Library Best Practice 

Title of the Practice:

Knowledge E-Resources and Online Library Services (KEOLS)

Objectives of the Practice:

1.       To offer 24/7/365 days remote access to the library e-Resources and online services for the library users from anywhere and anytime

2.       To save the time of the library users by providing all e-Resources at a single online platform

3.       To provide a variety of e-Resources and online services to the library users to fulfil their academic, research, administrative and routine needs

4.       To reduce the expenditure on printed reading material, stationery and support to the Green Environment

5.       To save the expenditure on closets/ furniture needed to keep library reading materials and save the library space

6.       To promote the ICT among the library users

The Context:

Library – a Knowledge Resource Centre – is supposedly focal access point to all, be it a faculty, or student or any user for that matter. It, therefore, calls and warrants for easy quick/ instant access, services available at all times, irrespective of appointed working hours. Moreover, it should provide adequate space to accommodate ever-increasing uses, space for stacking the books and other learning resources, reprographic and computing facilities, providing computer nodes to all, and to be managed with available staff and resources. The resources – staff manage the library services, machines – computers and both hardware, space for library and accommodating readers/ users, and of course, the funds are generally limited, that the institutions find it different to cope up all.

To address these issues concerns ever been/ being faced and to secure services to all, to serve its users better, the institute has internally evolved a system by leveraging smart technology that assured, ensured and generates 24 x 7 x 365 days’ remote access to library resources and a user-friendly online services from anywhere and anytime, a system that compliments, supplements and strengths the existing offline service resulting to optimizations of library services.

The Library Website and Social Networking site and QR Code are used to access the library e-Resources and online services. The users can reach and get access to the specific information resource and service in a very short time with the help of the above interfaces.

The Practice:

To perform the above practice, the library has used open-source tools/ software that are available online and doesn’t require to pay any charges.

The salient features of this innovative practice are:

a.  Developing Library Website . आवश्यकता   

b.  Developing Social Networking sites  of Library

c.  Developing Quick Response (QR) Codes for Library Resources

d.  Providing Online Services and Facilities

 a. Website address : ASSM Library (google.com) 

The library has developed a dynamic website for its users. The library portal consists very large no of web pages with important  links and other documents that are useful to fulfil the academic, research, administrative and other routine needs of the users.

If the users are at a remote place or outside of the college campus, they simply access the portal that allows 24/7/365 days remote access to the library e-resources and online services. The portal can be accessed through a desktop computer and smartphone. Most of the users access the portal through smartphones as the portal is also responsive on smartphones. The usage of the library website is increasing day by day.

 b. Social Networking Sites: https://sites.google.com/site/assmlibrarymedha/home?authuser=0

ICT is a very much popular among library users while accessing the e-Resources and online services of the library. To make it more convenient, the library has developed a Facebook Page, Facebook Account, ASSM Library Blog. Whatsapp Group, Telegram Group.  Library users can download Telegram and Whatsapp Application and get information through application on their smartphone and can access all e-resources and online services of the library at any time and from anywhere.

WhatsApp link : https://chat.whatsapp.com/GGegfjIYich4DmtMDikqJR

Telegram link :   https://t.me/joinchat/VdbhHOUDRMw2Mzdl

YouTube Channel Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMQxRvISU-K2CMfiYGPwnMQ

Facebook Link : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015607923067

 C. QR Code:

Web-links of e-Resources and online services are converted into QR Codes by using QR Code generator software. These QR Codes are printed on paper and displayed at the library notice board, staff room, office and other departments. Students and teachers scan the particular QR Code through their smartphones and access the e-Resource and online services of the library. Further, the accessed e-Resource can be viewed, downloaded, printed and shared. Usually, the users use the QR Code while they present on the college campus.

https://assmmedha.edu.in/pdf/qr-code-library.pdf

C. Blog :

Weblogs or blogs has got a great potential in the present web world. It is a very effective synchronous tool for sharing and communicating the information. Libraries in the 21st century can not ignore the potential of this great tool to communicate ideas, opinions, resources and news. Blogging could be an efficient and effective alternative for information and knowledge transfer, resulting in a more productive workforce in libraries. ASSM Library has provide information on Blog may affect every aspect and services of Library phenomenon from collection development to reference services; Current awareness services, as a marketing tool of Library services, as Library Newsletter, as a communication channel among the Library staff as well as among the user community.

https://assmlibrarymedha.blogspot.com/?zx=b4befd5d29b91226

Digital Library :

Instead of providing the link of various e-book websites, it will be more helpful to give users some books, so that they can carry and read the way they wish to. Calibre is definitely a good tool to manage e-books in the library. With the features available in calibre like the inbuilt web server, metadata harvesting etc., its a promising and a must know tool for librarians. Our Library have provide  e-resources in academic libraries, e-books provide an opportunity for librarians to offer the academic community what they want – direct access to full-text content.

