{"id":103,"date":"2018-07-02T11:50:16","date_gmt":"2018-07-02T11:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lisp4.epgpbooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/?post_type=chapter&p=103"},"modified":"2018-07-30T10:41:13","modified_gmt":"2018-07-30T10:41:13","slug":"information-services-concept-need-etc","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/ebooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/lisp4\/chapter\/information-services-concept-need-etc\/","title":{"rendered":"Information Services: Concept, Need etc."},"content":{"raw":" \r\n\r\nI.\u00a0 Objectives<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe module aims to\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 Introduce the concepts of reference, documentation and information services\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 Discuss the practice of information services in digital \/ virtual environment\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 Illustrate the various types of information services\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nII.\u00a0\u00a0 Learning outcome<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAfter completion of the module the student will\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 Distinguish the different types of information services\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 Understand the growth and changing practices of information services\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 Know the information services and products suitable for digital environment\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIII.\u00a0\u00a0 Structure of Module<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n1.\u00a0 Introduction\r\n\r\n2.\u00a0 Information Services \u2013 Origins in libraries\r\n\r\n2.1\u00a0 Reference\r\n\r\n2.2\u00a0 Documentation\r\n\r\n2.3.\u00a0 Information services\r\n\r\n2.4.\u00a0 Online services\r\n\r\n2.5.\u00a0 Growth of Information services in India\r\n\r\n3.\u00a0 Changing practices of Information services\r\n\r\n3.1\u00a0 Information services - types\r\n\r\n3.1.1.\u00a0 Reference service\r\n\r\n3.1.2.\u00a0 Current awareness\r\n\r\n3.1.3.\u00a0 Information analysis and consolidation services\r\n\r\n3.1.4.\u00a0 Translation and reprography\r\n\r\n4.\u00a0 Current trends in information services\r\n\r\n4.1.\u00a0 Information literacy\r\n\r\n4.2.\u00a0 Webliography\r\n\r\n4.2. Digital \/ Virtual reference service\r\n\r\n4.4.\u00a0 Aggregator\r\n\r\n4.5.\u00a0 Digital repositories\r\n\r\n5.\u00a0 Summary\r\n\r\n6.\u00a0 References\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Introduction<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

Information is the basis of all communication. The intrinsic value of information lies in its transmission and utilization. However information is complex in nature as it is hidden in various forms and formats. The communication of information from the generation point to use point is a multistage process. The users would like to access information that should be relevant to the context, accurate for the purpose, complete for the problem and reliable. Therefore libraries are acting as channels to bridge the gap between the static information and dynamic user and facilitate continuous flow of relevant information to the users. While studying the information communication you might have studied about the barriers to communication like exponential growth, time, space, culture, language etc. To overcome each barrier different types of information services have been introduced from time to time by libraries.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Suseela Kumar observed that \u201cA reader may need a specific type of information for a specific purpose. The number of documents are produced is very large, so large that it is impossible for the reader to keep track of its information\u201d Hence the library\u2019s \/ librarians\u2019 main function is to provide the \u2018connecting link\u2019 between the reader and the book and set the ideas, information and knowledge in motion. For this purpose the LIS professionals have developed the various services with information retrieval as motto. The definition given by A. L. A. Glossary of Library Terms will enable you to understand the concept more clearly. According to it, service means \u201cAn agency which supplies information especially current data, in easily available form, not readily available otherwise\u201d. So the libraries are the agencies that provide services for its members. The \u2018service\u2019 component develops high degree of rapport between library staff and users. The information services as you observe in libraries today were redesigned and reoriented from time to time suitable to user demands. Indeed the concept of information services has a long history that can be traced back from 19th\u00a0century reference service to the present digital services. In the following paragraphs you can have an overview of the trends in the development of information services.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Evolution of concept of information service<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe concept of information service has its roots in the \u2018personal assistance\u2019 offered in the public libraries of\r\n

