Re-Invention of Librarianship : Its Multiple Facets
Contents: Introduction. 1. Knowledge culture. 2. The need for change in the role of public libraries in India. 3. Information, libraries and mass media. 4. Automation, networking and consortia : an Indian developmental perspective. 5. Role of Raja Rammohun Roy Library foundation in improving knowledge base in rural India. 6. The dying culture of reading habit in public libraries in India in the digital ate : the socio-economic and technological factors. 7. Records and archieves : what are they? 8. Computerization of archival holdings of open period in India. 9. Index translationum : a bibliographical tool of worldwide translations. 10. Agricultural information from generation to utilisation by farmers in rural India. 11. The role of school librarian as an educator: an overview. 12. Rural library service in Andhra Pradesh. 13. Loss of books in libraries and remedial measures. 14. Library profession and ethics. 15. Why libraries are starved of books. 16. Sources and services in the humanities : a proposal for NHDC. 17. Collection of cess under the public libraries act (1960) of A.P. 18. Eleven reasons for reading good books. 19. Trends in information technology : an overview. Index.
"The book contains a medly of articles on various aspects of librarianship and information science. The articles cover old and new topics. Subjects like the information culture, library science as a profession, professional ethics, documentation of humanities, stock verification, loss of books, media and libraries, emerging trends in IT, benefits of reading etc., are some of the focal points of discussions.
Library and information science has gained absolute importance in the knowledge society. For human development information is as essential as the oxygen to individual survival. Lack of access to information resources is a death knell to social development and international peace. Access to information avoids ignorance, fundamentalism, wars and obstinacy. Hence provision of libraries and channels to information access is essential for the survival of democracy.
The articles were written with a spirit to provide access to information to all people, at all places and at all times. The information divide between the urban and rural areas should vanish. Producers of all basic resources reside in rural areas. Lack of provision of information to the rural people will lead to exploitation. Information should reach the unreached in all parts of the country continuously and constantly.
The book contains only a few articles on different aspects of library and information science. All the articles may be useful or may not be useful to you. Atleast if one article of one idea in this book reaches you and found useful to you, the purpose of this book is achieved. It is hoped that the book has ample readability. The friends and foes of the author in libraries will receive it in their libraries both for appreciation and criticism." (jacket)