Digital Library Link : http://192.168.1.4:8080/#library_id=Calibre_Library&panel=book_list

OPAC : Available Books In Library  

 Knowledge e-Resources & other documents

Syllabus of Shivaji University, Exam Question Papers, Jaywant- College Magazine

e-Books, ASSM LIBRARY TOUR, Resource Database (N-LIST, NDL & INFED (INFLIBNET), College News-e-Clippings, Swayam Online Courses, Inter Library Loan Facility, INFLIBNET, Shodh Ganga Repository, News Hunt, Subscribed Journal List,

§   Library Online Services & Facilities

1.   Library Website.

2.   QR Code Gallery

3.   Information Broadcasting through Social Media: WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, YouTube and Instagram etc.

4.   Online Public Access Catalogue (Web OPAC)

5.   Inter-Library Loan Online Application System

6.   Library Users Online Feedback

7.   ILL- Online Union Catalogue of College Libraries

8.   Shivaji University College Librarian's Directory.

Above all, the institutional endeavour has maintained, restored enhanced and facilitated library services.

 Evidence of Success/ Impact:

The Library Website, Social Networking sites and QR Code are found useful to library users. The website Visitor Counter for the usage of library portal proves that library e-Resources and other online services are being accessed frequently by users through desktop computers and smartphones. Smartphone devices are very much popular among young generation students and teachers while accessing library resources and services. College library is now promoting and delivering most of the services through social networking and online mode with the help of the above technological platforms.

Some of the remarkable outputs from the above practices are as below:

1.       Users get quick remote access (24/7/365 days) to the e-Resources and online services of the library. It also saves their time and reduces the efforts to find useful e-Resources in their own subject field

2.       The expenses on purchase of printed reading material are reduced and photocopy/ print charges to the users are also abridged due to the online availability of e-Resources and ultimately it supports to maintain the green environment

3.       It saved the expenditure on closets/ furniture needed to keep library reading materials

4.       It also saved the internal space of the library

5.       It reduced the burden on library staff at the circulation counter while delivering the library services like circulation, reference, print, photocopy and other information services

6.       The concept of conventional ‘Journal Bound Volume’ is replaced with ‘e-Journal Archives’ so that library space is saved and the expenses on binding the journal volumes are avoided absolutely

7.       Users are now able to find the list of books, periodicals and other reading material related to their subject at anytime and anywhere

8.       The scheme of Inter-Library Loan is promoted online by granting access to the teachers for ‘Online Union Catalogue of College Libraries’ and ‘Online Inter-Library Loan Application facility’

9.       Conventional feedback for the library services is replaced with the 'Users Online Feedback Form' Users are now able to submit their feedback online in college website.

10.    The practice promotes and motivated the library users to acquire the new ICT skills and use the ICT tools in their routine work

11.    The practice has strongly promoted the core values of NAAC such as "Contributing to National Development" and "Promoting the Use of Technology" by providing free online access to the treasure of different e-Resources related to higher education at one single user-friendly interface.

Problems Encountered & Resources Required:

The library has stored all e-Resources on Google cloud storage that offers free storage up to 15 GB space only for each e-mail account. To upload additional documents or to use more than 15 GB of free space, the purchase of additional storage space is mandatory. To overcome this problem at an extreme level and save the charges on purchasing additional storage, the library has created a separate e-mail account for a different type of e-Resources and obtained 15 GB storage for each e-Resource. Library want more storage of server.

Resources required:

§   Hardware:

1.       Desktop for processing/accessing the Web Portal, Social Networking Mobile App and QR Code Scanner and Reader.

2.       Smartphone for processing/accessing the Website, Mobile App and QR Code

3.       Printer for printing the QR Code

§   Software and other Web Tools:

1.       Website building platform for developing a website- e.g. Google Sites, WordPress etc.

2.       Cloud Storage- Google Drive, Dropbox , Facebook Cloud, Telegram Cloude etc.

3.       Mobile Application Builder- WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, etc.

Dr.Sudhir Nagarkar

M.A.,M.Lib.&I.Sc.,M.Phil.,SET,NET,Ph.D.

Librarian,

Amdar Shashikant Shinde Mahavdiyalay Medha