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Permalink Reply by AMIT KUMAR on April 30, 2013 at 1:54

khud ko mahnat karne mein zor aa raha hai ... why don't u you try the hard way by doing it on your own?

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Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on May 1, 2013 at 7:30

Dear Janab Jasimudeen Saab,

Thanks for your post.

But, pardon me, I extremely appreciate Sri Amit Kumar's comment; may be not in the same words he has used but by and large, I too share the same views! But,

Of course, LIS LINK is the forum, as I believe, where professionals can put any sort of professional question they need assistance to get clarification of any doubt.

But, the question you have raised is what one calls need driven!! That means every library has its own individual & unique requirements; admittedly, apart from certain common ones of course!!

In the present context, you are the person who is fully aware of the nature, standard, status and phase of your library. and as such, you are in a position to decide about the actual necessities and you can only plan for them unless you describe them in your post.

I am sorry to say that there is a hype to initiate automation (meaning computerized activities) in libraries. Supposedly, it may glamorize one's image. It may enhance self esteem, even inflate sense of boasting within us! (Oh; what wonderful things I have done!!) or it may result certain professional & financial upliftment or it may be because of sheer necessity.

So you first ask yourself the viability and the sections which actually needs automation; especially in the perspective of the existing staff etc. In case you can justify yourself, identify the areas and if need be, certainly seek assistance or advise from the forum!!

I'd like to add here with due respect to all the prevailing ideas about automation, digitization etc. etc. what really counts in the Library is users' support and service potentiality of library people.

In our young days, we often witnessed people of boasting about their huge collections & monumental budgets; but I hardly found them to speak about service, their punctuality in attendance,serving readers beyond office hours etc.

But we all know that the inputs like huge collections and monumental budgets all go down the drain if the libraries are underused!!

So, my honest opinion (it is not any advice) is not to loose heart for automation, just see whether it is really needed and if yes, analyze the sections and their practicabilities. That's all.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray. Calcutta

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Permalink Reply by Jasimudeen.s on May 2, 2013 at 8:02

Dear all..

thanks for reply from mr.amit, i liked his comment very much ..LOL :).

Thanks for Mr.Siddhartha Ray for his descriptive reply....

it was not to ctrl+F and replace a proposal with my requirement that i put a request for a softcopy of a library automation proposal.It was for A reference purpose.I know well to prepare proposals.It took some three months last year for me  to prepare a proposal for a library building to UGC.The request is under consideration of UGC.Mahnat karne mein muche zor nahi aata hai amit saab...

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Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on May 2, 2013 at 20:30

Dear Janab Jasimudeen Saab,

Thanks for your post and  for the clarification.  Since your post is for Back Up purpose, We can now discuss the issue in a completely different perspective!

 Honestly speaking, I must admit at the onset that I have no idea whether there exist any MODEL FORMAT of proposal for submission to UGC!! But,

As I informed earlier, you have to take stock of the current scenario of your library

In this context there come questions as (a) "WHY"? (b) "Where"? (C) "When"? & (d) "How"?

For sending formal proposal to UGC  seeking funds for introducing automation,  follow certain formalities. like arrange a meeting with the Library Committee,(LC) & get it resolved by the LC. Next, discuss with certain senior professionals of local established institutes preferably where automation has already been introduced. It may be possible that YOU personally know much better than those SENIORS & can do much better than them, but still, call a formal meeting with some of your LC Members with those EXTERNAL EXPERTS (it will be even better if you can include some academicians and at least one Computer specialist) Get your proposal of Automation approved by them and keep a copy of the resolution. This will be of immense value.

Now you can start acting in the field!

Regarding the question WHY? You have to see whether it is a Felt Necessity. In case your answer is YES, you have to proceed with the following steps like WHERE & WHEN

Here you have to assess which are the areas you immediately need automation. That means you have to identify the areas you badly need automation. At this stage you have to prepare a list of successive prioritization of automation work.  It may be simply start OPAC. or WEBOPAC as the need be. It may include circulation control too. 

Now the stage of HOW comes into effect.

You have to assess & plan for  the infrasrtucture required for initiating such automation (like No. of PCs required and their configuration & accessories, Furniture etc. In case you have LAN, you have to plan for the wiring, type of cables,number of ports and their locations). At the same time you have to asses the cost involved.

You also have to include hardware & software maintenance & their AMCs. You have to add expenses for consumables too. So both capital expenditure as well as recurring expenditure are to be included. More importantly,  you have to plan for requisite human development, so you have to make provision for training of the staff.

At this stage, you have to assess their capability, service potentiality and adaptability. You have to make a cost-benefit & more importantly, a risk-benefit analysis within yourself because whatever you will be doing/deciding at this stage will certainly have a lasting impression in your future library activities. In case you have any guideline like case studies published in journals it will be your background*

Now prepare a full proposal & get it approved by the requisite empowered bodies of your institution and place before the funding agencies.

So you see, to sum up,

You have to prepare a ground work (meetings of LC & with external experts)

In the proposal, you have to write:

(a) An introduction  Explaining the requirements.

(b) Methods to proceed & Materials needed

(c) Financial Requirements

(d) A Cost-Benefit Analysis.

(e) Discussion (explaining how and to what extent it will be economical)

(f) Inference (explaining what will be the supposedly betterment in service etc.)

I hope I could answer your query as far as my knowledge is concerned.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Calcutta

(* what I have mentioned above is based on my personal experience when I placed a proposal of computerization of my Library of a National Biomedical Research Institute in mid & late 90's. I should admit that I was inspired by several articles in the then Bulletin of Medical library Association and I had interacted with a Library Director of a well known & Highly esteemed U.S. Medical  Research Institute and I had rather Indianized their concept to a considerable extent. Fortunately, my persuasion proved fruitful and As I can recall, I received a sanction letter from the Head Quarter. However, I have left the service to that institute before the money came!!) 

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