31 Organisation of National Information Systems and Programmes

Renu Arora

I. Objectives

The Objective of the module is:

• To identify national level library/information organisations and to explain the programmes and activities being undertaken by such organizations in promotion, coordination and development of library and information activities

II. Learning Outcome

After reading this Module, you will be able to:

• Understand the need formational library/information organizations for development of library and information activities in India;

• Identify the major organizations engaged in performing information functions in various subject areas;

• Highlight their role in providing information to the target users;

• List the programmes and activities being undertaken by such organizations in promotion, coordination and development of library and information services; and

• Identify and detail specifically the role played by some representative organizations in Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities.

III. Module Structure

1. Introduction

2. Information Systems and Programmes in Science and Technology

2.1 National Information System for Science and Technology (NISSAT)

2.2 Technology Information Facilitation Programme (TIFP)

2.3 Biotechnology Information System (BTIS)

2.4 Environmental Information System (ENVIS)

2.5 INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network

2.6 National Informatics Centre (NIC)

2.7 National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR)

2.8 INDEST Consortium

2.9 Defence Scientific and Information Documentation Centre (DESIDOC)

2.10 Indian MEDLARS Centre (IMC)

3. Information Systems and Programmes in Social Sciences

3.1 Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)

3.1.1 National Social Science Documentation Centre (NASSDOC)

3.1.2 INDO-DUTCH Programme on Alternatives in Development (IDPAD)

3.1.3 Documentation Centre for ASIAN Studies (DOCAS)

3.2 UGC-Inter University Centre for International Studies

3.3 UGC-Inter University Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences

3.4 Indo-American Centre of International Studies (IACIS)

3.5 Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE)

3.6 Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA)

3.7 SNDT Women’s University Documentation Centre

3.8 National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi

3.9 Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

4. Information Systems and Programmes in Humanities

4.1 National Archives of India (NAI)

4.1.1 Department of Culture – Networking of Five Major Libraries

4.2 National Museum, New Delhi

4.3 Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi

4.4 Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR), New Delhi

4.5 Indira Gandhi National Centres for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi

4.6 National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi

5. Summary

6. References

1. Introduction

In India, the library and information professionals often come across several problems while serving their users. These problems relate to unavailability or lack of information. At times, there is also duplication or overabundance of information. This has been due to the fact that some of the information services are found to be inadequate and cannot provide researchers with the desired data or information without any time lag and also in a usable form. These problems in the information gap in our country have been identified and discussed several times.

The establishment of various national level library institutions and programmes have contributed towards coordination, promotion and development of library and information services. These organizations include governmental bodies as well as voluntary professional organizations and belong to various categories that include advisory, service-oriented, commercial, grant-giving or catalytic. This also includes non-governmental organizations, organizations with international scope, national organizations with international scope and organs of national/international professional associations and societies.

Developments in technology, especially computer and communication technology have helped the modern information organisations to a large extent. Subsequent to applications of technology, the role of these organizations has become very useful. Presently, resource sharing, library cooperation, consortia, networking, etc. play a vital role in bringing information in various formats closer to users and solve problems of information handling and services.

In this Module, we will discuss some well-established national information organizations that include prominent national documentation/information centres, information systems, and professional organizations with international standing, some national systems with wider orientation and some special organizations offering information services in various specific subject areas.

Also listed are major national information systems and programmes launched by Indian Government in the field of Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities.

2. Information Systems and Programmes in Science and Technology

India, like every other country has a mission to provide multiple platforms for collaboration of scientific professionals and researcher to share existing knowledge and to generate new knowledge. For this, information systems and programmes have been set up in all major scientific and technological areas. Some of these are in the area of agriculture, biotechnology, engineering, environment science, nuclear science, aero sciences, fuel science, etc.

Major information systems in science and technology are listed below:

• National Information System for Science and Technology (NISSAT)

• Technology Information Facilitation Programme (TIFP)

• Biotechnology Information System (BTIS)

• Environmental Information System (ENVIS)

• INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network

• National Informatics Centre (NIC)

• National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR)

• INDEST Consortium

• Defence Scientific and Information Documentation Centre (DESIDOC)

• Indian MEDLARS Centre (IMC)

A brief overview of the above listed national information centres/systems/programmes is given in subsequent sections.

2.1 National Information System for Science and Technology (NISSAT)

The increasing role of science and technology in the economic and social development of the country generated a pressing demand for faster technology transfer to the industries. The information centres serving the needs of different industries and research and development units were, therefore, required to be coordinated and organized into an integrated system to avoid a haphazard growth and duplication of activities and to conform to national and international standards. In order to meet this requirement, the National Information System for Science & Technology (NISSAT) was launched in 1977 Department of Science and Technology (DST). In tune with the changing global scenario and in pursuance of the national efforts in liberalization and globalization of the economy, NISSAT reoriented its programme activities continually in order to be useful to a large number of users in diverse subjects. Besides establishing the internal linkages between the information industry, its promoters and users, NISSAT also made efforts to establish a bridge between information resource developers and users in India and other countries.

