1. Rajendra Kumar Gupta Assistant Librarian Banasthali University (Rajasthan)

2. Introduction :  The move from print to digital information has made profound impact on library operations, information resources and services, staff capability and users expectations. The most common library functions/ areas that got effected by IT are changing formats of information resources, automated library transactions, transformation from physical access to online/ remote access, revolution in storage devices, improved library professional capabilities, changing needs of users and pressure on financial allocations.  The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of IT on selected 50 libraries of Engineering Colleges/ Institutions in Rajasthan in terms of library functions, services, and library professionals.  Data gathering tools include questionnaire, observation and interviews for collecting the data.

3. Need of Awareness for Impact of IT on Libraries:  Major reasons to know impact of IT include expensive buildings, valuable IT infrastructure, costly IT services and collection, high salaried staff, and versatile users’ satisfaction level.  Library funding agency wants confirmation of positive effects.  ‘Roswitha Poll’ observes that new services, resources, expenses and workload for new information resources and services are rising. Libraries need to justify the investment and to prove the efficiency and positive impact of the new resources and services.

4. The collective responses from library professionals about impact of IT on libraries of engineering colleges/ institutions in Rajasthan are:  Impact of IT on Document Collection Development: Library collection goes beyond the print materials and includes the CDs/ DVDs, audio-video cassettes, e-books, e-journals and online databases etc. Many e-resources are freely available on the Internet. These additional sources of collection development reduces the space requirement of the library. Table 1 shows Non print collection in libraries of the engineering colleges/ institutions in Rajasthan.

5. Table : Library Collection of Non Print Resources S. No. Name of College/ Institution CDs/ DVDsE-Journals E-BooksE-ProjectsE-Databases 1AGI, Jaipur256---- 2AIET, Kukas----- 46SKIT, Jaipur1612489288905 47SWIET, Ajmer05---- 48VIET, Jodhpur750--- 49VIT-East, Jaipur1350--- 50YIT, Jaipur2500425-- Total42, 41337, 81220, 63940753

6.  Level of Library Automation: The most important area in which librarians notice the impact of IT and visible changes is library automation. Library automation is needed to reduce the efforts and time required for various library related jobs. Table 2 shows level of library automation in respondent libraries: Table 2: Level of Library Automation S. No. LevelNumber of Libraries Percentage 1. Fully Computerized1632 2. Partially Computerized2856 3. Planning of Computerization0612

7.  Impact of IT on Housekeeping Services: IT serves as a powerful tool in the management of library housekeeping operations. In- house operations in the library are changed from manual to automatic.  Automated Acquisition System: Manually acquisition process is a difficult and time- consuming process as it involves many clerical, routine, repetitive and labour intensive activities. Computerization helps in maintaining records accurately and systematically.  Automated Cataloguing System: Computerized catalogue is an efficient tool in retrieving information about the documents in the library easily and quickly.  Automated Circulation System: Automated circulation system improved accuracy and control over circulation activities like quick issue-return with use of barcode reader, fast membership work, fine calculation, easy renewal and reservation of items, speedily no- dues work, and sending timely overdue notices and reminder letters, calculation and printing of statistics of various types.

8.  Automated Serials Management: Computerization offers various benefits in serials subscriptions and subsequent monitoring of the receipt of individual issues. successful implementation of automated serials control, including check-in, binding control and routing of materials more feasible.  Automated Stock Verification: Automated library stock verification could be performed easily with less manpower. Once the data capturing is over, the verification and generation of report with library automation software could be done in a short period of time Table 3 : Automated Library Housekeeping Services S. No.Library FunctionNumber of LibrariesPercentage 1Acquisition2040 2Cataloguing4488 3Circulation4488 4Serials Control2244 5Stock Verification2142

9. An automated library provides following information services:  Online Public Access Catalogue: OPAC is a computerized database of the library holdings, which can be searched in many powerful ways than manual card catalogue. 80 per cent of the respondent libraries provide OPAC service.  Membership of Library Networks/ Consortia : Library networks and consortia membership is essential for effective resource sharing among the libraries. About 84 per cent of the libraries of the engineering colleges/ institutions in Rajasthan have membership with library networks or consortium. Table 4 shows respondent’s membership of library networks and consortia.

10. S. No. Networks/ConsortiaLibrariesPercentage 1 DELNET3774 2 INDEST-AICTE Consortium1530 3 UGC-INFONET Consortium0306 4 No Membership of any Library Network/ Consortium 0816  Internet Services: Libraries use Internet for information searching and communication with vendors, publishers and professionals through e-mail, facebook, and web page. 64 per cent of the respondent libraries use Wi-Fi technology for wireless Internet. All the respondent libraries have Internet connection.

