Scientific Management of Forest Libraries

Contents: 1. Introduction to forest libraries. 2. Introduction to classification. 3. Oxford system of decimal classification. 4. Cataloguing. 5. Classified catalogue code. 6. Filing systems. 7. Retrieval languages. 8. Library staff & administration. 9. Library financing, budgeting and accounting. 10. Selection or purchases of books. 11. Book order and acquisition. 12. Accessioning. 13. Processing work. 14. Maintenance work. 15. Periodical work. 16. Circulation work. 17. Charging and discharging methods. 18. Library rules and regulations. 19. Stock vertification and shelf rectification. 20. Library records. 21. Statistics and annual report. 22. Library building and facilities. 23. Constraints and remedies for proper functioning of forest libraries. Annexures: 1. A list of some good libraries in India. 2. Some useful abbreviations for library. Bibliography. Index.

During the past few years there has been tremendous growth in forestry books, periodicals, journals and other literatures. The time has come to take maximum advantage of the forestry literature available if the mother earth is to be reclothed with vegetation and this is possible only when forest libraries located in forest divisions, circles, research centres etc. would be developed and used on a scientifc basis by using the OXFORD SYSTEM OF DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION FOR FORESTRY as a tool for classification and cataloguing. The use of ODC by the forest libraries and users will lead to qualitative improvement of existing libraries and information services wich are difficult to provide otherwise. All the informations developed and gathered in the field of forestry is not being read and utilised by the foresters and people engaged in tree planting activities due to poor cataloguing, filling and failure to use retrieval languages properly. Similarly the choice or purchase of books and circulation work needs improvement by arousing interests of the readers. The efforts should be made so that valuable knowledge accumulated may not vanish or remain in dark due to poor performance of forest libraries. This book “Scientific Management of Forest Libraries” make the foresters and scientists to use forest libraries in a better and meaningful manner for the development of forestry. (jacket)