NISSAT was instrumental in:

• Development of national information services

• Introduction of modern information techniques

• Setting up of national level 13 Information Centres in various scientific fields

• National access to international databases

• Setting up of value added Patent Information Systems

• ICT based activities

• Manpower development in information science and technology

• IT applications –CDS/ISIS and IDMS package

• Promotion of use of standards

• R & D in Science and Technology

NISSAT programme ceased since March 2002 as most of the National Information Centres located in various scientific institutions and supported by NISSAT started functioning efficiently by support from their parent organisations. DSIR has since launched a new programme ‘Technology Information Facilitation Programme’ keeping in view the importance of digital information resources.

2.2 Technology Information Facilitation Programme (TIFP)

Technology Information Facilitation Programme (TIFP) is one of the components of Technology Promotion, Development and Utilization (TPDU) Programme of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). The broad objective of the programme is to generate endogenous capacities for the development and utilization of digital information resources and provide inputs to S&T research and industrial development.

TIFP is, therefore, being implemented as a co-operative and collaborative venture and built around the existing infrastructure, wherever possible. The specific objectives of TIFP are:

• develop appropriate endogenous information capacities to support the R&D activities,

• support the production of local content and promote use of indigenous knowledge,

• promote information and knowledge networking at local, regional and national levels to facilitate flow and sharing of information resources,

• map the national S & T productivity in relation to the international trend, and

• Promote national and international cooperation in related areas.

2.3 Biotechnology Information System (BTIS)

India was the first country in the world to establish in 1987 a Biotechnology Information System (BTIS) network to create an infrastructure that enables it to harness biotechnology through the application of Bioinformatics. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) took up this infrastructure development project and created a distributed network at a very low cost. BTIS is today recognized as one of the major scientific network in the world dedicated to provide the-state-of-the-art infrastructure, education, manpower and tools in bioinformatics.

The principal aim of the bioinformatics programme was to ensure that India emerges as a key international player in the field of bioinformatics, enabling a greater access to wealth of information created during the post-genomic era and catalyse the country’s attainment of lead position in medical, agricultural, animal and environmental biotechnology. The following are the major thrusts of the programme:

• To undertake advanced research in frontier areas of bioinformatics and computational biology,

• To develop world class human resource in bioinformatics,

• To establish effective academia-industry interface,

• To pursue and promote international cooperation with leading institutions, organizations and countries in the world, and

• To create world-class platforms for technology development, transfer and commercialisation.

Presently, an extensive Bioinformatics Network, covering 120 institutions, spread geographically all over the country, has been established. The BTIS Network covers institutions under DST, CSIR, ICMR, ICAR, universities and institutes under Human Resource Ministry. The Network is also creating human resources in Bioinformatics and carrying out research in different areas of Bioinformatics.

2.4 Environmental Information System (ENVIS)

The ENVIS was implemented in the 6th Five Year Plan for collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of environmental information. This was to make available information to policy makers, planners, decision makers, scientists and environmentalists, researchers and academicians and others.

ENVIS is a decentralised computerised network database system consisting of the focal point located in the Ministry of Environment and a chain of network partners, known as ENVIS Centres located in organisations or institutions throughout the country.

Presently, the ENVIS network, besides the focal point, consists of 76 ENVIS centres. Of these, 29 are on State Government Departments dealing with the status of environment and related issues and the remaining 47 have been set up on various environmental disciplines covering topic like pollution, biodiversity, solid waste management, ecology and ecosystems, environmental education, etc.

Other details of ENVIS are discussed in the Module on ENVIS.

2.5 INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network

Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) Centre was setup in 1991 as an autonomous Inter-University Centre (IUC) of University Grants Commission (UGC) involved in creating infrastructure for sharing of library and information resources and services among Academic and Research Institutions, with its headquarters at Gujarat University Campus, Ahmedabad. It became an independent Inter-University Centre in 1996 and works in collaboration with Indian university libraries to shape the future of the academic libraries in the evolving information environment.

At present INFLIBNET is functioning from its own building in Infocity, Gandhinagar. INFLIBNET is involved in modernizing university libraries in India and connecting them as well as information centres in the country through a nation-wide high speed data network using the state-of-art technologies for the optimum utilisation of information. INFLIBNET is also involved in promoting scholarly communication among academicians and researchers in India. It can be defined as a computer communication network of libraries and information centres of universities, institutions of national importance, Research and Development Institutions, bibliographical information centres, etc., thereby improving the capability in information handling and services.

The primary objectives of INFLIBNET are:

• To promote and establish communication facilities to improve capability in information transfer and access, that provides support to scholarship, learning, research and academic pursuit throughcooperation and involvement of agencies concerned.

• To establish INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network a computer communication network for linking libraries and information centres in universities, deemed to be universities, colleges, UGC information centres, institutions of national importance and R & D institutions, etc. avoiding duplication of efforts.

