ICT BASED INFORMATION SERVICES

Introduction

Technology helps in rendering services that were hitherto not possible using traditional means. The new information technology facilitates improved management of physical and financial resources. The advances in technology and its availability at lower cost, has also raised expectations of users from librarians and libraries. The new information technology, on one hand, facilitates wider access to information for the library users, on other hand, it facilitates wider dissemination of information products and services generated by the library. The availability of networks facilitates resource sharing and high-speed communication with other libraries.

The electronic resources and associated technologies are only a means to generate services keeping its potential users in mind. Like printed resources are used in traditional libraries to generate services by the library staff, the digital resources are used to generate services using software driven web-based interfaces. Computer programs substitute for the intellectually demanding tasks that are traditionally carried out by skilled professionals. Activities that require considerable mental activities, like reference service cataloguing and indexing, seeking information, etc. are performed by computer programs through web-based interface.

3. Internet; applications in Libraries

The emergence of Internet, particularly the World Wide Web (WWW) as a new media of information delivery, coupled with availability of powerful hardware, software and networking technology has further triggered large-scale commercial and non-commercial digitisation programmes the world over. Increasing number of publishers are using the Internet as a global way to offer their publications to the international community of scientists and technologists resulting in large-scale appearance of STM electronic journals on the web. The Internet and web technology provides an unparalleled media for delivery of information with greater speed and economy. Moreover, the web-based electronic information products not only eliminated paper, physical storage and transportation costs, it also offers a hosts of other possibilities for incorporating multimedia and hyper-link features to electronic documents hitherto impossible on paper media. The web-based electronic information products are exerting ever-increasing pressure on the traditional libraries, which, in turn, are committing larger portions of their budgetary allocation for either procuring or accessing web-based online or full-text search services, CD ROM products, online databases, multi-media products, etc. The libraries and information centres, as consumers of electronic journals and online databases, are benefiting greatly from this technology-driven revolution. The information products of technological revolution, in turn, triggered major shifts in the traditional practices and policies of buying, storing and accessing journals.

31. Internet Technology and Services

The Internet has revolutionised our society, our economy and our technological systems. Over the past century, important technological developments have created a global environment that is drawing people of the world closer and closer together. About fifteen years ago, most of the world knew little or nothing about the Internet. The Internet was then a private network accessible only to computer scientists and researchers who used it to interact with colleagues in their respective disciplines. Today, the Internet’s magnitude is thousand times more than what it was only a decade ago. It is estimated that about 60 million host computers on the Internet today serve about 200 million users in over 200 countries and territories. Today’s telephone system is still much larger: about 3 billion people around the world now talk on almost 950 million telephone lines (about 250 million of which are actually radio-based cell phones). Also, the total numbers of host computers and users have been growing at about 33% every six months since 1988 – or roughly 80% per year. The telephone service, in comparison, grows an average of about 5-10% per year. That means if the Internet keeps growing steadily the way it has been growing over the past few years, it will be nearly as big as today’s telephone system by about 2007.

The Internet has revolutionised the computer and communications world like nothing before. The invention of the telegraph, telephone, radio, and computer set the stage for this unprecedented integration of capabilities. The Internet is at once a world-wide broadcasting capability, a mechanism for information dissemination, and a medium for collaboration and interaction between individuals and their computers without barriers of geographic location. The Internet represents one of the most successful examples of the benefits of sustained investment and commitment to research and development of information infrastructure. Beginning with the early research in packet switching, the government, industry and academia have been partners in evolving and deploying this exciting new technology. Today, terms like “Yahoo” and “Google” are common part of our vocabulary.

New information technology can potentially support a range of traditional and non-traditional library services. Most of the library services generated using digital resources resemble closely to those generated manually with improvements and modifications to suit the requirements of automated services. However, digital resources have also been used to generate innovative services that did not have a counterpart in manual parlances. These services are:


4. Use of Internet for Supporting Traditional Library Activities

4.1 Acquisition and Collection Development

Amazon.com started a new phenomenon on the web with its online bookshop, which has been expanded to include other products like CDs, Music, electronics, toys, art works, computers, and other store items. Amazon.com was termed as the “Earth’s Biggest Library” (http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb1122-1.htm) although it is not performing all functions of a library. There are several sites that are now in the business of online book selling. Most book publishers and bookstores announce their new books through their web sites. The libraries can use these sites as a source for acquiring information about new books for collection development and for verifying information on various aspects including costs, etc. some of the important sites that are in the business of online book selling are as follows:

