Assignment Code: BLIE-226/AST/TMA/2021-22

Course Code: BLIE-226

Assignment Name: Management of Library and Information Centre

Year: 2021-2022

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Note: Answer all questions

I) Answer the following questions in not more than 500 words each.

Q1) What are the changes which have occurred in libraries in the recent past? Explain how these changes can be managed. (10)

Ans) The following are clear changes in libraries:

1. Ownership Access

2. Print Digital

3. Catalogue OPAC

4. Journals E-Journals

The main type of external changes in the library include:

1. Technological Changes

2. Economic Changes

3. Strategic Changes

4. Political and Social trends

There are some internal forces also which lead towards changes in libraries:

1. User complaint or demand

2. Recognition of a problem

3. Staff attitude

Because of their complicated nature and diverse behaviour, strict management principles are found to be inapplicable in each form of organisation. It holds true in the case of libraries. On the one side, libraries must deal with traditional books and journals, while on the other, they must deal with electronic resources. They must deal with two categories of users: those who are familiar with information and communication technologies and others who are not. This entails dealing with harsh circumstances.

Sometimes people want electronic resources, while other times electronic formats are pushed on them without their knowledge. In the case of libraries, the focus has been on new user experiences and expectations. In this setting, librarians' responsibility is to not only adapt to change, but also to lead change and build new paradigms.

Resistance in libraries comes primarily from the technical section due to the nature of the work. Occasionally, libraries will appoint a change agent to help them implement changes. It is not only the responsibility of senior librarians to manage change in libraries; it is also the responsibility of all librarians and personnel.

Libraries Have a Need for Change Management:

1. In libraries, the change management process is ineffective.

2. In comparison to other organisations, libraries lag behind in terms of delivering technologically advanced and high-quality services to its patrons.

3. In libraries, the current facilities are woefully inadequate.

4. The introduction of IT in academic libraries is still in its early stages, owing to a lack of change management in the libraries.

Steps to be followed while implementing the Change in Libraries:

1. Make a choice (diagnose what needs to be changed)

2. Change should be conceptualised (Nature & Scope of Change, Right Time to introduce change)

3. Make the library ready for change (Communicate about Change)

4. Organize the planning committee (Identify group and group leader)

5. Make a change plan (Vision, strategy, goals, objectives, and deadline are decided)

6. Make the necessary adjustments (Change is formally introduced and controlling resistance is very important)

7. Examine the alteration (If necessary, make required adjustments)

Q2) Discuss the various preliminary considerations while planning building of a new library. (10)

Ans) When a librarian sees a need for a structure, the process of planning it begins at the concept level in his or her imagination. The concept is fleshed out in the form of a written proposal. As a result, the written proposal is the climax of the librarian's adventure to develop the concept. The proposal must be based on the following:

1. A detailed examination of the library's operations over time, taking into consideration the numerous bottlenecks that have arisen in recent years, and which are recalled while perusing the library's annual reports;

2. A thorough examination of the current literature on the subject;

3. Internal personnel, management/faculty members, and well-known experts on the subject were consulted extensively.

4. Observing the adoption of the space and its impact on day-to-day services in libraries; and

5. User behaviour and preferences based on circulation and reference service statistics, user visit and library traffic patterns, and user behaviour and preferences literature review However, user surveys should be carefully chosen to include those that pertain to the e-sources period, as there is now a clear preference among users for e-sources over print sources.

Building Planning Committee

As building progresses and the necessity for such adjustments emerges, the committee that was initially formed may undergo revisions. As a result, a typical construction committee consists of:

1. Librarian,

2. Architect,

3. A representative of the library authority,

4. Engineer of the organisation/institution, and

5. One or two senior staff of the library.

Later on, involving representatives from the user community and an interior designer will be quite beneficial.

The librarian will offer the building with a complete list of standards that must be met. The architect's role is to integrate the concept plane's specifications into a building with a functionally elegant interior and an aesthetically beautiful outside. The architect is also crucial in determining the best location for the construction. The presence of a representative from the library authority will facilitate the flow of necessary funding resources. Because the library is a furniture and equipment-intensive structure, the layout of functional sections within the structure is just as vital. The interior designer on the committee will assist in the design of functional spaces, space kinds and sizes, equipment placement and storage, lighting, and other electrical and mechanical support systems.

Location/ Site Selection

The first stage in creating a structure is to choose a suitable location for the structure. It is said that a suitable location is critical to the library's ability to fulfil its objective of community service. The success of a library is largely down to the correct location being selected through the combined efforts of planners, librarians, and others. After the decision on the functions and type of building has been made, the topic of site selection is addressed. Although the decision is made by the planning team as a whole, the architect's assistance is crucial in reaching a final decision.

