33 Library Network in India: Case Study –DELNET

Debal Chandra Kar

 

I.   Objectives

 

•    To attain knowledge on Developing Library Network (DELNET)

•    To learn about history, aims and objectives of this network

•    To get familiarized with various activities carried out by DELNET.

•    To get acquainted with the services offered by the DELNET.

•    To have know-how about how DELNET promote sharing of resources and offer computerized services to the users.

 

II.    Learning Outcomes 

 

After going through this lesson, learners would attain knowledge on Developing Library Network (DELNET) that had its genesis in India International Centre. They would learn about history, aims and objectives and services offered by the DELNET.

 

 

 

III.    Module Structure 

 

1.   Introduction

2.   DELNET

3.   Objectives of DELNET

4.   Services

4.1   Access to Union Catalogues and Other Databases

4.2   Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services

4.3   Retro-Conversion

4.4   Reference Services

4.5   Professional Training

4.6   Technical Support

4.7   Consortia Service

4.8   Open Source Software

4.9   National Bibliographic Database

4.10   Software service

5.   References

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Introduction 

 

The world has been witnessing a knowledge and information explosion during the past few decades. Over 10 million journal articles are published every year besides news items, editorials and articles that are appearing in popular print media. Access to information holds the key to development. Libraries which are store houses of knowledge and information, and information centers which disseminate knowledge and information, form two important components of present day society.

 

While there is a deluge of information on one hand, the cost of collecting, processing, storing and disseminating information had been spiraling up on the other hand. This called for heavy budgets for libraries even to maintain a reasonable level of acquisition of journals, books and reports. Estimates showed that a three to fourfold rise in library budgets would be needed by AD 2000 to maintain the same acquisition level as in 1990. Information buying power of libraries had been declining year after year. Because of this, resource sharing and cooperative functioning through networking had become inescapable for libraries and information centers worldwide. India is no exception; for that matter, it was even more necessary to network libraries in newly developing countries like India than in the developed nations. Efficient resource sharing can be achieved by using the recent advances in information technology for realizing a network of libraries. Information technology signifies the coming together of the disciplines of electronics, computer hardware and software, communications (in particular telecommunications), artificial intelligence and human/ machine interface.

 

During 1990s, library and information activities in the country have entered a new era. Individual libraries were coming out of the proverbial “Berlin Wall” around them. They were trying to form a larger community in an effort to tackle the ever increasing demands for better services, quantitatively and qualitatively, in an environment already over strained by financial pressures. Forced, motivated, or logic driven, the librarians were coming out of their shell in large numbers.

 

This had resulted in discernible change in the information scenario. Indian information professionals, education specialists and scientists had realized that the time has come to share the information resources and to coordinate mechanisms. This had resulted in discernible change in the information scenario in India. A large number of library resource sharing networks like the Metropolitan Area Networks such as CALIBNET in Calcutta, DELNET in Delhi, BONET in Bombay, PUNENET in Pune, MALIBNET in Madras, HYLIBNET in Hyderabad, ADNET in Ahmedabad, MYLIBNET in Mysore, and countrywide ones like ERNET (Educational and Research Institutions), SIRNET (CSIR Laboratories), and INFLIBNET (Universities and Research Institutions), and sectoral ones like BTISNET (Biotechnology Networks) etc. were conceptualized. Looking from the participant’s side, it was common to find an institution participated in more than one network. The ultimate goal of information/library networks is to interlink information resources in a metropolitan area, so that users could access information irrespective of its location, format, medium, language, script etc. Further, the development of such networks required actions in several areas such as training, rationalization  of information resource acquisition, diffusion of standards, preparation of union lists, generation of database services apart from setting up hardware, software and communication facilities.

 

The concept of library networking to aid information resource sharing and support activities in libraries had become a real necessity. The shortcomings observed were mainly related to two aspects:

 

a.      Non-availability of materials and services, and

b.     Efficient administrative control.