Amazon.com Bookstore http://www.amazon.com/
Barnes & Noble http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/
Best Book Buys http://www.bestbookbuys.com/
Book Finder http://www.bookfinder.com/
Catalog Site http://www.catalogsite.com/
Pricescan Before You Buy http://www.pricescan.com
Studenstbookworld.com http://www.studentsworld.com/
Swotbooks.com http://swotbooks.com/
Varsitybooks.com http://www.varsitybooks.com/

Besides using Internet for selection of books in printed format, the libraries can also buy access to various types of electronic resources available on the Internet. The information resources available on the Internet can be taken into account in the process of collection development. The libraries of future will not become digital libraries, but will rather acquire access to ever growing digital collections on behalf of their users. Majority of these collections are being made available by external sources like commercial publishers, collections mounted by scholarly societies, resources at other libraries, electronic journal sites, etc. The electronic journals have become the largest and fastest growing segment of digital collections for most libraries. There are more than 20,000 peer-reviewed electronic journals that are now available in electronic form either exclusively or in addition to their print version.

Besides electronic journals, electronic books, encyclopaedia, dictionaries, directories, online databases, online courseware, etc. are also available on subscription / purchase model.

4.2. Technical Processing Books

The Internet can be used to access latest authoritative tools related to classification and cataloguing to render help in better processing of documents. Links to tools like Library of Congress Classification Schedule, LC Subject Headings, MARC documentation, OCLC User Documentation, other thesaurus and subject dictionaries available on the Web can render required help to the staff members involved in technical processing of books. The library can provide a monthly / weekly list of books acquired by the library through the library web site.

4.3. Journals Ordering and Management

Most publishers maintain their web site with subscription information about their journals that can help the staff involved in journal selection, ordering and management. Several web sites maintain meta resources with links to journals from various publishers. The library can provide a complete list of journals subscribed by it as well as weekly list of issues of journals received by it. List of complete journals holding of the library on the Web site would also enhance the usage. Link to union catalogue of journals subscribed by a group of libraries would help in resource sharing.

4.4. Reference Services

Number of reference sources available on the Web has increased exponentially during past one decade. The libraries can develop subject portals that would provide links to important reference sources through the Library web site. Meta sites like Xrefer provides a basket full of reference sources with a single search interface to help the users to retrieve information in a quick and efficient way.

5. Traditional Library Services Modified in the Internet Era

5.1. OPAC to WebPAC

Remote access to the Library catalogues was possible only through a telnet connection till recently. The web-based interfaces are now available for most of the integrated library software packages including Libsys. Web sites are increasingly providing links to their WebPAC instead of telnet links to their Library OPAC. Exploiting the provisions of hyperlinking that the web provides, various searchable elements of a bibliographic record in a webPAC are hyperlinks to other records in the database. For example, an author is a hyperlink to all records in the database for that author, a series is an hyperlink to all serial title under that series; a keyword for a record is a link to all records in database having that keyword, etc. In effect, a web PAC adds software-based functionality to a conventional OPAC. A user has additional incentives to visit the library web page hosting webPAC. With web-based resources and services in place, many libraries are phasing out their dumb terminals. The library web sites are increasingly becoming a more logical gateway to the catalogue and other web-based library resources. The acceptability of web-based interfaces to the Library OPAC is much greater because web interfaces are familiar to the users with its graphical and navigational interfaces. The users can click complex subjects instead of typing them in or remembering complex unix commands.

5.2. CD ROM to Web-based Indexes and Databases

Availability of CD ROM in late 1980s, as a media with high storage capacity, longitivity, and ease of transportation triggered production of several CD ROM information products which were earlier available through online vendors or as conventional abstracting and indexing services in printed format. Some of the important secondary services including “Guide to Current Periodical Literature” (H.W. Wilson) discontinued their print version in favour of CD ROM version which had improved functionality in terms of search and browsing interfaces. The libraries are witnessing yet another migration from bibliographic databases on CD ROM to web-based bibliographic databases akin to the one that was witnessed earlier from print based secondary services to CD ROM databases. This phenomenon has further been fuelled with availability of web-interfaces for most of the online search services. The web-based interfaces provide several advantages to users that are either not possible or not yet available on CD ROM. Most web-based bibliographic databases use hyperlinks and other facilities possible in a web documents including link to the full-text of articles to a publisher’s web site. Several bibliographic databases have discontinued their CD ROM version in favour of web-based version. Besides advantages mentioned above, migration to web-based services open-up resources to remote users.