U.S.A. Later various services have emerged under the umbrella term \u2018information services. The growth of the concept is presented under reference, documentation, information and online services.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n2.1. Reference service<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

In the earliest period the function of the libraries was to collect and preserve reading material. The scholar knows most of the books and the authors in his subject as the publications are limited hence no expectation for assistance from the librarian for information gathering or access. After inventing the printing press there was gradual growth in publication activity and the libraries collections were increased significantly. It was no longer possible for the scholars to locate the book and or information without assistance from the librarians. The initial stages of personal assistance were rudimentary and quite peripheral to the library\u2019s main function of acquisition, arrangement and supply until the emergence of reference service in the last quarter of 19th century. According to \u2018World Encyclopaedia of Library and Information Science (1980)<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u201cReference service had its beginning in the last quarter of 19th century. By the time of World War II, most of its basic forms and techniques had been developed. Most historians of reference service find it convenient to begin with Samuel Swett Green\u2019s 1876 paper, \u201cPersonal relations between Librarians and Readers\u201d at a\u00a0conference in Philadelphia. Until that time, the predominant view of the function of library service emphasized the acquisition and organization of library materials, and the library clientele were expected to use the material independently. Green, on the other hand, pointed that library users were unskilled in using the catalogue to find materials and lacked knowledge necessary to select the material appropriate to their needs. Personal assistance to such users would benefit them and would result in their taking a more positive view of the library.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n

Green\u2019s observations and suggestions were made with reference to public libraries. The idea got momentum with acceptance by eminent personalities like Melvil Dewey who advocated the concept of reference service. Thus the concepts of \u2018aid to reader\u2019 and \u2018assistance to reader\u2019 were initiated and by 1890 the terms were replaced by \u2018reference work\u2019. Early part of 20th century witnessed the establishment of separate reference departments in libraries with trained staff for the purpose. Public libraries in USA have drawn the attention of the government and the public, introducing noteworthy services like \u2018special publics\u2019, \u2018bibliotherapy\u2019 etc.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n2.2. Documentation<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

The emergence of primary research findings in the form of journals and research reports and their phenomenal growth in 20th century lead the libraries to devise the new types of services It was the Second World War that necessitated speedy dissemination of information in education and scientific research. Consequently, the provision of assistance to the user was accepted as a central activity of the library. Listing of articles published in journals in narrow subject areas became a necessity to provide access to current information. Thus the concept of \u2018Documentation\u2019 was emerged. Its focus is on latest information published in primary information sources. Documentation is a process of collecting and subject classifying all the records of new observations and making them available at need to the discoverer and inventor (S.C. Bradford). According to S.R.Ranganathan it is promotion and practice of bringing into use nascent micro thought by a specialist, which is pin pointed, exhaustive and expeditious. However this service was confined in general to special libraries.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n2.3. Information service<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

The growth of special libraries to disseminate scientific and technical information to scientists and researchers lead to the development of \u2018information service\u2019, an umbrella term that includes reference, alert, review, analysis and consolidation types of services. According to D.J.Foskett \u201cIt is mainly in scientific and industrial research that the \u201cinformation service\u201d or \u201cinformation library\u201d has developed most strikingly into its present characteristic form.\u201d \u201cWhile the major features of information services were developed by the mid-20th century, their particular concerns and activities are continually changing as user needs and information resources change.\u201d (World Enc., 1980).<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The services are provided in anticipation of an expressed need or in response to identified needs.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The services may range from directional, actual search for information, extraction and synthesis of information to delivery of information.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They gained significance as all other activities of library like selection, acquisition, technical processing and shelf arrangement are considered as means to make the services possible.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n

In a parallel development public libraries of the West began in 1970s Information and Referral services using unconventional resources like experts from the community, information relating to basic needs like food, health, housing, employment etc. (Enc. of LIS 25:222).<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n2.4. Online services<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

