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Friday, June 16, 2006

First V-Book In Library and Information Science

Shailendra Kumar. V-Book 2003 "European libraries in new millenium (a travelogue by a professional)". New Delhi :Softlink Asia Pvt. Ltd., 2003. 112p. 2 hypermedia CDs.

The advent of information technology (IT) has profoundly influenced libraries in general and library activities in particular. Some of our libraries have also started undergoing the change more or less the same way the libraries of the developed countries have undergone. Some of us are fortunate enough to see those changes with our own eyes. But, most of us are not that fortunate. But, everybody is interested to have at least a glimpse of the changes that IT has brought about in the domain of library and information. Here is a book that provides a rare opportunity to witness those changes in virtual reality.
Dr Shailendra Kumar had an opportunity to visit some libraries of Germany as a member of the team sent to that country by Max Müller Bhavan, New Delhi in the year 2003. Apart from the German libraries he also visited a few libraries of Great Britain . He not only took note of various aspects of the libraries but also captured them along with some of the vital activities through his powerful video camera . One can read about the libraries in the book and then see the library through multimedia enjoying the narration, colourful pictures and the animation. In the sphere of library science this is most probably the first V- book in India , may be in the world which have most extensively used hypertext and the multimedia facilities.
The book embraces four libraries of UK covering one school library, one college library, the British Library and the Bodleian Library, i.e. the library of the University of Oxford. Under the Pimlico School Library, the author describes the curricula of lower school, for the years 10 and 11, and of the sixth form apart from the description of the library. The British Library and the Bodleian Library have been discussed at greater length compared to other libraries. The British Library has been described covering among others the collection (not in terms of quantity); inter-library loan; admission requirements for academic researchers; postgraduates and undergraduates; admission process; online catalogue; reference desk for humanities; access to material; Internet access; facilities provided for disabled readers; maintenance, safely and security; and finally the public facilities. Bodleian Library has already completed 400 years of its active existence in 2002 . It has 163 km of shelving space to house six million books and, 29 reading rooms to seat around 2500 readers at a time. Apart from the missions and objectives of the Library, the important services, users’ responsibilities, regulations governing the library, electronic resources, library finance, etc. have been described.
The German libraries which the author had the opportunity to visit are Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes library; Bavarian State Library; Stuttgart Public Library; The Wurttemberg State Library; the Hochschulbibliothekszentrum, Public Library, Cologne; and the State and University Library, Hamburg. Salient features of each library have been described in about two – three pages along with coloured photographs which help a reader to a general idea about the German libraries, their functions, state of automation, and so on.
The author had the occasion to visit the Departments of Library and Information Science of the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences; University of Applied Sciences, Cologne ; and the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences . Going through the syllabus, one get an idea that they are not ahead of us excepting the fact that they are possibly laying greater emphasis on information technology, media technology and information economics.
One important feature of the book is that it has dealt exclusively with some technology-based activities of those libraries such as circulation system, OPAC, conveyor belt system, and compact-shelving system.
Considering the fact that this is the first book Softlink Asia Pvt. Ltd , the production has been of very high order. In fact, printing, paper and the quality of colour photographs are excellent as we see in this book are rarely seen in Indian LIS publications. A detailed alphabetical index at the end has enhanced the value of the book to a great extent.
V-book in the form of two CD-ROMs is the unique feature of this book. The video-recordings embedded in the CD-ROMs take one virtually to the real world of some of the European libraries for 80 minutes and show you bit by bit how the libraries look like, what they are doing and how they are doing.
The contents of the V-book does not figure in the textual part and references to the CD-ROMs from the textual part are also missing. Neither there is any mention of its price anywhere in the book.
Reviewed by Prof. B K Sen

Brief CV

Dr. Shailendra Kumar ( डॉ शैलेन्द्र कुमार ) B.Sc., M.L.I.Sc., Ph.D., FSIS
Date of Birth: 26th September
Age: 47 Year
Phone: 95129- 2250614 (H) ; 9811119395 (M)
Email: shail3@yahoo.com

Science Graduate and Post-Graduate in Library and Information Science from University of Delhi.

Ph.D. from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur in the area of Scientometric Analysis.

Special Internship Programme from American Information Resource Centre.

Developed first Bibliometric Group in the country at Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) and performed Evaluation of Scientific Research Output of forty two CSIR Labs.

Developed method for Performance Evaluation for the University Grants Commission and Selection tool for Scientists.

Conducted first Short Term Courses “Computer Application in Library and Information Activities” and developed course from one week to four week programme; and Application of Bibliometric” at INSDOC.

Developed Computer Laboratory for students of Associateship in Information Science (AIS) course at INSDOC.

Developed a Group in the area of Library Automation and now the group has taken the shape of a company doing software development, database creation and supporting information technology activities in Libraries and information centres in India and abroad.

Developed Course Materials for Master of Library and Information Science course at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

Conducted Teleconferencing programme for MLIS and BLIS students in the country at IGNOU.

Revised and implemented the new courses of MLISc and BLISc at University of Delhi from the session 2004-2005.

Developed modern Computer Laboratory and Research Laboratory for students in the Department at Delhi University.

Developed the Local Area Network (LAN) in the Department and created Text Book Database in the Department Library at DU.

Each Class rooms and Teachers Rooms provided with LAN and 24hr Internet connectivity.

Design and Developed first V-Book in Library and Information Science titled “V-Book 2003 European Libraries in New Millennium”.

Teacher Incharge for Students Activities for three years.

Head of the Department for the full term 2001-2004. During the Headship concentrated on Growth and Development of the department both academically and in research activities.

Chairman of “Journal of Library and Information Science”, Departmental Research Council.

Member of Board of Research Studies, Academic Council, University Court at University of Delhi.

Member of Various Selection Committees

Research Guide for M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes. Examiner, paper setter and moderator of Bachelor’s and Master’s, M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes at various universities in India.

Visiting faculty to Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Kurukshetra University, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi, Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism, Bhopal etc.

Delivered more than hundred Invited Lectures at various universities and institutes. Participated in more than thirty Conferences, Seminars and Workshops.

Recipient of the “Young Information Scientist” award of the Society for Information Science for the year 1992-93.

Visiting Scientist under Science & Technology Exchange Programme between Government of India and Government of Hungary.

Member of Delegation Team to study Library and Information Systems in Germany and had number of professional visits to libraries in UK, Australia, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Visited The British Library, Eton College, Pimlico School, and Bodleian Library, University of Oxford in UK.

Life Member of 14 Professional Bodies and Associations.

Published Thirty six research articles and monographs; and Two Books in the field.

Worked in American Centre Library, Indian National Science Academy, Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre and Indira Gandhi National Open University, having 27 years of professional experience.

Recieved from Society for Information Science "SIS Fellowship Award 2008" at IIM, Indore.

Shailendra Kumar (Photos)