5.3. From Manual Reference Service to Digital Reference Service

Reference service and imparting instructional training to the library users are key areas of activities for any library. The technology now allows reference librarians to reach out to the users using the network instead of waiting at the reference desk for users to come by. Besides, imparting instructions on mechanisms of using a library, a reference librarian is also involved in delivering reference service that require deep intellectual understanding of subject. Although automated libraries are not yet sufficiently advanced to offer interactive reference services, electronically-mediated reference services are increasingly available through libraries and information centres.

Digital reference service, also called “Ask-An-Expert” or “Ask-A-Librarian” services are Internet-based question and answer service that connect users with individuals who possess specialized subject knowledge and skill in conducting precision searches. As opposed to static web pages, digital reference services use the Internet to place people in contact with people who can answer specific question and instruct users on developing certain skills. The people who serve as digital reference experts (also called volunteers or mentors) are most of the time information specialists, affiliated to various libraries. Some of the different types of quick reference sources available online are named below:

Reference collections
Bartleby.com – This site offers a selection of ancient and modern titles in full text. The collection includes poetry, literature, essays and general reference works. Search by keyword, or browse by author, title or subject.

Dictionaries and thesauri
OneLook – This service will simultaneously search online dictionaries and glossaries worldwide for definitions. The collection includes both general and specialist reference sources, including works for art, business, computing, medicine, science, technology and slang.
Online Dictionaries – This page on the Higher Education & Research Opportunities in the United Kingdom (HERO) web site provides links to general and specialist dictionaries, thesauri and reference resources worldwide.
Thesaurus.com – This site uses Roget’s Interactive Thesaurus to provide synonyms for words and phrases.
World Wide Words – Compiled by lexicographer Michael Quinion, World Wide Words is an online guide to contemporary English and its usage. The site includes a collection of articles about the use and evolution of the English language; definitions of new and unusual words; a guide to phrases; answers to queries submitted by site visitors; and a notes about words currently featured in the press.
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Acronym Server – This is a database of general, technical and specialist acronyms. Enter an acronym to find its meaning, or search for a word that may appear within an acronym.

Quotations
Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations – The content of this site is taken from the tenth edition of Bartlett’s published in 1919. The collection includes examples from ancient and late nineteenth century authors. Search by keyword or browse by author name.
Quoteland.com – A collection of quotations from both ancient and modern authors, as well as contemporary commentators, political figures, celebrities and characters from fiction. Search by keyword or browse by topic or author name.

Maps and street plans
MapQuest – Offers online maps and street plans of countries worldwide. Use the zoom option to alter the scale of a map, and the North, South, East, West buttons to navigate your way around.
Multimap.com – Includes a complete interactive atlas of Britain. The free service will allow you to search by town, street name, or postcode. Aerial photographs are also available for many British locations.
Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection – This broad online map collection from the University of Texas at Austin offers reference, political, shaded relief and historical maps from countries worldwide.
Atlapedia Online – This online collection offers both political and relief maps of countries around the world. Background notes on the the geography, history and economy of each country are also available, as well as brief demographic statistics.
http://www.eci.gov.in/ElectionMaps/ElectionMaps_fs.htm : Election maps of India.
http://www.khoj.com/Reference/Guides/Maps/ : Directory of Maps of India.

How does it Works? Most “Ask-a-Librarian” services have a web-based question submission form or an e-mail address or both. Users may submit questions by using either form. Once a question is read by a service, it is assigned to an individual expert for answering. An expert responds to the question with factual information and or a list of information resources. The response is either sent to the user’s e-mail account or is posted on the web so that the user can access it after a certain period of time. Many services have informative web sites that include archives of questions and answers and a set of FAQs. Users are usually encouraged to browse archives and FAQs before submitting a question in case sufficient information already exists.