In order to fulfil the above mentioned broad objectives, INFLIBNET does the following:

• Promote and implement computerisation of operations and services in the libraries and information centres of the country, following a uniform standard,

• Evolve standards and uniform guidelines in techniques, methods, procedures, computer hardware and software, services and promote their adoption in actual practice by all libraries, in order to facilitate pooling, sharing and exchange of information towards optimal use of resources and facilities,

• Evolve a national network interconnecting various libraries and information centres in the country and to improve capability in information handling and service,

• Provide reliable access to document collection of libraries by creating on-line union catalogues of serials, theses/dissertations, books, monographs and non-book materials (manuscripts, audio-visuals, computer data, multimedia, etc.) in various libraries in India,

• Provide access to bibliographic information sources with citations, abstracts etc. through indigenously created databases of the Sectoral Information Centres of NISSAT, UGC Information Centres, City Networks and such others and by establishing gateways for on-line accessing of national and international databases held by national and international information networks and centres respectively,

• Develop new methods and techniques for archival of valuable information available as manuscripts and information documents in different Indian languages, in the form of digital images using high density storage media,

• Optimise information resource utilization through shared cataloguing, inter-library loan service, catalogue production, collection development and thus avoiding duplication in acquisition to the extent possible,

• Enable the users dispersed all over the country, irrespective of location and distance, to have access to information regarding serials, theses/dissertations, books, monographs and non-book materials by locating the sources wherefrom available and to obtain it through the facilities of INFLIBNET and union catalogue of documents,

• Create databases of projects, institutions, specialists, etc. for providing on-line information service,

• Encourage co-operation among libraries, documentation centres and information centres in the country, so that the resources can be pooled for the benefit of helping the weaker resource centres by stronger ones,

• Train and develop human resources in the field of computerised library operations and networking to establish, manage and sustain INFLIBNET,

• Facilitate academic communication amongst scientists, engineers, social scientists, academics, faculties, researchers and students through electronic mail, file transfer, computer/audio/video conferencing, etc.,

• Undertake system design and studies in the field of communications, computer networking, information handling and data management,

• Establish appropriate control and monitoring system for the communication network and organise maintenance,

• Collaborate with institutions, libraries, information centres and other organisations in India and abroad in the field relevant to the objectives of the Centre,

• Create and promote R&D and other facilities and technical positions for realising the objectives of the Centre.

• Generate revenue by providing consultancies and information services.

• Do all other such things as may be necessary, incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the above objectives.

INFLIBNET offers several services which include document delivery services, creation of bibliographic union database, SOUL support, web R & D services, etc.

2.6 National Informatics Centre (NIC)

National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology is providing network backbone and e-Governance support to Central Government, State Governments, UT Administrations, Districts and other Government bodies. It offers a wide range of ICT services including Nationwide Communication Network for decentralised planning, improvement in Government services and wider transparency of national and local Governments.

NIC assists in implementing Information Technology Projects, in close collaboration with Central and State Governments, in the areas of (a) Centrally sponsored schemes and Central sector schemes, (b) State sector and State sponsored projects, and (c) District Administration sponsored projects. NIC endeavours to ensure that the latest technology in all areas of IT is available to its users.

National Informatics Center is the nodal Information Technology organization for informatics development and networking in Government and Government related Organizations. NICNET facility has been established in all Central Government departments, 35 States/UTs and about 625 District administrations of India to facilitate informatics development for decision support and information exchange. A high speed NICNET National info-Highway, an incremental overlay over the existing network has also been setup with modern high speed networks to take advantage of Internet technology in India.

2.7 National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR)

The Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) was set up in 1952, with the technical assistance from UNESCO.Also, the National Institute of Science Communication (NISCOM), the erstwhile Publications and Information Directorate (PID) was set up in 1951 to published scientific journals, periodicals and to compile information on the country’s raw material in the form of an encyclopaedic publication of national importance. Both the institutes, the NISCOM and INSDOC merged on 30th September, 2002 giving rise to National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR), which devotes itself to science communication, dissemination and Science and Technology information management systems and services user with the application of modern Information Technology infrastructure.

The Mission Statement of NISCAIR is ‘To become the prime custodian of all information resources on current and traditional knowledge systems in science and technology in the country, and to promote communication in science to diverse constituents at all levels, using the most appropriate technologies.’

To meet the various objectives of NISCAIR, several services/activities are organized by the Institute. We will discuss these details in the Module on NISCAIR.

2.8 INDEST Consortium

Set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), on the recommendation made by the Expert Group appointed by the ministry, the “Indian National Digital Library in Engineering Sciences and Technology (INDEST) Consortium “provides access to full-text e- journals. The Ministry provides funds required for subscription to electronic resources for (60) institutions including IISc, IITs, NITs, IIMs and a few other centrally-funded Government institutions through the consortium headquarters set-up at the IIT Delhi. Besides, Government or Government-aided engineering colleges and technical departments in universities have joined the Consortium with financial support from the AICTE. Moreover, the INDEST- AICTE Consortium, as an open-ended proposition, welcomes other institutions to join it on their own for sharing benefits it offers in terms of highly discounted rates of subscription and better terms of agreement with the publishers. All electronic resources being subscribed are available from the publisher’s Website. The Consortium has an active mailing list and a Web site hosted at the IIT Delhi.