 

In India, the need for resource sharing had been well recognized but the technology options available until then were limited. NISSAT had taken up networking of libraries in Calcutta (CALIBNET), Delhi (DELNET), Madras (MALIBNET), Mysore (MYLIBNET), Hyderabad (HYLIBNET), Ahmedabad (ADINET), Pune (PUNENET), Bombay (BONET).

 

Towards library networking activities in India NISSAT had taken the initiative for promoting resource sharing activities. These initiatives were aimed at ensuring better utilization of science and technology information resources, minimization of functional load of information centres and encouragement of motivational factors to a large extent by better means of communication. NISSAT only went to the extent of setting up general infrastructural facilities like network service centres including hardware, software, manpower and other organizational  requirements, communication facilities etc. With a change in the development and implementation strategy, the participating institutions in a network were to arrange their own terminal hardware, software, manpower and data conversion.

 

2.  DELNET 

 

DELNET (Delhi Library Network) was started at the India International Centre Library in January 1988 and was registered as a society in 1992. It was initially supported by the National Information System for Science and Technology (NISSAT), Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India. It was subsequently supported by the National Informatics Centre, Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

 

In Delhi the libraries had been growing very fast in number and site during 1950- 1990. They cater to specialized and general clientele and were of various types which include institutional libraries, research libraries, government libraries, public libraries, departmental libraries and libraries of the universities, colleges and schools. During late 1980s, cumulative information had been increasing at a very fast pace and with it the increase in demands of the users. It had been noticed that in the era of information explosion the libraries in India are generally ill equipped to handle and retrieve information effectively. As already mentioned, the financial resources and the space for housing library collections were limited in almost all of the libraries. The option left with the forward looking librarians had been to promote the sharing of resources by automation and networking.

 

Initially, 40 libraries were directly linked to the DELNET host system through e-mail to promote library mailing, interlibrary requests, transfer of files, exchange of messages, interlibrary services, etc. Side by side with the automation of participating libraries, the functions and services had also started. During 2000 about 90 libraries were members of DELNET. Almost all participating libraries were computerized by means of acquisition and fund accounting, cataloguing, circulation, serials control and local users services. Users were able to locate books and serials through Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). A union catalogue of current periodicals available in Delhi libraries, and a union list of current serials available in Indian libraries were available on online for DELNET participant libraries. A central database of DELNET had been created and made operational. This central database includes the library holdings of DELNET member libraries used as union catalogues of books/monographs.

 

DELNET used to provide access to the central union catalogue for books and monographs, efficient electronic mailing facilities to access databases of member libraries. It also proposes to develop a network for accessing CD–ROM databases available at member libraries in the near future. DELNET also provides CAS and SDI services, consultancy in library computerization, training and H.R.D. and assistance to libraries on standardization, local automation, retrospective conversion etc. DELNET is likely to emerge as a co–operative network incorporating all disciplines of science, technology, social sciences and humanities.

 

DELNET has been actively engaged with the compilation of various Union Catalogues of the resources available in member-libraries. It has already created the Union Catalogue of Books, Union List of Current Periodicals, Union Catalogue of Periodicals, CD-ROM Database, Database of Indian Specialists, Database of Periodical Articles, Union List of Video Recordings, Urdu Manuscripts’ Database, Database of Theses and Dissertations, sample databases of language publications using GIST technology and several other databases. The data is being updated in these databases and is growing rapidly. All the DELNET databases have been resident on DELSIS, an in-house software developed on BASISPlus, an RDBMS, the product of Information Dimensions Inc. of USA which has been provided to DELNET courtesy National Informatics Centre, New Delhi.

 

DELNET provides an array of facilities. DELNET’S relentless efforts in resource sharing have proved extremely effective. It has contributed a lot towards the modernization of libraries in India. DELNET was the first institution in India to introduce MARC 21 standards among the libraries. Special training programmes are also organised from time to time in the use of MARC 21 Standard.