Q3) Discuss the different types of tools used for selection of print and non-print materials in a library. Support the answer with suitable examples of selection tools. (10)

Ans) Libraries execute the acquisition role in order to meet the information needs of library patrons. The purpose of this section is to identify the users' needs as well as the resources available to meet those needs. The selection tools identify the papers that are appropriate for the function, and the sources are chosen and purchased using the funds made available for the purpose. Academic, public, and special libraries are the three types of libraries available. The type of library where the user is looking for information has an impact on the user's needs. There are two methods for determining the information needs of a user group: the Direct Method and the Indirect Method.

The following are examples of direct methods for gathering information about user requirements:

1. Users were interviewed.

2. Users are asked to fill out a questionnaire, which is then circulated among them.

3. As a result of user suggestions, which were written down.

Indirect Method includes study of:

1. The parent body's objectives and mission

2. Courses of study, as well as research areas and projects, are available.

3. Information and references sought are recorded at the reference desk.

4. Profiles of research researchers

5. The user community's history, culture, and literatures,

6. Records of circulation and reading rooms, as well as subject-specific core lists in a variety of fields.

Selection Principles

Drury's Ideas: In his book, Book Selection, published by the American Library Association in 1930, Drury outlined his principles. It's a twenty-one-point list. The gist of his views is that selection should strive to "place the appropriate book in the hands of the right reader at the right time."

Melvil Dewey stated that while choosing a text, the library should look for one that provides "the best reading for the greatest number at the lowest cost."

Principles of Ranganathan: Papers come into three categories, according to Dr. S.R. Ranganathan: documents that are of basic or major importance to users; documents that may be required at some point to complement the basic documents; and documents that have no connection to the primary area of work. The first is referred to as umbral documents, the second as penumbral documents, and the third as foreign documents. The library should amass a complete collection of umbral papers, acquire penumbral documents selectively, and rely on other libraries to meet needs for documents of a foreign origin.

Source selection is a difficult topic that requires considerations that are frequently referred to as personal bias. However, the task is ideally a team effort, with the team consisting of library employees, members of the user community, and the library authority. The nature of the library determines the relative roles of the three. The authorities play a major role in public libraries, whereas in academic libraries, the user community selects the resource for acquisition. In practise, however, it is the librarian who plays the most important role in collection development, due to his continuous contact with the user community and awareness of available resources on the market.

Selection Tools

In the acquisition area, selection tools are an important category of documents to have on hand. These are updated on a regular basis with the addition of new tools as they become available. These are available in both print and electronic formats.

Q4) Stock verification in libraries is 'a necessary evil' discuss the statement highlighting advantages and disadvantages of library stock verification. (10)

Ans) Stock verification may have its roots in a time when books were few and had to be carefully secured for their safety. The librarian was expected to be more of a keeper of the stock than a facilitator in getting people access to the information they wanted. To verify that all of the copies were there, a method of counting the number of volumes at regular intervals was in place. In a time when books were still handwritten and documents were still made by hand, the attitude was logical. Books were printed page by page even after printing was invented.

Scarcity gave way to plenty with the invention of the printing press and machine-made paper. However, changing one's mindset takes time. The habit of annual stocktaking lasted until recently, when western countries replaced it with collection evaluation. The accreditation agencies aren't concerned with the quantity of books added to the library or the number of volumes published. They now expect libraries to demonstrate how their collections have improved service and "helped accomplish the institution's vision and goals." It is believed that a properly conducted survey allows a library to assess its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the direction in which it has been evolving and how well its collection is suited to its target audience.

Various official and non-official committees and commissions in India have spoken out against the futility of stock verification and the injustice of holding librarians responsible for book loss. However, as evidenced by a circular published by the Ministry of Finance's Department of Expenditure on February 2, 1984, authorities' attitudes have only partially shifted. "The position of the library books is different from that of other stores," according to the circular. However, the circular still requires annual inventory for libraries with collections of up to 20,000 books. Every five years, libraries with collections above 50000 are permitted to conduct verification.