The INDEST-AICTE Consortium is the most ambitious initiative taken so far in the country. The benefit of consortia-based subscription to electronic resources is not confined to 38 major technological institutions in the country but is also extended to all AICTE-accredited and UGC-affiliated institutions. Already, 60 engineering colleges and institutions have joined the consortium and recently 1245 engineering colleges and institutions joined under self support- new scheme.

Membership to the INDEST-AICTE Consortium is open to any private/Government-funded engineering/technological/educational institution/university for one or more electronic resources. The new members are required to sign an agreement with the Consortium as well as with the publishers of electronic resources that they wish to subscribe. The consortium charges an annual membership fee of Rs. 2,000/. Members can subscribe to a number of electronic resources including full-text and bibliographic databases through the INDEST- AICTE Consortium. The website (http://paniit.iitd.ac.in/indest/) provides a complete list and description of resources available through the consortia. In January 2016, the INDEST- AICTE consortium submerged with new consortium called e-ShodhSindhu and functioned from INFLIBNET Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

2.9 Defence Scientific and Information Documentation Centre (DESIDOC)

DESIDOC, functioning under the Defence Science Laboratory (DSL), DRDO provides S & T information to the DRDO Headquarters and its various other labs located all over India. The centre offers library services, information services, technical services, database development, training, multimedia laboratory facilities and publications to the scientists of DRDO.

The major activities of DESIDOC are:

Network Services

The Network Services Division (NSD) of DESIDOC is responsible for designing, hosting and maintenance of DRDO website on Internet, DRDO Intranet administration and co- ordination, designing, hosting, maintenance of DESIDOC website and Internet services. The Division is also engaged in software development, hardware maintenance, network management, and provides support for IT-based courses. It is also responsible for interaction with academia, project training of students, IT support to Group for Forecasting and Systems and Technologies (G-FAST), DRDO Directors, Conferences, DRDO e-mail facility, etc. to DRDO officials.

Library Services

These include the Online Public Access Catalogue, CD-ROM Search Service, Document Supply Service and Resource Sharing. It also carries out maintenance of Defence Science Library (the central library of DRDO).

Information Processing & Dissemination

This division carries out collection of S&T information of DRDO interest, providing current awareness services to DRDO scientists that include Newspaper Clippings Service, IEE/IEEE contents and Current contents service in Military Science and Technology.

Database Development

Bibliographic databases developed and maintained by DESIDOC are:

• OPAC, Bibliographic database of books/reports/conference proceedings in Defence Science Library.

• SPIE/IEE/IEEE conference proceedings.

• Journal articles database

• Full text databases

• Newspaper clippings

• Defence Science Journal

• IEE/IEEE Contents

DRDO Publications

Functions as the publication wing of DRDO and brings out a number of publications, covering current developments in Indian Defence R&D. The periodicals published are

• Defence Science Journal

• Technology Focus

• DRDO Newsletter

• DRDO Samachar

• DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology (DJLIT)

Training

Training in the areas of library automation, database development, online searching, e-mail and internet use, technical communication, multimedia development and other relevant aspects of information technology are conducted regularly for the DRDO personnel.

Technical Services

• Providing reprography (photography, audio, video presentation materials), translation, communication (e-mail, Internet) and printing services.

• Providing DRDO Intranet service/support to various labs of DRDO

• Designing, maintaining and updating of official website of DRDO on regular basis.

DESIDOC also functions as the publication wing of DRDO, providing scientific and technical information via specialised publications, monographs, technical bulletins, online journals and popular science publications.

2.10 Indian MEDLARS Centre (IMC)

Indian MEDLARS Centre (IMC) was set up in 1986, as a collaborative project between Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi and National Informatics Centre (NIC), to provide biomedical information services from the MEDLARS databases of National Library of Medicine (NLM), USA. This Centre become recognized as the 17th International MEDLARS Centre and is more popularly known as the Indian MEDLARS Centre (IMC).

The centre caters to the information needs of medical community of India, as IndMEDis a database covering prominent peer reviewed Indian biomedical journals. This database is designed to provide medical professionals, researchers, students and the medical library professional quick and easy access to Indian literature.

The purpose of IndMED is to index selected peer reviewed medical journals published from India. It supplements international indexing services like PubMed and covers journals indexed from 1985 onwards. Another resource produced under this project is a portal of full text articles (medIND) of select Indian medical journals indexed in IndMED or PubMed.For continuing the maintaining, updating and improvising these two important national resources, that is, IndMED and medIND, ICMR funded a new project (National Databases of Indian Medical Journals) in 2010.

Other facilities available with the centre include a Union catalogue, CD-ROM Databases, full-text search (some journals), training facilities to biomedical professionals and search facilities.

