Theory, Practice and Techniques in Library and Information Technology

Information technology (IT) is the modern buzz word; it has conveyed facilities for the free exchange of information. The world has become a global village with information superhighways created using networks like Internet. This has enabled electronic librarian-ship with the modification of library facilities and services to its user. The concept of virtual libraries OPAC, Hypertext, and teleconferences for the purpose of library and information services have become common. New technological improvements have already extremely affected libraries; almost every function carried out in a library has been change to some extent by advances in electronics, computerization, and telecommunications. Technologies, especially computer and telecommunication technology have highly transformed the field of library and information services. They facilitate collection, storage, organization, processing, analysis, presentation, communication and dissemination of information. With the introduction of new technology, libraries are expected to use various types of technology to provide information, more quickly and in greater volume than before. The advantage of IT applied to information retrieval is the immediate and local access to a much wider range of library resources. Information technology has also made an impact on the alerting services, mainly by providing speedy access to information that appears initially, and the news and business services of one kind or another in electronic form. Electronic delivery of materials has also made a major impact on information service operations providing increased flexibility, customization of services and opportunities for entirely new types of services in the widespread information transfer. The advancement in technology will continue to improve the effectiveness of the libraries and become indispensable for handling information between libraries and library patrons to librarian and vice versa.

This book “Theory, Practice and Techniques in Library and Information Technology” includes the coverage of subject as diverse and vital as the history of librarianship, its development as a profession, the ethics of information science, and cataloging. The impact of the new technology on every facet of information handling, the advent of digital computer has opened up new possibilities in the information infrastructure by merging itself with other related technologies. Where is library technology heading in the next few years? What are the emerging tools and technologies that we should be paying attention to, in order to be ready when the time is right to adopt them? These are the questions that the readers should know.