Advantages of Stock Verification

Stock verification helps in:

1. A library's lost books are identified.

2. Staff members get the opportunity to learn more about the library's collection.

3. Identification of titles that require repair or replacement, and so forth.

4. Identifying titles that should be discarded.

5. Assist in the correction of records like library catalogues and shelf lists in the case of missing books.

6. Identification of titles that require a tag, a due date slip, or a new book card.

7. Identifying the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the library security system.

8. Cleaning the books and dusting the shelves

Disadvantages of Stock Verification

1. Because stock verification takes a long time, the library is closed for a long time.

2. The library expects patrons to return books they have borrowed.

3. Work in the acquisition and technical processing areas has accumulated.

4. Despite the strongest security system in the world, no library can claim to have no books.

5. Staff time is being squandered on ineffective activities.

II) Answer the following questions in not more than 250 words each.

Q1) Discuss the problems involved in implementing TQM in libraries. (5)

Ans) TQM has been successfully implemented in a number of libraries. The Harvard College Library formed a task force to rewrite the library's vision statement and evaluate the adjustments that would be necessary to build a new organisational culture—one that "highlights the changing nature of staff duties and responsibilities in an era of pervasive change." Harvard learnt about TQM with the help of consultants and discovered that its concepts of service excellence, teamwork, continual training and skill building, process/systems focus, continuous improvement, and cross-boundary cooperation might assist them in making the changes they required.

The following are some main roadblocks to TQM implementation in libraries:

1. a lack of funds

2. Inadequate infrastructure and a lack of top-level management support

3. Organizational culture and structure are rigid.

4. Employees' aversion to change

5. Inadequate and inconsistent library employee training and education

6. Planning errors as well as a lack of long-term planning

7. In the library, there is a lack of coordination among personnel and management, as well as at various levels.

8. In libraries, the marketing technique is not used.

9. Not undertaking adequate market research (user research) to determine user needs.

10. Objections to phrases like "total," "quality," and "management," which imply that high standards aren't being fulfilled already.

11. TQM takes several years to adopt and requires library managers to make a long-term commitment.

12. Process: opposed to TQM's meticulous process analysis, our culture is impatient, and we try to address problems quickly.

13. Professionalization: Professionals may be hesitant to hand over their practises and services to what they consider to be "uninformed customer whims."

Q2) What are acquisition problems specific of Indian libraries. (5)

Ans) The acquisition problems specific of Indian libraries are as follows:

Market for Books

Libraries have significant challenges in receiving timely information about new releases and receiving consignments of books ordered from Indian or foreign publishers. The Internet and e-resources have substantially simplified the situation.

Problem of Trade Discount

In India, there is no agreement between the book trade and library associations about a consistent trade discount, resulting in rate variations and distrust among authorities toward librarians, as well as the possibility of undesired publications being acquired in libraries.

The Problem of Obtaining Publications in Foreign (Non-English) Languages

Libraries attempting to build collections of European and Asian language books confront significant challenges because to the scarcity of stockists dealing in these languages. The majority of European and Asian suppliers require payment in advance. Arranging for upfront payment is a time-consuming and risky process that only a few librarians are willing to undertake.

Purchasing Indian Publications

The problem with Central and State Government Publications is that the selection tools for these publications are not available on time. The government's publishing departments have yet to set up a competent sales mechanism.

The issue with Indian language publications is that they have not been successful in producing college level literature in the social sciences, humanities, and sciences. The majority of the books acquired by libraries are in the English language and are never used.

The Issue of Periodical Publications in India

Due to the non-availability of a periodicals directory on a regular basis, acquiring Indian publications poses a severe challenge. Those that are available are out of date.

Problem with Out-of-Print Books: Even the few that specialise in the supply of old books are more interested in supplying art books or merely rare books. These dealers can be tough to find general books that aren't in the publisher's stock.

Q3) Explain the need for induction and deployment in libraries. (5)

Ans) One of the most significant and reliable strategies to keep and encourage the recruited person to the position(s) is to properly induct the person into the organisation so that he or she feels like they have joined the correct organisation. Induction and deployment in libraries are required for the following reasons:

The head of the library and information unit gives her/him an overview of the unit's numerous operations and services, as well as introducing her/him to all of her/his coworkers.

An orientation programme is an informal introduction to the organization's goals and objectives, organisational discipline, employee benefits, salary schedules, health care and medical provisions, attendance, leave regulations and rules, holidays, grievance procedures, hours of work, coffee break, telephone facilities, and other topics that a newcomer may not be aware of when they first join the organisation.

The head of the library/information unit presents a complete picture of the unit's operations, its function in relation to the parent organisation, the library's structural organisation, the section to which s/he will be assigned, the nature of the work, tasks and responsibilities, and other colleagues.

The thoughtful and systematic induction and deployment would pay off handsomely in the long run by acquainting the newcomer with the environment and people with whom he or she will be working. These efforts would increase the chances of getting the best performance from the individual, as well as making the individual feel comfortable and secure in the organisation.