The application of computer to the problems of information storage, processing and retrieval had brought in revolutionary changes in the nature of information services especially in special and higher educational institution libraries. From 1960s the secondary sources like indexes and abstracts are made available as databases following MARC format. Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), the personalized service was introduced by H.P.Luhn of IBM in 1959. Similar service called as Current Awareness to offer alerts at regular intervals in a subject had been developed.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

At present a variety of services are being offered online like virtual reference desk, bulletin board, e-mail, RSS, wikis, semantic web and ontology etc. \u201cOnline services provide an infrastructure in which subscribers can communicate with one another, either by exchanging e-mail messages or by participating in online conferences(forums). In addition, the service can connect users with an almost unlimited number of third-party information providers.\u201d (Webopedia http:\/\/www.webopedia.com\/TERM\/O\/online_service.html)<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n2.5. Growth of Information Services in India<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

In India the concept of \u2018service\u2019 to reader was late compared to the western world of libraries. S.R.Ranganathan started reference service in Madras University in 1926 and in 1937 the post of reference librarian was created at Madras University. In order to meet the changing information requirements, especially the scientists, documentation service was introduced after Second World War. This was a phenomenon of special libraries \/ information centres and other types of libraries continued with traditional reference services. The establishment of National Documentation Centres like INSDOC, NASSDOC, SENDOC, DESIDOC etc.; NISSAT; and U.G.C. National Information Centres like NCSI, Bangalore; NIC for Humanities and LIS at SNDT, Mumbai; NIC for Social Sciences at M.S.University, Baroda (Ceased their existence after INFLIBNET) facilitated implementation of variety of information services to users of specialized subject areas working in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), Research and Development Units of research and industrial organizations. At present INFLIBNET (1990) caters to the information requirements of HEIs while the networks like CSIRNET, DELNET, DRONA meets the user needs of specific subjects.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n3. Changing practices of Information services<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe provision of information services depends on two important factors:\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The nature of information sources that keeps on changing from clay tablets, to digital tablets.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The nature of user information in terms of their approach, need, demand and seeking behavior that keeps on changing in relation to the work on hand.\r\n\r\n \r\n

Therefore the essential objective of information service is identifying the user\u2019s need, selecting information resources to meet that need and assisting the user in finding and using those resources. Though there is no\u00a0change in the objective of service the process of serving users underwent significant changes. The following paragraphs explain briefly the changing patterns of information services.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nBasically the reference service has a gradual growth as reader\u2019s advisory (1920s), instruction \/ guidance and information search and retrieval.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reader\u2019s advisory to assist the readers in selecting the \u2018best\u2019 books;\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Instruction services to improve reading habits and search capabilities among the users especially in public and academic libraries;\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Provision of information \/ answer to reference query (short range reference) with reference interview as a tool to assess the need; literature search and retrieval (long range reference) depending on the nature of question (1930s)\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Compilation of subject bibliographies as an extension of long range reference\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Alerting services, in anticipation of user requirements, through bulletins, lists, routing of documents (1960s)\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Delivery of information through borrowing, reprography and translation.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe pattern was initiated in public and academic libraries and in fact even today it is visible in majority of these libraries.\r\n\r\n \r\n

However remarkable changes are evident in special libraries that centered on current literature in specific subject areas. They have adopted different mechanisms to offer services to target groups after assessing their information requirements. S.Seetharama has listed some of the basic mechanisms and the corresponding services provided by an information centre of a research \/ scientific \/ industrial organizations as follows:<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
No.<\/strong><\/td>\r\nMechanism<\/strong><\/td>\r\nService<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
1<\/td>\r\nReference\/ Referral<\/td>\r\nReference service<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2<\/td>\r\nAnnouncement<\/td>\r\nCurrent Awareness Services<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
3<\/td>\r\nAccretion<\/td>\r\nIndexing and abstracting services<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
4<\/td>\r\nEvaluation<\/td>\r\nState-of-the-art report,\/Trend Report, Critical\r\n\r\nCompilation and Reviews etc<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
5<\/td>\r\n\r\n