3. Information Systems and Programmes in Social Sciences

Social sciences are the study of human society and of individual relationships in and to society. In other words, it is a scholarly or scientific discipline that deals with disciplines that include sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science and history. In this section, we will discuss various information organisations, systems and programmes in the field of social sciences.

In India, major initiatives in the field of social sciences have been by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and its related bodies. These include:

• Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)

• UGC-Inter University Centre for International Studies

• UGC-Inter University Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences

• Indo-American Centre of International Studies (IACIS)

Some other organisations that provide support to social science research are:

• Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics

• Indian Institute of Public Administration

• SNDT Women’s University Documentation Centre

• National Council of Applied Economic Research

• Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Let us learn some details of these organisations.

3.1 Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)

ICSSR was established in 1969 by MHRD, as an autonomous body to promote social science research in our country. The Council supports 27 Research Centres and 6 Regional Centres all over the country. The Council offers grants to institutions and individuals, offers fellowships, arranges training in research and provides guidance in research, and supports library and documentation centres for providing information services in social sciences. There are a large number of books and journals published by the Council.

Some of the programmes/activities/centres of ICSSR are:

• National Social Science Documentation Centre (NASSDOC)

• INDO-DUTCH Programme on Alternatives in Development (IDPAD)

• Documentation Centre for ASIAN Studies (DOCAS)

3.1.1 National Social Science Documentation Centre (NASSDOC)

National Social Science Documentation Centre (NASSDOC), was established in 1969 as a Division of ICSSR with the objective to provide library and information support services to researchers in social sciences; those working in academic institutions, autonomous research organisations, policy making, planning and research units of government departments, business and industry etc. NASSDOC provides guidance to libraries of ICSSR Regional Centres and ICSSR maintained Research Institutes.

3.1.2 INDO-DUTCH Programme on Alternatives in Development (IDPAD)

IDPAD is a collaborative programme of ICSSR and the Netherlands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research, The Hague, since 1981. It was launched in response to the intense debate on developmental and North-South issues in the 1970s with the goal of charting a new course in policy oriented academic research. Some of the most eminent social scientists and policy-makers of India and the Netherlands were founders of this programmes.

IDPAD was launched as a phased programme, with 5 phases and the last phase that commenced in 2002 having come to end recently this year with a focus on:

• Research Projects

• Seminars and Workshops

• Exchange of Scholars

• Publications and Dissemination

• Access to Information

Exchange of scholars has also been an important component of this programme.

3.1.3 Documentation Centre for ASIAN Studies (DOCAS)

The ICSSR has set up a Documentation Centre for ASIAN Studies (DOCAS) with financial assistance from the Government of Japan. The Centre is located in the Council’s headquarters. The subject areas that are covered are chiefly environmental science and public health. The aim of the Centre is to help policy makers in Asian countries to establish better relationships among themselves for the welfare of people of the region. The main objectives and functions of the Centre include library and documentation facilities, creations of databases, maintaining a bibliography on Indian literature on Asia and international exchange of related publications.

3.2 UGC-Inter University Centre for International Studies

The UGC has established this Inter-University Centres (IUCs) at Osmania University Campus, Hyderabad by taking over the facilities available at the Indo-American Centre for International Studies. The Centre is for centrally providing state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for the benefit of researchers working in different universities. The IUC is instrumental in providing dynamic and vibrant platform for academicians from India, SAARC region, Central Asian and other countries. The main objective of the IUC is to address contemporary development issues with multi disciplinary approach in various areas of social sciences and humanities especially with regard to education, commerce, economics, world trade, conflict management, diplomacy, human rights, art, literature and allied areas.

3.3 UGC-Inter University Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences

This is one of the four National Facility Centres of UGC, located at Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla. The main objectives of the Centre are to invite teachers from universities and colleges to the institute as associate of the IUC, organise “Research Seminars” for researchers and young teachers in University and Colleges and to organize “Study weeks” for discussing important problems of National and international interest.

3.4 Indo-American Centre of International Studies (IACIS)

One of the largest research centres on American Studies in Asia or Africa, the IACIS is situated in Hyderabad. The chief feature of the centre is its unique library collection of books, periodicals, A/V materials, micro documents and other materials on American literature, history, politics, economics, geography, religion, philosophy, law, international relations, foreign policy, etc.

UGC has taken over the physical and academic infrastructure of this centre and has established UGC-IUC Centre for International Studies in the field of humanities and social sciences.

Some other organisations that provide support to social science research are:

3.5 Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE)

Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE), Pune, is one of the oldest research and training institutes in Economics in the country. Research in the socio-economic dimensions of the Indian society and training researchers is its primary objectives. It was established in 1930 by the Servants of India Society, founded by late Shri Gopal Krishna Gokhale. The vision of the Institute is to conduct research, education and extension on the foremost social and economic problems at national and international levels with the aim of providing viable solutions for decision makers the betterment of human life. Dhananjaya rao Gadgil Library, the library of the GIPE, has one of the largest and most important collections of social science documents in India. It has a large member of publications on economics and allied social science subjects and caters to the needs of scholars, academicians, policy makers and other users working in social science subjects in India and abroad.

