure 1

The main category of the library members are faculty, students, administrative and teaching support staff. Figure 1 shows that DCRUST and LU libraries have the highest membership.

Print Collections

Table 4

Table 4 presents the library print collections. It shows that DCRUST and LU libraries have good collections of print materials.

Library Collection of Non-Print Media

Figure 2

Figure 2 reveals the data of the non-print materials of the responding libraries.

Scheme of Classification and Cataloguing

Table 5

Table 5 shows that DCRUST, GCAD, RPET, ICL-ATP, SPSAD & LU libraries are using DDC22 scheme to classify the library material while BCA & SSAA libraries use UDC scheme. As far as cataloguing is concerned DCRUST, LU& SSAA libraries are, using AACR II while rest of the libraries do not respond to these questions. Computerized catalogue maintained by GCAD, RPET, ICL-ATP, LU & SSAA except DCRUST library. Register system is used by all responding libraries for the recording of periodicals except LU libraries.

Library Access

Any one type of the library may use both open and closed access system. In open access system, the users have the freedom to go the shelves to select the books, reading materials that they wish to read while in the closed library system books have to be fetched by the staff. Open access system helps in increasing the ease of libraries and library materials. The study presents that all the libraries have the open access system except OMIAD library.

Number of Library Staff

Figure 3

Figure 3 shows the total strength of the staff in the responding libraries. All the libraries have well-qualified librarian while the responding libraries are having shortage of their professional staff.

Library Staff Pay

Without work force, it is not possible to make a library and its successful working. Library staff is the primary concern, like books available in the library, with more and more responsibility. Under the study, the result shows that DCRUST and LU libraries pay the salary to the library staff according to the rules while others responding library pay the consolidated salary to the library staff.

Library Annual Budget for Collection Development

Figure 4

Finance is the most vital factor that determines the effectiveness of a library. Adequate funds are necessary to build library collections, to provide services to their users and to purchase and maintain various equipments. Figure 4 present the library annual budget of the responding libraries.

Library Orientation Programs

Table 6

Orientation is a much-needed program of library resources and services. Orientation is designed to answer questions before they are asked and to provide solutions before problems occur. Table 6 shows the Orientation Programs of Library Resources/Services.

Circulation Systems

Table 7

Circulation is the most important and used services in any academic library where users charge and discharge library documents. To make an easy process of circulation a library may use one of the many charging systems. Table 7 describes ICL and OMIAD libraries use computerized and Register system for charging and discharging of books. RPET library use computerized and Browne system while BCA and SPSAD libraries use register system to circulate the books. DCRUST, GCAD and SSAA libraries use brown system.

Issuing of Books

Table 8

Table 8 shows the varying policies on number of books that can be checked out, and fines accessed on user category.

Other Services

Table 9

Table 9 presents the others services being provided in responding libraries. CAS and photocopy services offered by the all-responding libraries rather than rest others services of library.

Library Automation

Table 10

This is the need of time to develop library automation to make easy use of library activities. Table 10 describes under study, the status of library automation of the responding libraries.

Multi Media Hardware

Table 11

Table 11 present the data relating to the number of multimedia facilities available in the responding libraries. All the responding libraries have comparable equipment and IT infrastructures.

Operating System

Table 12

Table 12 reveals the operating system. It shows that window XP is maximum used by all the responding libraries. ICL library use both XP and Linux operating systems.

Use of Library Software

Table 13

Table 13 describes the use of library software. Libsys is used by DCRUST library while TECH. LIBPLUS and KOHA are used by OMIAD and ICL library. Rest of the libraries use house built library software.

Digital Library Activities

Table 14

Table 14 presents the situation of computerized activities in digital library of the responding libraries.

Consortia Membership

Table 15

Table 15 shows the consortia membership. DCRUST, RPET and LU libraries are the member of INDEST-AICTE while ICL is the member of J-gate. GCAD, BCA, SPSAD, SSAA & OMIAD libraries have no membership of any consortia.

Library Networking

Table 16

Table 16 reveals that all the responding libraries have LAN connectivity and are the part of their respective institute's network.

Member of Library Network

Table 17

Table 17 presents the member of library network. It shows that DCRUST and LU is the member of DELNET while other responding libraries are not the member of any library network, which is a problem in the age of resource sharing.

Internet Service Providers

Table 18

BSNL and reliance are the favorite ISP of responding libraries

Internet Connections

Table 19

Table 19 reveals the internet connection. DCRUST, GCAD, RPET, ICL-ATP & LU libraries have leased line while SSAA and OMIAD libraries have the ISDN. Only SPSAD has the ordinary Dial up internet connection.

Conclusion

The result of the study of architecture engineering college libraries in Haryana state shows that most libraries have started functioning during the last three years. It depicts the current situation of these libraries. There is an urgent need for improvement in the collection and strength of library staff and to prepare library annual budget to build library collections, to provide quality of services to their users, purchase, and maintain equipment. Libraries under study lack automation and staff are poorly paid (except in the DCRUST and LU libraries). It is urgent to build a well-qualified professional staff, create digital libraries, and provide quality service in technical colleges. With the improvement of staff and IT status in the library, we will soon see modern libraries that can achfieve: "the right information to the right person at the right time in the right manner."

References

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Biradar, B.S., et al. (2009). Use of information sources and services in Library of Agriculture College Science, Shimoga: A case study. Annals of Library and information Studies 56 (2): 63-68.

Byrd, G.D., et al. (1982). Collection development using inter-library loan borrowing and acquisitions statistics. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 70 (1):1-9. Available: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=226660.

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