UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN NORTH EAST INDIA: READINESS FOR INFORMATION LITERACY PROGRAMME Chingsubam Bijenti Chanu Charoibam Ibohal Singh, Ph.D Research Scholar (SRF) Assistant Professor (S-2) Department of Library and Information Science, Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal-795003 E-mail: bijenti_ching@yahoo.com E-mail: ibohal68@gmail.com Phone: +91-9089338452 Phone: +91-9436033910

Objectives of the Study To understand the status of university libraries of North East India; To examine whether the libraries provide Information Literacy Programme; and To explore the role of Library and Information Science Professionals towards Information Literacy Programme.

State-wise Distribution of Universities under study Sl. No. Name of the State No. of Universities (% ) 1. Arunachal Pradesh 1 7.14 2. Assam 6 42.86 3. Manipur 2 14.29 4. Meghalaya 5. Mizoram 6. Nagaland 7. Sikkim 8. Tripura Total 14 100.00

Library Headship Sl. No. Headship No. of University Library % 1. Librarian / Librarian i/c 5 35.71 2. Deputy Librarian 3 21.43 3. Assistant Librarian 4 28.57 4. Information Scientist 1 7.14 5. Technical Assistant Total 14 100

Category of library users Sl. No. Category No. of library % 1. Teacher 13 92.86 2. Research scholar 12 85.71 3. Working Staff 4. PG Students 5. Others 07 50

Facilities provided in the library Sl. No. Facilities provided in the library No. of University Libraries Response rate (%) 1. Internet access 13 92.86 2. Xerox 14 100 3. Catalogue search 12 85.71 4. OPAC search 5. Sufficient lighting 6. Sufficient seating 7. Canteen 6 42.86 8. Public toilet 9. Any other 2 14.29

Library infrastructure on ILP Level of Influence Score % To a great extent 6 42.86 To some extent 4 28.57 Not influence at all Total 14 100.00

Influence of different library infrastructure on ILP Score O - E (O-E)2 divided by E Observed (O) Expected (E) Sufficient Building 10.83 12.16 -1.33 0.145 Trained manpower 12.33 0.17 0.002 Resources 12.83 0.67 0.037 ICT support Provision of regular conduct of ILP 14 1.84 0.264 Total 60.82 0.593

SUGGESTIONS Technological awareness among the staff is the need of the hour. For the improvement of the university libraries in the region, each of them should develop their own websites and also participate in various networking programme among them for resource sharing. The staff strength must also be equivalent for rendering most effective services to the users, so the library staff needs to be recruited wherever needed. The authorities should come forward to conduct ILP more frequently to make the users information literate. Awareness programme on the basics of how to access the library must be conducted for every sessions for new students. Different types of ILP related services should be provided to the users in the fullest.

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