 

Any institution/library interested in using DELNET resources for borrowing books from libraries, getting photocopies of articles and for research and reference, and willing to contribute records of its library holdings for resource sharing purposes among institutional members of DELNET can join as an institutional member of DELNET. DELNET at present has 4705 libraries as its members, of which 243 libraries are in Delhi, 4438 outside Delhi in 32 States and Union Territories and 24 in overseas countries (as on 31 December 2013). For current trends the students are advised to visit the DELNET website (http://www.delnet.nic.in/)

 

2.1  Objectives of DELNET 

 

The limitation of financial resources and space for housing library collections in the libraries in Delhi, led to the promotion of sharing of resources by automation and networking and establishment of the DELNET in 1988. NISSAT took the initiative in setting up DELNET. It has emerged as an important resource centre for the libraries in Delhi. DELNET has been established with the prime objective of promoting resource sharing among the libraries through the development of a network of libraries. It aims to collect, store, and disseminate information besides offering computerized services to users, to coordinate efforts for suitable collection development and also to reduce unnecessary duplication wherever possible.

 

The Main Objectives of DELNET are:

 

•    To promote sharing of resources among the libraries by developing a network of libraries, by collecting, storing and disseminating information and by offering computerised services to the users;

 

•    To undertake scientific research in the area of Information Science and Technology, create new systems in the field, apply the results of research and publish them;

 

•    To offer technical guidance to the member-libraries on collecting, storing, sharing and disseminating information;

 

•    To coordinate efforts for suitable collection development and reduce unnecessary duplication wherever possible;

 

•    To establish /facilitate the establishment of referral and /or research centres, and maintain a central online union catalogue of books, serials and non- book materials of all the participating libraries;

 

•    To facilitate and promote delivery of documents manually or mechanically;

 

•    To develop specialised bibliographic database of books, serials and non- book materials;

 

•    To develop databases of projects, specialists and institutions;

 

•    To possess and maintain electronic and mechanical equipment for speedy communication of information and delivery of electronic mail;

 

•    To coordinate with other regional, national and international networks and libraries for exchange of information and documents;

 

2.3 Services 

 

•    Access to Union Catalogues and Other Databases;

•    Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services;

•    Retro-Conversion;

•    Reference Services;

•    Professional Training;

•    Technical Support; and

•    Consortia Service.

 

2.4 Access to Union Catalogues and Other Databases DELNET provide access to the following Databases 

 

a. Union Catalogue of Books – DELNET maintains an online union catalogue of   books available in its member-libraries. This  union  catalogue  is continuously updated and is growing in  size.  The  information  can  be retrieved by author, title, subject, conference, series, etc. It has 1,62,59,492 bibliographic records. The request  for  inter-library  loan  can  be  placed through the online system.

 

b. Union List of Current Periodicals – DELNET has created union lists of current periodicals  in  science  and  technology,  social  sciences  and humanities. This database is available online to DELNET users. It now lists 35,990 periodicals and is regularly updated and  new  titles  are  added annually. It is a major resource for Document Delivery Services.

 

c. Union Catalogue of Periodicals –DELNET maintains a union catalogue of periodicals, which contains full holdings data of the libraries. At present, the database contains  20,235 records.

 

d. Database of Periodical Articles –The database has details of articles which can be searched under the title, author, compiler, name of the periodical and subject. The database is being extensively utilised by the researchers and scholars. At present the database contains  9,22,042 records (as on 31 December 2013).

 

e. CD-ROM Database –A bibliographic database of CD-ROMs  available with the member-libraries is being compiled. It has 22,234 records.

 

f. Union List of Video Recordings –This is a database of video cassettes available in DELNET member-libraries and has about 6,000 listings.

 

g. Union List of Sound Recordings –This union list consists of audio cassette records available in member-libraries. This database has 1,025 records.

 

h. Database of Theses and Dissertations –A database of Theses and Dissertations submitted to Indian Universities has been started, which covers various subjects. The database has 70,293 records.

 

i. Union List of Newspapers –The database has 70 records and contains information about the newspapers including title, name of the editor, published from, E-mail address and also the Web address of the INTERNET edition if available on the WWW.

 

j. Database of E-books –It has nearly 1613 records.

 

k. Profile of Member-Libraries – A directory of member-libraries is available and contains information about them.