11.  Impact on Storage Media and Space Capacity : IT has been the invention of huge storage capacity electronic devices. Now, libraries are changing the way in which information is stored and disseminated to users. Libraries can save much storage space by acquiring back volumes of journals, dissertations and books in digital form.  Reprography and Printing Facilities: The technology of reprography makes a big impact on the document delivery systems. Table 5 shows the reprography and printing facilities in the respondent libraries : Table 5 : Reprography and Printing Facilities in the Libraries Photocopy MachinePrinterScannerCD/ DVD Writer 45 (90 per cent)50 (100 per cent)32 (64 per cent)46 (92 per cent)

12.  Impact of IT on Library Professionals: The biggest challenges facing the library profession today is preparing the professionals to use technology effectively.  IT Skilled Library Staff : An academic library professional will be required to serve as an information service consultant with specific IT skills. Following table shows IT skilled library professionals in the respondent libraries: Table 6 : IT Skilled Library Professionals Library Professionals (326) IT SkilledNon IT Skilled 190 (58.29 per cent)136 (41.71 Per cent)

13.  Continuous Staff Training for IT Use and Implementation: Continuous training in emerging technologies is necessary to develop, maintain and improve skills of library staff. In India as well as Rajasthan many IT based courses are conducted by IT departments, universities and library networks and consortiums.  Changed Job Structure and Workload: In the IT environment most of the extra work is concerned with record conversion, inputting of data, bar-coding, maintenance and back-up of software. Maximum librarians replied that technology has increased their workload and has added more responsibilities to their job.  Improved Job Satisfaction and support IT: IT improves their speed, efficiency and accuracy in library works and services. Staff becomes more capable of providing proficient and accurate information/ services to the users.

14.  Use of Electronic Security System: Most of the libraries with open access facility have a problem with security and documents theft. CCTV camera, censor gate and RFID technologies have been in use for tracking and in theft detection in libraries. Few of the respondent libraries use CCTV cameras as security devices but none uses the RFID technology.  Future Plans of Libraries towards IT: Respondent librarians have expressed future plans encouragingly towards implementation of IT based resources and services. Table 7 indicates that respondents future plans as follows.

15. Table 7 : Future Plans of Libraries towards IT S. No PlansNo. of LibrariesPercentage 1.Up-gradation of IT Skills in Library Staff3570 2.Digital Library2448 3.RFID1224 4.CD-ROM Databases0408 5.Automation0204 6.Bar Coding0102 7.Library Consortia0102 8.Wi-Fi Technology0102

16.  Negative Impact, Problems and Solution: Regarding negative effects, staff trained in the use of IT reported high expenditure on systems maintenance, reduced inter-personal communication, frequent systems breakdown, frequent virus problems, information overflow, supplier’s/ vendor’s after sales service problems, electricity problems, management support problems, IT trained staff problems, health problems, users awareness problems, increased violation of copyright act, constant change in IT at regular interval, and techno stress as the major negative effect of using IT in the libraries. ‘ A. Statham and E. Bravo’ suggest that better communication, better staff training, staff involvement in planning, and careful timing of installations as some ways to prevent problems.

17. Conclusion and Recommendations: This study discusses impact of IT on library functions, services quality and staff. The study reveals that the majority of the staff agrees that computer-based information services are better than manual services because they are accurate, consistent, and can be provided/ received in much less time. The library professionals have also drawn attention to the negative effects with the use of IT. Based on the findings and views of the library professional and library surveys following suggestions and recommendations are made:  Libraries of Engineering colleges/ institutions in Rajasthan need to separate budget to initiate the action on IT applications, library automation and up-date IT infrastructures.

18.  The libraries should purchase more e-resources like e-books and e-journals.  The library staff should try accessing free e-resources available in public domain for the benefit of the users.  To develop competitive personnel in a technologically advanced world, high priority must be given to develop skills in IT applications, library management and soft skills in library professionals.  Library science schools and teaching departments across the country have to take significant steps to revise library science curriculum regarding latest IT resources and services.

19.  The libraries should go for complete automation and use all modules of the software. The libraries should take full use of software for housekeeping operations and user oriented services.  In view of the increased pressure on libraries of the engineering colleges/ institutions in Rajasthan for the provision of variety of e-resources and services, they are forced to depend on other library’s resources. Therefore, it is suggested that the libraries shall share both hardcopy and e-resources and become member of library networks and consortium.

20. THANK YOU