Documentation access<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Reprographic and translation services<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
6<\/td>\r\nPromotion \/ Liaison<\/td>\r\nLiaison services; Technical enquiry.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n \r\n

According to Seetharama the first four mechanisms generate information services while the last two mechanism lead to support services. Thus in the traditional library structure there has been paradigm shift in the services offered from basic advisory to that of critical compilations. There is also wide variation regarding the service practices depending on the nature of users and their information requirements. In India special libraries are the privileged lot which has been implementing variety of documentation and information services from 1960s onwards.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n3.1. Information services\u2013Types<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

Over a period of time the LIS profession has devised a variety of services depending on the changing needs of user information requirements. They are basically<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reactive \u2013 in response to user request e.g. reference service, literature search, bibliography compilation, document delivery\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Proactive \u2013 in anticipation of user request e.g. current awareness \u00a0bulletins, \u00a0SDI, \u00a0indexing, abstracting, reports, review services (Information analysis and repackaging)\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n3.1.1.\u00a0 Reference service<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u201cAsk Library Anything\u201d (ALA) was the phrase coined by Melvil Dewey to explain the nature of reference service. The reference service involves the following activities\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Providing information <\/strong>using reference books like Encyclopaedias, Directories etc. (Ready reference)\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This involves providing brief, factual answers to questions, such as addresses, statistics, phone numbers, etc. that can be quickly located. E.g. What is the length of River Ganges? Who is the President of Sri Lanka?\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 User education<\/strong>: User assistance, orientation and education are generally used interchangeably. But the distinction between the concepts has been explained by A. Neelameghan.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 User education \u2013 it includes development of motivation in seeking and using information, creating awareness of availability of information n sources and different tools like indexes, abstracts etc. and developing ability to extract, synthesize and package information for individual information needs.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 E.g. Motivating a researcher in Chemistry with available resources, introducing Chemical Abstracts and how to use it, how to prepare bibliographies and abstracts for the selected information.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 User orientation \u2013 it involves instructing the user to understand specific library \/ information system, location of information sources, using of tools like classification, catalogue, computers and networks to access information and developing familiarity wit hthe services and previleges of the system.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 E.g. How to use OPAC? How the entries of an indexing periodical are arranged?\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 User assistance \u2013 it includes helping the user in understanding the subject coverage and limitations of specific information source, help in interpreting the data elements in a catalogue entry, assistance in repackaging work of retrieved information.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Literature search<\/strong>: Providing information after literature search for periodical articles for relevant information which may take more time than the ready reference. (Long range reference) E.g. A user seeks literature on \u2018Variations in the DNA sequence among people\u2019 \u2018Therapeutic value of yogic practices\u2019\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Referral: <\/strong>Giving referral service for enquiries which the information centre cannot answer. E.g.\u00a0 Providing the user with addresses of plastic surgeons.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThus reference service includes reference, reader\u2019s guidance and literature search and referral.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n3.1.2. Current awareness services<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

Current awareness services are meant for the speedy announcement of newly acquired information or documents. Timeliness is the essence of this service, so it is called as alerting \/ announcement mechanism. Bimalendu Guha noted that this service is aimed at satisfying the current approach of users. The types of services include<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Title announcement service <\/strong>E.g. Current contents is a rapid alerting service database that is published online and in several different printed subject sections from the Institute for<\/a> Scientific Information, <\/a>now part of Thomson Reuters<\/a>,. It reproduces the title pages from several hundred major peer-reviewed <\/a>scientific journals, <\/a>and was published weekly, with the issues containing title pages from journal issues only a few weeks previously. Still published in print, it is presently available as one of the databases included in Thomson's ISI Web of Knowledge <\/a>with daily updates, and also through other database aggregators.Current Contents Connect\u00ae is a current awareness database that provides easy Web access to complete tables of contents, abstracts, bibliographic information, and abstracts from the most recently published issues of leading scholarly journals, as well as from more than 7,000 relevant, evaluated websites.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Selective Dissemination of Information <\/strong>(SDI) is a current awareness system which alerts the user with latest publications in specific field of interest. The service is made possible by maintaining user profile and matching it with documents as soon as they enter the system.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Announcement of research in progress in a particular subject field or group of institutions.\r\n