This part of induction and deployment is frequently overlooked and given little attention, leaving newcomers feeling insecure and fearful. This neglect will, of course, have an impact on the recruit's performance.

Q4) Describe the concept of change management. Explain the process of implementing change in libraries. (5)

Ans) On both a corporate and individual level, change management entails planning, initiating, realising, controlling, and finally stabilising change processes. It can ensure that methods, processes, and procedures are standardised and applicable to all changes. It can also be used to handle all changes efficiently and quickly, as well as to strike a healthy balance between the necessity for change and the potential negative consequences of change.

The change management method aids in the following areas:

1. Examining each change for its viability

2. Taking adequate care of alterations

3. Keeping the changes under control

4. Requests for change should be identified.

Before beginning the change process, it is beneficial for the manager to consider the following questions:

1. What should be changed?

2. To what extent does it require modification?

3. How will this transformation take place?

4. How can this shift be maintained?

Steps or Phases of Change

Step 1: Assess Need for Change

This is the preliminary stage, which aids in the development of the basis upon which the change will be implemented.

Step 2: Change Management Purpose

Decisions about adjustments to achieve the desired future state, as well as barriers in the change process, are considered at this stage.

Step 3: Make a Change Plan

During this phase, a formal plan for managing change is created. Priorities are set that are flexible.

Step 4: Put the Change into Action

It entails a number of activities such as meetings, employee training, and so on. Here, whether the adjustment is successful or not, feedback is also gathered.

Step 5: Maintaining the Transformation

The commitment phase is what it's called. It aids in the comprehension of how to maintain support for the adjustments. Here, the results are combined.

Q5) Describe the changing role of library professionals. Mention the types of skills required by LIS professionals in the changing scenario. (5)

Ans) With the application of computer and information technologies, libraries and information institutions are rapidly evolving. Many libraries have found it necessary and beneficial to automate their activities in order to provide quality customer services, thanks to the increasing development of software packages for library automation. Many libraries are discovering that computerization leads to increased productivity, improved reader services, faster movement of acquisitions between delivery and appearance on shelves, improved stock control, and a better quality of life for everyone involved.

Indian libraries and information institutions are currently in various stages of modernising their systems and services, including automation, selective digitisation of specific collections in some libraries, and the use of the Internet and other networks and websites for searching and retrieval, among other things. Some have made significant progress in this process, while others are still in the early stages, functioning in the traditional way for retrospective collections while offering computerised services for fresh acquisitions. All of these changes can be noticed in the following areas:

1. The nature of their collection;

2. Technical Processing;

3. Serials Control;

4. Readers Services;

5. Information Retrieval Services;

6. User Orientation; and

7. Staff Training, etc.

The future LIS professionals should have a blend of the areas given below:

1. Subject specialisation with a large number of abilities to learn;

2. Knowledge of associated disciplines that are relevant to providing services; Significant computer knowledge and skills;

3. High-level communication ability, both oral and written;

4. To manage a complex organisation, you'll need management abilities.

5. Vision and views to plan; and Human attributes of leadership.

Q6) Describe the External and Internal forces of change. (5)

Ans) The external and internal forces of changes are as follows:

External Forces

Change is prompted by external influences that start outside the organisation and may have a worldwide impact. These are also known as environmental forces that are beyond the control of management. The operating environment of organisations is influenced by external variables such as demographic features, economic factors, technical breakthroughs, market shifts, and socio-political pressures. The diversity of the workforce is linked to demographic changes. It is common knowledge that the globalised economy has increased risks and possibilities, causing businesses to undertake radical changes not only to acquire competitive advantages, but also to survive.

Rapid technological innovation is another driving force for change in organisations, and those who do not keep up will inevitably fall behind. Changes in the market, such as competitors introducing new items, lowering prices, or improving customer service. Changes in client tastes, interests, and income occur at the same time.

Internal Forces

These forces arise from within the organisation and are managed by the organisation. Human problems, as well as managerial behaviour and decisions, are the sources of these forces. In general, issues relating to human behaviour revolve around how people are treated at work. Without the devotion and dedication of its employees, no organisation can progress.

Employee dissatisfaction with working circumstances, as well as individual and organisational requirements, can lead to conflict between management and workers. Excessive interpersonal conflict is frequently a sign that something has to change. Unusual or high levels of absenteeism, as well as excessive turnover, are also pressures for change. The extent of an organization's success will be determined by how it chooses to motivate, communicate, and integrate change within its workforce.