RATIONALE FOR LIBRARY AUTOMATION IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION

RATIONALE FOR LIBRARY AUTOMATION IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION

First of all, what is a library?

Library can be defined as a social agency where books, non – books materials and electronic information sources are acquired and systemically organized for use and managed by qualified and competent professionals.

What is automation?

Automation can be defined as the technique, method or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum. It is also a mechanical device, operated electronically, that functions automatically, without continuous input from an operator.

What is library Automation?

Library automation can be defined as the use of automatic machines or processing devices in libraries. It can also be defined as a process of using the machineries for easily working and saving the human power and time. The main purpose of library automation is to free the librarians and library staff and to allow them to contribute more meaningfully to spread of knowledge and information. When we use machineries for collection, processing, storage and retrieval of information and do another works of library with the help of machineries that is called library Automation.

What is globalization?

Globalization can be defined asa process of interaction and integration among the people, companies and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and on human physical well-being in societies around the world.



INTRODUCTION

Rational for library automation in the era of Globalization has many benefits both for the users and the staff.

Today’s users expect the automated library system to provide access to the cataloguing, circulation, public catalog (OPAC) and acquisitions modules of the library and also to provide access through the system to information in other libraries.

The main aim of any library is to provide access to proper information to the right users in as possible as short time. In an environment of information explosion. Due to growing demands of the user and shrinking of financial resources library is not able to obtain all the reading materials on demand. The only way to overcome these problem is resources sharing through networking. The development of library services in higher learning is a complex process to cover up advances of disciplines.

Strategic planning for acquisition, use of information managements techniques, use of new technologies and regular updating. New technologies library provides several new materials, media and mode of storing and communication the information. Library Automation reduces the drudgery of repeated manual efforts in library routine. By use of library automation collection, storage, administration, processing, preservation and communication etc. are.

RATIONALE FOR LIBRARY AUTOMATION THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION

There are several reasons for automation. A considerable saving in efforts, time and resources involved in manual processing can be achieved. The other reasons are:

1. To improve control over collection.

2. To have an entries control over the entire operation.

3. To improve the existing services as well as introduce new services.

4. To avoid duplicate of work

5. To use services of the existing staff effectively.

From the library point of view automation in library is also necessary because:

i. It is largely textual in nature

ii. It’s bibliographic record is of variable length.

iii. A field in a record may repeat many times.

iv. File size is usually very large.

v. Updating of files is done almost everyday.

vi. To record the date accurately, special devices are required.

The evolution of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) has cause a paradigm shift in every facet of life. Most organizations both public and private have adopted ICT in their operations. Libraries have also embraced the technology to manage, and deliver prompt information to their clients. According to Mohammed (2006); the inadequacy of traditional library services and tools in coping with the detailed, requirements of identifying information pertinent to a given problem has forced libraries to automate their functional service areas.

Against the background, Raiz (1992) observes that heavy influx of document added new dimension to users need. It is ICT which can ensure service. For example, the manual work of housekeeping such as acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, serial control, etc. can be done with greater speed and efficiency with no arrears or backlog kept pending (Raiz 1992). He argues that various factors have contributed to bringing change from conventional to automate library operations. Broadly speaking, the main reasons behind this change are: growth of document and new dimension of user’s needs. Suku and Mini (2003) observe that the factors necessitating automation of university libraries of explosion of knowledge resulting numerous specializations and flow of almost non-stop information; inability of users to explore unlimited literature; wastage of enormous precious time in handling routine and repetitive library operations; even the largest of the libraries cannot acquire and make available the entire published materials; and to facilitate easy, fast, and reliable sharing of resources between libraries, cutting across space and time.

The reasons for library automation in the era of globalization enables easy access to library materials, and allows staff to better serve users and facilitate a multitude of tasks such as acquisitions, cataloguing, circulation and reference (Egunjobi and Awoyemi, 2012).

Library Automation comes with a lot of benefits to both the users and the libraries. In the course of library automation materials in poor condition are repaired so that at the end of the process materials will not only be available but also in good condition. It also enables reconciliation of call numbers so that copies of the same title will not be located at different places in the library. It facilitates weeding of books that have outlived their usefulness (Ahenkorah – Marfo, and Borteye, 2010). It increases use of collections, increases productivity in terms of work output and information retrieval, helped in extending services. It increases users satisfaction. Delsey (1990) spectacles that library automation increases access; that is users are able to search for materials within the library and from remote locations via search items as author, title, subject, call number and keyword. It also ensures that machine – readable catalogue can be accessed and displayed in a multitude of ways that simply are not possible with a manual catalogue. Automation of the traditional library house-keeping activities make materials easier for patrons to locate as well as allowing staff to perform better user services by facilitating a multitude of staff task such as acquisitions, cataloguing, circulation and reference (Bhanja and Barik, 2009). Tamuno and Ojedokun (1997) observe that once a library system is automated there are some tangible benefits that staff and students gain such as computer literary, introduction of new services, and internet and online database searches. Circulation is one of the most affected area of library services, which saved a lot of time of users as well as staff because of automation. With the help of WEBOPAC, users can search information from anywhere at anytime; users can easily do the reservation of library sources and it helps to avoid the theft of library resources with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system (Parvez, 2011). All these shows that the reasons for library automation can be reaped during the process of automating a library as well as its aftermath.

RECOMMENDATION

As a matter of fact the reason for library automation in the era of globalization is to enables easy access to library materials, allow staff to better serve users and facilitate a multitude of tasks and so on.

I hereby recommend that the provision of library automation should be taken seriously. Librarians that are not able to use computers and other machines should be given adequate training. Also users that are not able to use system (computer) should be guided. The use of an automated library should be provided to maintain the machines.