Virtual Reference Desk (http://www.vrd.org/) provides resources and links to experts that offer digital reference services. The site hosts searchable database of high quality “ASK-A” service along with alphabetical and subject wise listing. Virtual Reference Desk also hosts a listserv called “Dig-Ref” to promote and explore the growing area of digital reference services.

5.4. From Manual Reference Service to Real time Digital Reference Service: Library Chat Rooms

Several libraries have started experimenting with offering real time digital reference service, using chat software, live interactive communication activities, call counter management software, web contact software, bulletin board services, interactive customer assistance system or related technologies.

Many libraries are experimenting with Internet chat technology as an innovative method to extend and enhance traditional and remote reference service. While digital reference service is asynchronous method of information delivery, the Internet chat providing the benefit of synchronous communication between a user and a reference librarian (or mentor). Interactive reference services facilitate a user to talk to a real, live reference librarian at any time of day or night from any where in the world. Unlike with email reference, the librarian can perform a reference interview of a sort by seeking clarifications from the user. The librarian can conduct Internet searches and push websites onto the patron’s browser, and can receive immediate feedback from the patron as to whether his or her question has been answered to his satisfaction. Most libraries currently involved in real-time reference service are part of a collaborative network so that they can share staffing and work around the clock to truly provide reference service any time. Library of Congress Collaborative Digital Reference Service is one of such services. Several institutions including Cornell University, Internet Public Library, Michigan State University, North Carolina University are offering Internet chat-based service using software like LivePerson, AOL Instant Messenger, Conference Room and Netscape Chat. The librarians have observed that their relatively new chat-based service logged significantly more questions in a relatively short time than did their well established e-mail digital reference service. LiveRef(sm) (http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/LiveRef.htm) maintains an online registry of real-time digital reference services.

5.5 “Groupware” as Knowledge Repository (E-Reference)

In the corporate world, collective, experiential information gathered over the years, are called “institutional knowledge.” Recently discovering the value of this commodity, companies have invested heavily in knowledge management systems that collect, store, redistribute, and ultimately leverage this corporate information in support of profit. Likewise, busy IT departments use Q&A knowledgebase and ticketing systems to help manage the on-slaught of daily IT questions. Regardless of its name (a knowledgebase, ticketing system, or a knowledge repository), a modern library may need a formalized system to preserve local reference knowledge and to facilitate reference collaboration.

So how would a knowledge repository work in a library? Suppose, a user e-mails a question to the Reference Librarian. When the reference coordination logs into the knowledgebase, he is immediately alerted to the new electronic request, made by the patron. He performs a keyword search in the knowledgebase and finds two similar reference questions in the archive. The archived questions may not exactly match the current one. So, he refers the query to a subject specialist. A third librarian, who is monitoring the activity in the reference system, posts a message about his dealings with similar types of questions, if any, in the recent past at the reference desk. The subject specialist responds immediately, sending an answer directly to the patron and routing the answer to all of the reference librarians. In this example, the subject specialist is the one who answered the question, but everyone contributed to the solution.

OCLC’s Question Point software/service is an excellent application of this kind of collective reference service; it facilitates interlibrary reference services to a great extent. While reasonably priced, the Question Point service may still be just beyond the budget constraints and needs of some smaller libraries. There are several open source reference service management packages available. Many smaller libraries don’t need a full-fledged reference management system. But, these smaller libraries may always have the basic components to create a simple, question management system.

Over the last 7 years or so, the e-mail server industry has moved beyond basic e-mail to a more powerful product category called groupware. As the name implies, groupware facilitates collaboration within an organization through e-mail, calendaring, contacts, project management, and scheduling capabilities: It’s about information sharing. If you are not sure if you have groupware, you might want to check with your systems administrator. Some common groupware products are Microsoft’s Exchange Server, Lotus Notes, and GroupWise.

Groupware provides the means for increased collaboration and information transfer, this type of product be used to share the work on reference questions? To build a collaborative knowledgebase with as “Ask a Librarian” form forwarding queries to a departmental e-mail account. The next step is to share this centralized account with all of your reference librarians. This simple act of information sharing brings big benefits: All of your librarians can see, learn and contribute to the reference questions as they come through the departmental e-mail account. In an academic library, you know that entire classes with a common assignment are likely to cycle through the library with a specific reference question.