E.g. \u00a0ShodhGangotri \u00a0: \u00a0Repository \u00a0of \u00a0Indian \u00a0Research \u00a0in \u00a0Progress \u00a0details \u00a0(Synopses \u00a0\/ Research proposals for PhD programme)<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Notifications for forthcoming conferences<\/strong>. E.g. Conference Alerts: Academic Conferences World Wide (http:\/\/www.conferencealerts.com\/<\/a>)\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Newspaper clippings <\/strong>\u2013 these are the excerpts \/ articles cut from newspaper or magazine of issues of current interest or for future reference. E.g. Medical Newspaper Clippings 1901- 1906\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n3.1.3.\u00a0 Information analysis and condensation services<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

The original information is analyzed and condensed or surrogated using data elements that represent the documents. These provide as much literature as possible on a subject i.e. exhaustive\u00a0literature. Therefore they are prepared to meet the exhaustive approach of users. These are broadly classified as condensation and evaluative type\u00a0<\/span>Condensation services <\/strong>are one of earliest services as bibliographies have a long history. The literature gathered is exhaustive in its coverage and analysis as well. It is difficult even for a big library to acquire all documents, more specifically all journals in a given subject. It is equally inconvenient for the user to browse all literature available in his field of interest. Therefore condensation type products are a necessity in libraries. The objective of these services is to be exhaustive in coverage of literature, describing every element of the document representation with an ultimate aim of guiding the user to the primary source. The condensed type services are categorized further as\u00a0<\/span>Location type \u2013 e.g. Indexes, Subject bibliographies, Catalogues Accretion type \u2013 Abstract services, Extracts, Technical digests.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n

Subject bibliographies are lists of materials that relate to a particular discipline or subject scope. They give an overview of the discipline. According to Ranganathan, \u201cA subject bibliography is a document bibliography confined to a specific subject field only, instead of covering the entire universe of subjects.\u201d E.g. Asian Social Science bibliography, 1966 - , Delhi, Vikas, 1970 \u2013 (Publisher varies)<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Union catalogues: It is a catalogue listing the holdings of libraries with a scope that may be local, regional, national or international. The primary purpose of union catalogues is location of documents so that the user can access the same through inter library loan.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

E.g. NISCAIR - National Union Catalogue of Scientific Serials in India (NUCSSI) 1982 \u2013 Ranganathan, S.R.,Compiler. Union Catalogue of Learned Periodical Publications in South Asia, Delhi, ILA, 1953<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Indexes indicate the data or information through descriptors and describe the bibliographical details of the document through indicators. Every aspect of the document that is acquired by the information system\/ library has to be identified, approach anticipate, and correctly indexed. Thus indexing service provides ease of approach in a subject field with exhaustive coverage.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Abstracts and extracts involve the process of assigning descriptors to each document to identify the data or information i.e. citation of the document and summarization of the content in an abstract form. It summarizes the essential points of the document thereby providing access to important content of the document and avoiding unnecessary duplication of research in the same field. Thus abstracts are comprehensive but highly condensed presentation of information. Initiated in 1965 the abstracting services are most patronized services by scientific community and now almost all subjects in the universe of knowledge have abstracting services.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

E.g. Index Medicus, Monthly. Washington, National Library of Medicine, 1960- . It indexes about 5051 periodicals by author and subject giving a citation under each entry. It is cumulated annually. The subjects covered include veterinary medicine, sociology, zoology, biology, chemistry, psychology besides medicine and health. In the subject section, references are grouped according to the language of the articles, with English articles getting preference, followed by articles in other languages, all arranged alphabetically by language. Titles in foreign language are translated into English.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n