 

2.5 Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services 

 

DELNET is offering inter-Library loan (ILL) and Document Delivery Services to its member libraries. ILL requests can be registered online for books. For the resources not available in the union catalogues and journal articles, requests can be sent to DELNET through E-mail. DELNET has also prepared ILL Guidelines for use by the member-libraries.  The  services  are  quite  popular  among  the  member-libraries.

 

ILL Online (for members in Delhi) – Actual photocopying charges, if any, and courier/postal charges for books procured from outside Delhi will be extra.

 

ILL Online (for members outside Delhi) – Actual photocopying charges, and courier charges will be extra.

 

2.6     Retro-Conversion 

 

DELNET undertakes retro-conversion projects selectively.

 

2.7     Reference Services 

 

DELNET maintains a referral centre which provides reference facilities to participating libraries. This centre also looks after the access to the central databases and provides prompt replies.

 

2.8    Professional Training 

 

DELNET arranges tutorials, workshops, lectures, and training programmes every year from time to time besides the National Convention on Knowledge, Library and Information Networking (NACLIN). DELNET also offers the announcements of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and Library Science jobs globally. This information provides inputs to library and information professionals for improving their talent and professional expertise.

 

2.9    Technical Support 

 

DELNET adopts the latest dependable technologies in information science. This helps libraries to get advice from DELNET to adopt technologies that emerge periodically. This also saves expenses and time of member-institutions. DELNET offers technical support to member institutions in the selection of hardware, software, communication links, database creation and technical problems faced by member-libraries from time to time.

 

2.10  Consortia Service

 

DELNET also provides consortia service through which it provides access to different commercial databases on special consortia rate. These databases provided, include Cambridge Dictionaries online, Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, ODLIS : Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science, GISTNIC Databases, MEDLINE and other databases of NLM, U.S. Patents: Full Text, Full Text Medical Journals, Open Access Journals, Engineering and Technology E-Journals: Table of Contents, Full-Text Medical Books, Full-Text Engineering and Technology E-journals, Learning Resources for LIS Professionals, Digital Libraries of the World etc.

 

2.11  Open Source Software 

 

DELNET is giving training in the use of KOHA – an Open Source Integrated Library System and Dspace for building Digital Libraries. DELNET is glad to provide consultancy to the libraries on implementing these Open Source Software.

 

2.12 National Bibliographic Database 

 

DELNET undertook the compilation of the National Bibliographic Database with the support of the Department of Culture, Government of India in 1998 as a Pilot Project. Fifty thousand records of books: 20,000 in English, 15,000 in Tamil and 15,000 in Punjabi were created at the Punjabi University, Patiala and International Institute of Tamil Studies,  Chennai.  At Andhra  University  Library, Visakhapatnam, 15,000 records in English and 10,000 records in Telugu were also created. Similarly 25,000 records each were created at the Asiatic Society, Mumbai and the Asiatic Society, Kolkata.

 

2.13 Software service 

 

DELNET has developed several software in the past, but at present serves the following:

 

DEL-PLUS

 

i. Software designed and developed exclusively to work under all kinds of libraries;

ii. Free up gradation;

  • Follows internationally recommended standards and formats such as MARC 21;
  1. Best for small and medium size libraries which have collections upto one lakh holdings; and
  2. Barcode enabled.

 

This software is easy to work with and comprises the following modules:

  • Acquisition;
  • Cataloguing;
  • Circulation;
  • OPAC;
  • Administration;
  • Export/Import;
  • Authority Control;
  • Article Indexing;
  • Report Generation; and
  • Stock Verification.

 

3. References

  1. Kaul, H K. DELNET: a brief introduction. In Dubey Y P, Menon V V and Prasad HH (eds.). Information  Technology  and  National  Development. Agra: Y K Publishers, 1994, 299-308pp.
  2. Kaul, H K. DELNET: An overview. IASLIC Bulletin. 38(3) 1993: 113-122
  3. Kar, Debal C; Bhattachary, Parha and Deb, Subrata. Library Networking in India for Resources Sharing: Present Status and Prospects. World Libraries, 9(1), 1999, 39-47p
  4. DELNET: http://delnet.nic.in/ (Visited on 19 February 2014)