However, certain personal/cultural workplace prerequisites, considered to be necessary for such systems to work, are, Reference skills and a “safe” environment, where collegiality is fostered. Collaboration, electronic or otherwise, almost never happens in a hostile work environment. Given the proper resource-sharing environment, a participant library simply has to type the question it has come across and the answer in an e-mail message and send it to the reference account. Then all the reference librarians will have access to these “in-person” transactions. Another great feature of groupware is the ability to search every e-mail via keyword. For those who still don’t want to deal with the vagaries of keyword searching, are allowed by most groupware applications to organize the e-mail in electronic folders. In this way one can classify the reference questions any way --by subject, patron, or date. Groupware can function as a simple knowledgebase and collaborative tool. Groupware applications also feature group calendaring functionality.

Another helpful feature is that the system automatically generated a reassuring e-mail to the patron. This e-commerce technique can easily be replicated in most groupware applications, without requiring difficult scripting skills.

5.6 Current Awareness Service.

There is a wide variety of CAS methods and also specific products. The more conventional or traditional methods include accession lists, newspaper clippings, current awareness bulletins, displays, abstracting bulletins, periodical circulation, photocopies of the tables of contents of periodicals, indexing and abstracting journals, internally produced abstracts and indexes, press clippings, personal notifications and selective dissemination of information (SDI). To this can be added electronic tables of content, electronic newsletters, electronic news alerts, electronic notification systems, push services, pre-print archives and alerts offered by search engines. CAS is now been made available via the World Wide Web (WWW or Web). There is a whole range of services that go under different names for example Table of contents services, push technology, webcasting, intelligent agents, e-zines and newswires, etc. Some of the services are available for free or at a modest fee, while others are fairly expensive and definitely aimed at the corporate market. Some services provide automatic notification, for example via e-mail, while others require users to visit their sites on a regular basis. There are numerous CAS available via the Internet. The following categories can be covered under CAS: table of content services, automatic notification from tables of content, book alerting services and e-mail notification from publishers, SDI or alerting services available through aggregate services, alerting services available through search engines and meta-indexes, e-newsletters and e-zines, newspaper filtering services and newspapers, monitoring through intelligent agents, website update notification services, web pages with newsworthy content, weblogs, discussion groups and electronic mailing lists, etc.

5.7 Tables of content services

Tables of content services are not new to librarians; they are now, however, also available via Web. The WWW services are much more up-to-date than their printed or CD-ROM counterparts, and much more convenient to use. Tables of content services allow users to scan the tables of contents of new as well as backdated issues of journals. These are especially useful in keeping track of new publications on a variety of topics. Such services are offered mostly by aggregator services such as Ingenta or directly by publishers. Ingenta also offers a document delivery service. The advantage of aggregator services is the diversity of titles from various publishers that they offer. Users can subscribe to these services for free, or for a modest fee. The subscriber selects the journal titles they are interested in and as soon as a new issue of a journal is available, they receive an e-mail message with the table of contents.

There are also the services of a more limited scope that may be of interest to librarians. BUBL (Bulletin Board for Libraries) offers tables of contents and abstracts for major Library and Information Science (LIS) journals. BUBL however, does not provide e-mail alerts so that one has to visit the site on a regular basis. Current Contents (Social and Behavioral Sciences), EBSCO Alert, Emerald E-mail Alert Service, and Science Direct also offer excellent opportunities for librarians and users. These services are, however, expensive to subscribe.

5.8 Automatic notification from tables of content

The latest literature can also be identified through the use of automatic notification from tables of content as provided by publishers, such as Elsevier ContentsDirect, Ideal: International Digital Electronic Access Library and SARA. Although there are many other publishers such as Audio Books: Chives Press, Blackwell, Cambridge University Press, De Gruyter, Institute for Scientific Information, Kluwer, Whitaker, Wiley, and Wilson librarians should focus on publishers relevant to their field of interest. Some publishers do not offer automatic e-mail notification. They do, however, post the tables of content on their websites, where it is free to check it on a regular basis for new books, articles, reports, etc. Sometimes (e.g. as is the case with Searcher) some of the articles are available for free in full-text format. It is therefore useful to identify a list of journal titles of potential interest and to ensure that one checks them either through a table of contents service, automatic updates from publishers or by regularly visiting the journal’s website. There are many such LIS journals like Diglib, Ariadne, Interlending & Document Supply, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Library Collections, Acquisitions & Technical Services, Online Information Review, etc.