The Cumulated Index Medicus was brought out by American Medical Association since 1960- to 2000 and was stopped after 41 volumes due to lack of demand. MEDLINE (1965) is made available through OCLC (the online vendor) and now as PubMed. http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/<\/a><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Biological Abstracts provides the latest information in every life science discipline, and contains more than 13.2 million archival records from as far back as 1969, with more than 370,000 citations added each year. Most of the records include informative abstracts written by the author. This database is produced by Thomson Scientific, Inc. Now Biological abstracts is accessible through Thomson Reuters Web of knowledge platform Source: http:\/\/thomsonreuters.com\/web-of- knowledge\/<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Evaluative services<\/strong>: The condensation type services provide information on bibliographical details of the document that facilitates identification and location of the document. Abstracts summarizes the subject content but are highly condensed. Therefore to provide the user with salient findings in articles by reviewing the same evaluative type services have evolved. They distill the intellectual content of the literature in a specific field and repackage the information. Thus, information consolidation and repackaging requires evaluation of the content. Such services involve evaluation, compaction, and simplification. The stages of repackaging activity are selective extraction, correlation and evaluation of information that are relevant to the needs of a specific group of users. The resultant products are state-of-the-art reports, trend reports, critical compilation of data, reviews etc. Reviews have a significant role in consolidating the totality of current information and providing an overview of the subject.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

State-of-the art reports emphasize recency and up-to-dateness. In order to achieve this currency, state-of-the-art reports are often published as informal reports, prepared on demand, oriented to a restricted audience.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\nE.g. IFLA. Information literacy state-of-the art report (2012). The series published from Columbia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, and United Kingdom. http:\/\/www.ifla.org\/publications\/information-literacy-state-of-the-art-reports\r\n\r\n \r\n

Digests - The management of organizations needs special type of evaluative services that helps them in planning, research and development etc. Some of the services are digests, market information services, critical compilation on technology transfer information etc. Digests are tools for the management and executives to locate cases on specific issues.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\nE.g. US Supreme Court. United States Supreme Court Digest (1974- date)\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n3.1.4 Translation services<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

The translation and reprography are support services for document access. It is estimated that the non- English publications by scientists and technologists approximately amounts to 50% of the world literary output. Therefore provision of translation service became imperative. For translation there are translation pools or banks at international and national levels. The pools maintain indexes to serve as a tool to notify and create awareness of available translated works so that other organizations to obtain copies of translations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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E.g. UNESCO: World Bibliography of translations. The Index Translationum is a list of books translated in the world, i.e. an international bibliography of translations. The Index Translationum was created in 1932.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In India NISCAIR provides translation of S&T documents from 20 foreign languages into English. The languages include Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Rumanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Swedish, etc. The clients include National Laboratories, S&T institutes, R&D organisations, Corporate and Public Sector Undertakings, Universities, Research Scholars etc. NISCAIR provides reverse translation (English into foreign language) also.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

With application of technologies now the indexes are available as online databases. Further the automatic translation services are also available though the library \/ information systems yet to adopt them.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Current trends in information services<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