3.6 Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA)

IIPA is an autonomous academic institution of national eminence for training, research and information dissemination in streams related to the field of Public Administration. Located in Delhi, it is recognised internationally as a premier centre for training and research in Public Administration and Management. The chief objective of this institution is to promote and provide for the study of Public Administration and economic and political science with special reference to public administration and the machinery of government and educational purposes.

The activities of the Institute are organized in four inter-related areas of Research, Training, Advisory Services, and Dissemination of Information. The Institute has enriched the literature on Public Administration through a large number of serials and monographs besides research studies, proceedings of seminars /conferences and lectures, etc. The Institute publishes five periodicals regularly.

The IIPA Library is one of the major social science resources in India. It has a collection of about 2 lakh volumes of books and periodicals and receives 350 current periodicals. It is a depository library for the publications of the World Bank and has been accorded depository library status for the publications of International Monetary Fund. Most of the Library functions and services are computerized. The Library provides a variety of current awareness services and regularly brings out monthly List of Additions, fortnightly List of Significant Articles and weekly Current Contents to keep its readers informed of the incoming documents. It undertakes literature survey and makes subject bibliographies available on demand.

3.7 SNDT Women’s University Documentation Centre

SNDT Women’s University is the first women’s university is India as well as in South-east Asia. The SNDT Women’s University Library is committed to empowerment of women by providing resources & services with ICTs that are essential to teaching, learning, research and creation of knowledge systems. To realize this mission, the library is committed to create hospitable physical and virtual environment for study, teaching and research.

The documentation centre of SNDT came up in Mumbai in 1982. It was earlier operating as a small informal information cell. The centre provides reference and interlibrary loan facilities; abstracting and indexing services, SDI services, bibliographical compilation and has a number of information products.

3.8 National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi

NCAER has done pioneering research work in areas of applied economics with an emphasis on policy analysis and application of modern quantitative techniques to development issues, regional development and planning, household income, consumption, savings /investment and energy. It has a unique position in the country for designing and executing large-scale sample surveys on regional and human development as well as a large range of consumer products. NCAER has built up a rich database on economic and commercial data. Its clients include government ministries, The Planning Commission, state governments, public and private sector companies and international agencies.

The NCAER Library, is one of India’s premier research libraries in applied economics since its inception in 1956, has been an integral part of the institution. It provides research support to the Council’s economists as well as to policy makers, administrators, consultants, students and others users from all over the country. The library plays a vital role in collecting, organizing and disseminating information for the benefit of researchers. The NACAER Library is also a Depository Library for Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund and for selected UN publications.

3.9 Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

TISS, established as the Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work in 1936, was the first school of social work in India. It was renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944 and in 1964 was recognized as a Deemed University by the University Grants Commission of India.

TISS initially started as an institute offering a post-graduate diploma in social work, but expanded continuously in terms of educational programmes and infrastructure. Over the years, the Institute has made a significant contribution to policy, planning, action strategies and human resource development. It has done so in several areas, ranging from sustainable rural and urban development to education, health, communal harmony, human rights and industrial relations.

TISS Library was established along with the institute in1936and is one of the leading social science libraries in the country. The library was named as ‘Sir Dorabji Tata Memorial Library’ in 2002. It is equipped to meet the academic and research information needs of the user community and provides user-focused services to obtain and evaluate scholarly information and knowledge. As this library specializes in the field of applied social sciences, it has become the most sought after library for the social scientists of India. It is also acts as a unique knowledge centre that offers essential and specialized information resources and services to meet the growing information needs by:

• Developing user-based resources

• Organizing information resources

• Providing human and technologically moderated access to information, and

• Facilitating users to identify, locate, obtain and evaluate information.

4. Information Systems and Programmes in Humanities

In India, several organizations have come up to promote and support research activities in the field of humanities. Libraries and information centres attached to these organizations help researchers and users in their work. Some of these centres are:

• National Archives of India, New Delhi

• National Museum, New Delhi

• Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi

• Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR), New Delhi

• Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi

• National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi

Brief details of the above mentioned organizations are given in the subsequent sections.

4.1 National Archives of India (NAI)

The National Archives of India is the repository of the non-current records of the Government of India and is holding them in trust for the use of administrators and scholars. It is an Attached Office of the Department of Culture under Ministry of Tourism & Culture. The chief vision of the NAI is to maintain the cultural heritage of the country. It was set up in March 1891 in Calcutta (Kolkata) as the Imperial Record Department and subsequent to the transfer of the National Capital from Calcutta to New Delhi in 1911 it was shifted to its present building in 1926.