5.9 Book alerting services and e-mail notification from publishers and vendors

New book or other document titles (e.g. videos, CDs) can be identified through automatic notification services according to an interest profile of broad categories. These services are offered by book alerting services such as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Ingenta, etc. Some of these service and most of publishers such as Elsevier Science also offer free e-mail alerting services. Such services are extremely important to know about new titles in the disciplines of once interest. New publications (books, journals and other document types) can also be identified through a number of resources created especially for the use of librarians. These include The Bookwire Index (Publishers) and Directory of Publishers and Vendors (available via AcqWeb).

5.10 SDI or alerting services available through aggregate services

SDI services (also known as alerts or alerting services) involve the automatic notification of users when new records are added to the database. The records are matched against a search strategy reflecting the user’s interest profile. In the case of SDI services, the search strategy is often referred to as the search profile. There are a variety of SDI services available through aggregate services such as Emerald, Dialog, SilverPlatter, ScienceDirect, or EbscoHost. These services are very useful for keeping oneself abreast with latest publications in the field of interest. These services are, however, expensive to subscribe. Databases such as Library and Information Science Literature, Library Information Science Abstracts, and Library Literature are quite useful for the librarians.

5.11 Alerting services available through search engines and meta-indexes

NorthernLight is one of the very few search engines offers free e-mail alerting service. It is based on one or more interest profiles, and whenever the search engine picks up new sites relevant to the profile, the user is notified. Steven Bell’s Keeping Up Page is also a useful meta-index. These services can be used in addition to SDI services available through aggregate services to keep one self updated in the subject field of interest.

5.12. From Manual Document Delivery to Electronic Delivery Services

Abstracting and indexing services have proved themselves as most effective means of finding recent and retrospective published research work. The effectiveness of these secondary services are further enhanced with availability of these secondary services on CD ROM with efficient search interfaces and other features that are possible only in electronic media.

Once a researcher gets bibliographic references relevant to his research work, the more arduous task of locating the full-text of research article begins. While the parent library may cater only to 10 - 20 % of his references, remaining articles may have to be arranged through Inter Library Loan (ILL) or through Document Delivery Services (DDS) which can be very time consuming. Most Library use commercial (Informatics India) and non-commercial (BLLD and INSDOC) document delivery services to ensure quick and efficient access to primary information for the library users. Most online search services like DIALOG, ESA /IRS and STN have been offering manual document supply services since their inception. The process is labour-intensive and time consuming.

The term “electronic document delivery systems” implies delivery of electronic version of a document that might involve reproduction of an electronic copy of a document if it is not already available in electronic format. The libraries had been using fax machines for immediate delivering photocopies of articles via telephone lines. The first use of electronic document delivery was based on scanning technology. With maturity of scanning equipment and technology, document supply services started scanning the documents as bitmap page images. Applications are built in such a way so as to automatically produce a hard copy together with a header page containing the address of the applicant which can again be send by snail mail or facsimile. A software package known as “Ariel” is used in several libraries in developed countries for delivery of scanned articles via the Internet. The Ariel software is loaded on an Internet-enabled computer can receive and send electronic information to other libraries which have installed Ariel. The ADONIS system developed in late 1980s is a document delivery system based on bit-mapped page images.

Availability of most of the peer reviewed research journals in electronic format, inexpensive technology to scan articles and improved electronic delivery mechanisms are some of the enabling factors that have contributed to well-established electronic document delivery system now available commercially. More recently most of the secondary services that were available on CD ROM or through online search services are now available on the Internet where the journals are linked to the publisher's site. The technology has now been perfected and there are several electronic document delivery services that allow a user to download an article in full-text from their site or deliver them electronically as attachment to e-mails. Most electronic publishers and aggregators like OCLC, Blackwell, OVID, etc. are offering document full-text of articles through their web sites. Different vendors have various payment options; some charge each time the journal is used, whereas others provide open access for a set annual fee. A user who wishes to have the item delivered can enter a credit card number and specify a delivery method (postal, UPS, fax, e mail, etc.) and indicate whether it is a rush item (with a rush order fee attached.)