The Information services have undergone a shift in role from 1990s with the introduction of information and communication technologies. The trend is towards access management rather than information acquisition and distribution. Wide variety of computer based bibliographic and full text databases, and the means for searching the databases at any time in an interactive mode has brought metamorphic changes in the library environment and the information services. The functional changes in libraries can be represented pictographically as follows:<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n\"\"<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Fig.1: Functional changes in library environment<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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User<\/strong>: The users in contemporary digital environment do not need a mediator or librarian to search information on their behalf; instead they can access information, as end users, in an interactive mode. Now first search for information is not in the library but on the internet. Users are making use of search engine to locate information rather than seeking help from the librarian.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Collections: <\/strong>In a traditional library the librarians had clear idea about the type of collection to be maintained but in the digital environment it is not so. The increasing penetration of the Internet in information storage and handling is significantly changing reading patterns and reading behavior. More and more e-resources are being made available than ever before in different forms or types. They include: E-Books; E-Journals; E-Zine; E-Thesis and dissertation (ETD); E-News Papers; E- Reference books; CD-ROMs; Data bases. The noteworthy point here is majority of them are accessible to users without any mediation of the library \/ librarian.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Information services: <\/strong>The benefits of information services lie in that they can help users to get the right information and thereby enhance their understanding and application. Libraries in India generally offer the conventional information services such as loan, reference, user orientation, current awareness and photocopying. The services are primarily on demand and occasionally alert type and based on print collections. Traditionally, library information services were limited to the materials that a library owned. Now electronic means of communication are changing the mechanism of information services. According to Drotner (2005) \u201cThe challenge facing the physical libraries is intensified by the fact that many traditional services performed there are taken over by users of the virtual libraries. When the majority of mundane services leave the physical library \u2013 and the librarian\u2019s desk \u2013 then librarians in the physical library can downplay their functions in favour of virtual services; or they can redefine their role from access and individual service provision to users and facilitator of more sustained collective learning processes.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\"\"<\/a>\r\n

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Fig.2: Information services<\/div>\r\n \r\n

The academic libraries are witnessing the advantage of library 2.0 and moving into library 3.0 arena. The library 1.0 is computer based and 2.0 offers use of dynamic contents, blogs, social networks, tagging, wikis, podcasts and mashup technologies on web. However the information is scattered and unorganized all over the web. Now, Web 3.0 is prominently based up on organizing\u00a0this scattered or unorganized information. The application of semantic technologies and ontology will be the key aspects in this third generation of web.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Now the information services are a blend of traditional and electronic. The libraries are continuing the traditional services like keeping bibliographic track of the status of all accessions either in print or e- format; reference; current awareness and retrospective searches; specialized bibliographic consultation and support; Indexing and abstracting databases; delivery of full-text (print \/ electronic). In addition they are able to offer a new series of services to their traditional service base for the following reasons:<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 The digital environment supports the libraries to integrate its services and bridge gap between electronic resources and netizens\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 Now the user as well as the library professionals can use bibliographic tools like web OPACs, search engines, subject directories, subject gateways that permit easy searching and browsing\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 The traditional services can be modified into embedded information literacy \u00a0training modules to assist in information seeking; open access institutional repositories; webliographies, value added aggregator services.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 A variety of new products and services like Library 2.0 and Library 3.0 based services can be promoted\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nConsequence to these developments the existing services are either modified or replaced with modern services.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Traditional<\/strong><\/td>\r\nDigital environment<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
User education<\/td>\r\nInformation literacy<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Subject bibliographies<\/td>\r\nWebliographies<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Reference service<\/td>\r\nVirtual \/ Digital reference<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Indexing and abstracting<\/td>\r\nAggregator services<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Advanced search<\/td>\r\nDigital repositories, archives<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n \r\n\r\n4.1\u00a0 Information literacy<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n

Information literacy is not a new concept to LIS, rather an extension of deep-rooted user education \/ orientation service. Information literacy is the ability to recognize information needed and then locate, evaluate, and effectively use needed information. As it forms the basic skill to access information, the librarians need to constitute a new paradigm for libraries. The technologies offer an opportunity to the users to have self-accessed to information without intermediaries. To make use of technology based e-resources, the user has to be trained in technological skills to recognize, locate, compare, organize and synthesize information on the web.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The information literacy instruction can be taken in phased manner to impart basic skills of information handling. The contents may include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 skills to interact with internet and use various net based services;\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 information search tools and strategies;\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 use of the available consortia, databases etc.\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 use of digital collections \u2013 open access publications, digital\u00a0 \u00a0repositories, digital archives;\r\n\r\n\u2022\u00a0 e-publishing through wikis and web writing.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe training methods vary depending on the course structure and the level of users. There are a number of models available for imparting information literacy. The more popular strategies are the\r\n