The various categories of records held by the National Archives are – Public Records, Oriental Records, Manuscripts and Private papers. NAI preserves and documents the collection for use by the scholars, provides training in various aspects of Archival Science at professional level and provides assistance to state archives, museums, libraries and voluntary organisations for preservation and maintaining or rare manuscripts books in their custody. The National Archives ensures longevity of documents in its custody through various conservation and photo-duplication processes. The Department has invented a unique process of repairing and rejuvenating documents.

Apart from the vast bulk of Public Records and Private Papers, the National Archives has a rich and ever growing collection in its library. This has some of the oldest and rare publications on a variety of subjects, besides contemporary published material. A computerization and digitalization programme for an ‘Automated Retrieval System’ with the help of tailor made software known as ‘Archival Information Management System (AIMS)’, has been launched for computerization of records. The collection already digitized is available on line for use in Research Room by Research Scholars/Archivists/users of archives.

4.1.1 Department of Culture – Networking of Five Major Libraries

The Department of Culture has initiated action for networking of five major Libraries of India, these are:

• Central Secretariat Library (CSL), New Delhi

• National Museum Library (NML), New Delhi

• National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) Library, New Delhi

• National Archives of India (NAI) Library

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Library, New Delhi.

i. This Network has the following objectives:

ii. Availability of Library Catalogue Details on Computers

iii. Intra Library accessibility of records

iv. Internet/Intranet access for libraries, and

v. Remote log-in to internal database/network.

4.2 National Museum, New Delhi

The National Museum of India established in 1949 under the Ministry of Culture, located in New Delhi has presently in its possession over 2,00,000 works of exquisite art, both of Indian and foreign origin covering more than 5,000 years of our cultural heritage. Their rich holding of various creative traditions and disciplines which represents a unity amidst diversity, an unmatched blend of the past with the present and strong perspective for the future, brings history to life.

Apart from the collections of Pre-historic Archaeology, Archaeology, Jewellery, Paintings, Decorative arts, Manuscripts, Central Asian Antiquities, Arms and Armour, etc., the Museum has separate branches of publication, Hindi, Public Relations, Education, Library, Exhibition cell, Display, Modelling, Photography, Security and Administration. A well-equipped conservation laboratory not only provides restoration to all the organic and inorganic art objects but also training facilities to students and deserving professionals, including restoration of oil-paintings in India.

The National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Musicology came into existence in 1983, and now is deemed to be a University, provides various courses with its campus at National Museum, New Delhi.

Since its inception, it has been bringing out various publications for the people from all walks of life. There are books for children, for common visitors and for the scholars interested in the study of art, architecture, painting, sculptures, history, religion, culture etc. controlled by a keeper. Exhibition Cell of the National Museum organises International and National Exhibitions in India and Abroad.

The National Museum has a reference library which is equipped with variety of books and periodicals, etc. This library collects books and journals related to the fields of history, art and culture of the World for specialized research and reference. It covers a variety of themes such as anthropology, archaeology, conservation, decorative arts, history, literature, museum studies, painting and philosophy and religion. It contains over sixty thousand volumes of books, bound journals as well as several Indian and international journals and magazines. The library is open for user by research scholars, university students, professors, teachers and fellowship holders.

4.3 Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi

Founded in 1950, the Council was established by Shri Maulana Abul Kalam Azad for strengthening the ties of cultural cooperation and exchange between India and other countries. The chief objectives of the Council include participation in the formation of policies and programmes related to India’s cultural relations and to promote cultural exchange with other countries and people. The chief activities of the Council are exchange of visits of scholars, academicians, artist, performing artists; collaboration with foreign cultural centres in India; and providing scholarships to foreign students in India for study and research.

The publishing activity of the Council is very high with publications in English, Hindi, in some foreign languages covering various subjects that include culture, arts, history, philosophy and literature. The personal collection of books and manuscripts bequeathed by Shri Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the Founder President of the Council, forms the core of the ICCR Library. A catalogue of the manuscripts and personal books of Shri Maulana Azad has been printed in book form in three languages- Arabic, Urdu and Persian.

The ICCR library collection is one of the major cultural resources of our country and has presently over 56,000 volumes including books, journals, manuscripts and magazines in English, Hindi and Urdu. The Library is largely used by scholars who are researching on Indian art, culture, history, literature and international relations and allied subjects. ICCR offers Library Fellowships annually to facilitate research in various languages or cultural fields by Indian scholars under 35 years of age.

4.4 Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR), New Delhi

Established in 1972, by the Government of India as an autonomous body, the ICHR aims to promote and support historical research in the country. Besides achieving the chief goal of an inter-disciplinary approach in historical perspectives, the Council also funds seminars/conference/workshops related to history.

The publications brought out by the Council are in areas that include Indian history and allied areas, Reference books and History of Asia and neighbouring countries. To assist the scholars in various parts of the country, the Council has two Regional Centres:

• ICHR North-Eastern Regional Centre, Guwahati

• ICHR Southern Regional Centre, Bangaluru

The Library Cum Documentation centre of the council caters to information needs of the research scholars. The two journals published by ICHR are: The Indian Historical Review (English) and Itihas (Hindi)

The Library and Documentation Centre of ICHR is a leading information reference centre in the field of Indian history and allied disciplines. It is well equipped with over 70,000 print reading materials, which include books, reports, conference proceedings, theses and dissertations and other valuable source documents. The Library subscribes to more than 100 national and international journals in print format and also subscribing many e-journals from different publishers. Apart from these, the library has a good collection of microfilms and microfiches in the concerned subjects.