The ADONIS (Article Delivery Over Network information Systems) can be considered as a landmark development in electronic document delivery system. The project was launched by a consortium of five major publishers - Academic Press, Blackwell’s Scientific Publications, Elsevier Science Publications, Pergamon Press and Springer Verlag. The project uses combination of laser scanning, printing and digital optical storage technology for storage and retrieval of complete pages of over 650 scientific, technical and medical journal articles. The issues of journals are available on CD ROM with weekly updates for distribution to each centre in various countries licensed to use the system for document delivery.

Some of the important Electronic Document Delivery Services include:

• Uncover http://uncweb.carl.org/uncover/subtitle.html
• Articles in Physics http://ojps.aip.org/
• Bioline Publications http://bioline.bdt.org.br/journals
• Chemport http://www.chemport.org/
• ScienceDirect http://www.scienceDirect.com/
• OCLC www.oclc.org/
• Northern Light www.northernlight.com/

6. Internet-based New Library Services

6.1. Virtual Library Tours

Several library web sites facilitate virtual guide to the physical facilities including collections, services and infrastructure available in the library through their web sites. The combination of the following three web-based interfaces are used to facilitate the virtual library tours:

6.2. Library Maps and Floor Plans

Most library web sites provide library layouts and floor plans to guide users to physical location of facilities and services along with link to relevant information. Client-side image maps are used to make various parts of floor plans as clickable image maps. An example can be seen at the Central Library Home Page of the Central Library, IIT Delhi at: http://www.iitd.ac.in/acad/library/layout.html

6.3. Photographic Views

A view of 360° photographic environment using plug-ins like Quick Time and iPix are available at a few library sites. Examples can be seen at Botsford General Hospital Library site. (http://www.botsfordlibrary.org/tour.html).

6.4 Library Web Sites

Academic libraries in developed countries started using web technology to create home pages as starting points or as gateways for searching information about the library. A home page reflects characteristics of an academic institution. It provides an opportunity to the library to propagate its services and facilities to the academic community worldwide. The home pages of libraries are increasingly used as an integrated interface designed to deliver detailed information about a library as well as to provide access to all computer-based services offered by a library.

Besides offering information, the library web sites of academic institutions invariably hosts subject gateways or subject portals that contains links to web resources for subjects of interest to the institution. Most of the services (modified or new) included in this article are offered through the web sites of most of the academic institutions especially in developed world. The IIT Delhi Central Library also offers several of these services through its web site available at http://www.iitd.ac.in/library/.

6.5 Library Portals

A library Portal is a site on the World Wide Web that typically provides information about library to its visitors, users, patrons and also providing a pathway to other content. It is designed to use distributed applications, different numbers and types of middleware and hardware to provide services from a number of different sources. In addition, library portals are designed to share collaboration in workplaces. A further requirement of portals is that the content be able to work on multiple platforms such as personal computers, personal digital assistants


6.6. Subject Gateways

The web, being a hypermedia-based system, allows linking amongst electronic resources stored on servers dispersed geographically on distant locations. The portal sites or gateways redirect a user to the holders of the original digital material. The librarians, being the earliest inhabitants on the web, and following their professional instincts, immediately began to create link to collections on all sorts of subjects.

A subject gateway can be defined as facility that allows easier access to web-based resources in a defined subject area. The simplest types of subject gateways are sets of web pages containing list of links to resources. Some gateways index their lists of links and provide a simple search facility. More advanced gateways offer a much-enhanced service via a system consisting of a resource database and various indexes, which can be searched and / or browse throughout a web-based interface (O’Leary, M., 2000).

Subject gateways are also known as Subject-based Information Gateways (SBIGs), subject-based gateways, subject index gateways, virtual libraries, clearing houses, subject trees, pathfinders and other variants thereof. Subject gateway is an important component of a library web site designed for the library users so as to help them discover high-quality information on the Internet in a quick and effective way.

