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This paper analyses the level of development of the information portals of the ten Indian educational Institutes with the largest traffic. The sample of ten institutional portals with the largest traffic was selected according to the figures provided by Alexa Web Information Company and the Webometrics organisation. The information portals of the Institutes were analysed to determine their level of development according to a set of quality indicators. The twenty-one indicators were divided into five main sections: general features, information features, navigation, search system and other features. The analysis was carried out from February to April 2010. The level of development of the information portals was not homogeneous. Of the portals studied, four showed a medium-high level of development; four showed a medium-low level of development; and two showed a low level of development. The indicators may also be useful for analysing the situation in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information technology has brought a tremendous change in the nature, boundaries and structure of information. The ongoing movement towards an electronic information society is pushing libraries towards automation and digitization. The revolution has brought impressive changes in the role of LIS professionals who are now being viewed as information managers/facilitators. These developments have also influenced LIS writings and publishing. This study shows that while the application of IT has gained considerable importance in Indian libraries, IT-based papers have surprisingly found less space in Indian LIS periodicals as compared to the LIS literature in general. The findings of this study also indicate that there is an uneven distribution of various topics within the Indian LIS IT-published literature; while some topics/areas of IT have received considerable attention others have been barely touched. Topics like IT in general, bibliographic databases, library networking, library automation and electronic resources have been found to predominate in the growth of Indian LIS literature as compared to the coverage of other areas of IT. Most papers (60%) have single authors, indicating a low amount of teamwork/collaborative writing. The paper's analysis also reveals that working professionals/librarians have made more contributions (48%) in comparison to teaching professionals (22%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a 2004 destructive incident at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune, India as a case study to discuss the intersection of caste politics, ownership, and violence in the archives. After a brief overview of the events leading up to, during, and subsequent to the violent destruction of archival documents by an angry lower caste mob, this paper provides the historical context necessary to analyze issues of ownership, politics, and colonialism within the context of a South Asian library, keeping in mind the complex interplay of religion, region, and caste in India. The paper then explores this incident from an archival studies perspective, looking at archives as both sites of violence and as cultural and political symbols, and explores how issues of ownership, political pressure, and access, if not properly addressed, can boil over into violent destruction of the archival record. Finally, this paper argues that violent incidents such as the one described can occur outside of the Indian context, in almost any archival setting, and concludes with recommendations on how to avoid future destruction in archival repositories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the contributions of public libraries to the satisfaction of the intellectual needs of rural inhabitants in West Bengal, India. The study applied a quantitative survey method with the help of a well-structured questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed among to the users (students, officers/professionals, self-employed individuals, businessmen, jobseekers, retired persons, and housewives) of 45 rural public libraries in five selected districts of West Bengal. The study found that the largest group of respondents belonged to the students and jobseekers categories, who visit the rural public libraries for seeking academic and job-related information. Many students from humble backgrounds were solely dependent on public libraries because they have procured some textbooks from middle school up to graduation level. Jobseekers were mostly consulting the Career Guidance Section of the library to prepare for various competitive exams. The study also revealed that public libraries have been trying to satisfy the intellectual and informational needs of the rural inhabitants by providing various services and facilities. Respondents have further reported that public libraries should adopt modern technologies and provide ICT-based library services as well. The outcome of this study would help to develop and upgrade the public library collection, services, and facilities in developing countries in a way that reflects patrons' stated needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries in India are progressing well in automating house-keeping operations, refining old services and starting fresh ones. There is also an increasing presence of electronic information sources, external and internal, and services based upon them. Libraries have progressively adopted library automation software, CD-ROM databases, and Web access to electronic journals and digital libraries. With each advance in technology the time of the user to retrieve information has shown a drastic reduction. The emergence and increasing availability of the Internet and Web has led to a lot of information outside the library tempting users to depend less on libraries and to explore these alternate routes to fulfill their information needs. The rise in number and variety of information resources and the inability of most libraries to acquire/access them also leaves the libraries less able to meet the needs of clients, forcing the library and staff to shy away from their new roles. Largely a service hi many institutions that does not enjoy the power of research and teaching staff, the plight of library professionals in many of these institutions results in low morale and underperformance. This paper attempts to look into these issues and the cultures and conflicts faced by users, libraries and librarians in academic and research libraries in India. It identifies the library as a service and access centre, managing and enhancing information in a technology-enhanced environment rather than as a mere repository. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines a neglected aspect of international librarianship, namely the role of NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) in the development and management of public and community libraries. We present a case study of NGOs operating in neglected and underserved slum areas of the southern Indian metropolis of Bangalore. This case study is based on recent field research the authors have conducted, and provides insights into this alternative model of library development. The qualitative research methods employed in the field research include face-to-face interviews, focus groups, and observations. One of the important findings of this research is that communitybased libraries are viable and important components of a social development agenda in India. However, more research is needed to study the role of NGOs in library development, both in India and in other parts of the developing world. NGOs can be effective service delivery mechanisms, but also can suffer from issues of sustainability, governance, and accountability. Thus while NGOs are reaching some of the most marginalized populations in India through their library services, the government still has an important role to play in library development. An enhanced government-run public library system, in combination with these other NGO services, might present an ideal scenario for serving the largest cross section of the public most effectively. This research confirms the need for and importance of community library services in India. As we move forward, developing larger-scale models and finding best practices in this area should be a concern for future researchers, concerned citizens, library officials, and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]