4.5 Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, established in 1985, is visualised as a centre encompassing the study and experience of all the arts. The chief aims of the Centre are:

• To serve as a major resource centre for the arts, especially written, oral and visual source materials;

• To undertake research and publication programmes of reference works, glossaries, dictionaries and encyclopaedia concerning the arts and the humanities;

• To establish a tribal and folk arts division with a core collection for conducting systematic scientific studies and for live presentations.

• One of the programmes of this centre, in collaboration with UNDP, is to utilize multimedia computer technology to create a wide variety of software packages that communicate cultural information. Multimedia technology allows the user to interact and explore the subject in a non-linear mode by combining audio, text, graphics, animation and video on a computer.

The Centre comprises of 5 divisions:

• Kala Nidhi – collects primary and secondary materials on Humanities

• Kala Kosa – concerned with research and publication activities of IGNCA

• JanpadaSampada – complements Kala Kosa with regard to eco-cultural, socio- economic context, life-style studies, multimedia presentation and events, etc.

• Kala Dashan – deals with exhibitions, lectures, conferences in areas of art and culture

• Sutra Dhara- Administrative Division and International Dialogue Unit.

The Kala Nidhi Division is the knowledge hub of IGNCA and is designed to support the research objectives of the various divisions of the Centre and also to act as a national facility to support scholars and researchers from India and abroad. The backbone of Kala Nidhi is its reference library that holds a carefully selected collection of about 1.5 lakh books. This is a fast growing collection with an average of over 3,000 additions being made annually. The collection comprises of updated reference books, bibliographies, monographs, conference proceedings, translations, catalogues of unpublished manuscripts of Indic and Asian origin, biographies and autobiographies, among other reference material. The library is fully automated, providing easy access to its resources through OPAC terminals, and has been organized scientifically as per internationally accepted standards.

IGNCA has been designated as the nodal agency for all matters relating to arts, humanities and cultural heritage by the Government of India to provide computerized storage, retrieval and dissemination of information on all aspects of arts and cultural heritage. Over the years, the IGNCA has developed several unique computerized multi-media databases and information systems to preserve the vast cultural heritage in various forms and make it accessible for research and dissemination. Special efforts have been made to network these programmes with various institutions inside and outside the country.

4.6 National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi

The National Mission for Manuscripts was launched in February 2003 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, to save this most valuable but less visible of our cultural inheritances. IGNCA is the National Nodal Agency for the implementation of the Mission, and houses the National Manuscripts Library. The National Manuscripts Library is envisaged as the central repository for microfilms and digital copies of all Indian manuscripts. The Library is expected to provide manuscript services to the scholars for accessing any information and obtaining microfilm/digital copies. The Mission would collaborate with other national institutions and the several partner institutions in the country.

The Mission’s objectives with regard to the manuscripts located all over the country are:

• Survey and Locate

• Catalogue and Compile

• Conserve and Preserve

• Promote Access

• Promote Scholarship

• Public Outreach

The Mission’s main aim is to create an electronic database of manuscripts. The database contains information of various kinds on India’s manuscripts-titles, themes, authors, commentaries, scripts, languages, conservation status and much more. The database all contains information on existing catalogues. The Mission endeavours to provide complete and valid information about each manuscript.

5. Summary

In India, information systems, services and facilities are being built up at various levels in all subject areas. Development of capability in information handling and dissemination helps a country in advancement, understanding, decision-making, planning and policymaking, technology transfer, minimising duplication of effort and conservation of resources.

Information is a vital resource for users and for information specialists. The national organizations, international organizations and professional bodies are engaged in providing services and products which help in closing the information gap. The modern technologies, especially the computer and the telecommunication technologies, have helped to bridge this gap to a great extent. This has been possible within the framework of several organizations that have come forward with their programmes and activities. The growing demand for information and increasing use of present facilities and services indicates the need and importance of such national and special information organizations within our information infrastructure.

In this Module, an overview of national information organisations, systems and facilities in various subject areas has been given. The national information activities in the field of science and technology, social sciences and humanities have been broadly outlined. The details of some of the organisations listed in this Module have been covered in detail in the subsequent Modules.

6. References

1. Atherton, Pauline. Handbook for Information Systems and Services. Paris: UNESCO, 1977.

2. Kent, Allen, ed. Encyclopaedia of Library and Information Science. London: Macmillan, 1980.

3. Khanna, J.K. Documentation and information services, systems and techniques. Agra: Y.K. Publishers, 2000.

4. Khanna, J. K. Handbook of Information Systems and Services. New Delhi: Beacon Books, 1996.