In the traditional information environment human intermediaries, such as publishers and librarians, filter and process information so that users can search catalogues and indexes of organized knowledge as opposed to raw data and information. Subject gateways work on the same principle, i.e. they employ subject experts and information professionals to select, classify and catalogue Internet resources to aid search and retrieval for the users. Users are offered access to a database of Internet resources descriptions which they can search by keywords or browse by subject area. A description of each resource is provided to help users assess very quickly its origin, content and nature, enabling them to decide if it is worth investigating them further. In the process users get benefited from the expertise of librarians and subject experts with subject gateways rather than having to locate, evaluate, filter and organize the resources themselves. Specialized software are available as freeware or as priced software to create and maintain professionally developed subject gateways. Some of the major portal sites or gateways that provide access to electronic resources on the Internet are as follows:

• WWW Virtual Library http://www.edoc.com/
• Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/
• Michigan Electronic Library http://mel.lib.mi.us/
• Penn Electronic Library http://www.library.upenn.edu/resources/
• BUBL Information Service http://bubl.ac.uk/
• Argus Clearing House http://www.clearinghouse.net/
• Internet Index http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/

6.7 Full Text Resources

Full text resources are increasingly available on the Internet. A few are listed below. You might want to find more of your own through the search engines listed above.

New York Times (www.nytimes.com)
The New York Times on the Web provides access to that newspaper’s articles. You are requested to register, but at least until now, no fee is assessed.

The On-Line Books Page (http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books)
An Index of books online indexes over 11,000 on-line books. Search or browse by author, title, new book listings or subject. A rich collection with numerous book related links.

Tales of Wonder: Folk and Fairy Tales from Around the World
(http://members.xoom.com/darsie/tales)
Tales of Wonder was created by Richard Darsie. This site has full text of a variety of folktales. There are a number of interesting links from his home page including an award winning set of poetry links, cooking links and music connections.

A Children’s Literature Web Guide (www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/index.html)
A Children’s Literature Web Guide offers children’s bestsellers in Canada and the United States, conference and Book related events and reviews online.

BookWire (www.bookwire.com)
Book Wire is developed by R. R. Bowker and includes connections to their periodicals, e.g. SLJ, LJ, etc. The site also includes reports on author tours, provides excerpts from review sources for prose and poetry and includes awards listings.

Project Gutenberg (www.promo.net/pg)
Project Gutenberg is a collection of full text books no longer copyrighted that is continually augmented. This site is set up for full text searching via author or title indexes. A number of sites provide links to this resource.

CTHEORY (www.ctheory.com)
CTHEORY, an electronic review of books, international in scope, is a bit esoteric but the authors make some interesting observations about society in general and books and electronic information in particular.

African American Web Sites (http://home.earthlink.net/~anthony/africa.html)
African American Web Sites links to a number of sites of interest to African Americans and to multicultural curricula.

Britannica.com (www.britannica.com)
The entire contents of Encyclopedia Britannica is available at this Web site. Searchers can access information using a directory of topics or a search engine. Advertising does appear in this version of Britannica. The electronic version of Encyclopedia Britannica that is advertising free and includes more sophisticated search options is available at www.eb.com for a subscription fee.

6.8. Web-based User Education

The www provides a dynamic environment for distributing information over a large network and web-based instructions is a suitable tool to do so. Web-based guides and teaching tools can be easily updated, accessed, and printed on demand. They may include colour graphics, and screenshots. The web-based user education provides a high degree of interactivity and flexibility to the users offering them the benefit of self-pace, graduated to teach from basic to highly advanced levels and designed in a wide range of formats that accommodate diverse learning styles. The proliferation of digital resources will generate greater demands on reference and instructional services. With availability of digital resources that can be used any where at any time, requirement for instructional and reference services would also grow. Failure to develop both the technological aspects and required service components would lead to under utilization of digital resources. The library web sites can use web-based user education for imparting training to users in the following area:

• Basic library skills along with glossary of library terms;

• Using Library OPAC / WebPAC, locating books, magazines and other library materials;

• Instructions for searching CD ROM and web-based databases and other electronic resources; and

• Instructions on subject searching training, using Boolean operators and searching Internet resources through search engines.

The web technology provides for incorporating both synchronous and asynchronous interactivity in the web-based user education.


MADE BY

Dr. R. K. Chadha (MADE FOR AN E COURSE OF CONSORTIUM FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION)
Jt. Secretary
Lok Sabah Secretariat
Parliament Library of India
New Delhi
E-mail: chadha@nic.in, ravichad@gmail.com