Browsing by Author "Malhan, I V"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Challenges for Information Users in the Turbulent Times, Technological Transitions and Changing Work Environment
    (INFLIBNEt Centre, 2003-02) Malhan, I V
    With the ongoing process of globalization and spurt in knowledge activities, the demand for information has been steadily growing in all the spheres of economy. The information systems and services that provide speed and convenience will survive and thrive as such systems and services will be preferred by users in a growing competitive world. The paper also discuses the impact of ICT on libraries and user communities besides talking about the electronic information services scenario and the challenges facing information users. Continuous developments in ICT have facilitated real-time access to global information, though paradoxically problems related to deluge of information and uninhibited access to information for user communities have also emerged. This paper highlights the Indian scenario and reports two kinds of user studies conducted by the author pertaining to the conventional information usage settings and electronic information environment. These studies depict that information usage in India in both these environments is generally tardy and points out the reasons for the same. The study reflects the fact that information collection also depends on the initiative of users. Presents two cases where information users have put in a herculean effort to collect information and maintain the same in the form of personal information files. The conclusion focuses on the considerable work and effort needed in the country for imparting literacy, computer literacy and information literacy for preparing and powering the masses for the construction of a knowledge based society.
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    Creation and Development of a Virtual Library : Problems faced and Lessons learnt from the ‘Gyan Tawi’ Project
    (INFLIBNET Centre, Ahmedabad, 2004-02) Malhan, I V; K, Shivarama Rao
    This paper describes the growth of the Internet resources and mentions that the major challenge for the information professional is how to control the growing electronic information, how to evaluate this information to separate the worthwhile information from the trash and how to organize this information. With the development of the Internet, a new pattern of organization of information emerged where electronic documents are linked and arranged in the spatial order instead of traditional hierarchical order of arrangement of information. Moreover, the information is now directly accessible to users over a network of computers. Collecting the most relevant and significant free flowing Internet information and organizing it into a virtual library will facilitate most convenient information access to user communities. This paper highlights the problems faced and lessons learnt from the ‘Gyan Tawi’ virtual library project undertaken by the authors.
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    “GROWTH OF THE INTERNET RESOURCES AND CRITERIA FOR THEIR EVALUATION AND SELECTION”
    (INFLIBNET Centre, 2001-03) Malhan, I V; Sahi, Vikaram Singh
    Ever since the development of the webpage, the Internet resources have grown at an exponential rate. Growth rate has further increased with the digitization of old documents besides the creation of new digital resources. The Internet empowers every author to create, publish and directly distribute the contents to the end users. Easy and expeditious access to information, convenience of use and advances in technology led to the increasing accessibility of the Internet resources and further accelerated their growth. The Internet can provide comprehensive information in a diversity of subjects for a variety of needs and to various categories of users at any point of time. The major concern now is evaluation and quality filtering of information resources, accessible on the Internet. This paper includes the criteria for evaluation and selection of web resources for libraries and information users.
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    Portal Approach to Library Websites : Libraries Need to Discover New Integrated Platforms
    (INFLIBNET Center, 2006-02-02) Malhan, I V; Rao, Shivarama
    The advent of the World Wide Web and digitisation of publications have resulted in the proliferation of a vast amount and format of content types. Initiatives such as cyber infrastructure recommended by the NSF foundation provide specifications for accessing data, information support the emerging collaborative processes within sciences and includes several components relevant for libraries. Libraries are rapidly changing and expanding to web-based delivery of content and related access services in order to conform to the changing information seeking methods and expectations of their users. Developing an understanding of changing user demands and the basic building blocks of a new architecture will be a challenge in our current library environment. Presently our current technical systems are organized around data (e.g. the catalogue, vendor-based indexes and publishers) or services (e. g. interlibrary-loan, circulation and reference). One approach is to design multitired architectures that include an integration layer providing programme level services for user level applications such as a portal. Web portals are seen as positive potential frameworks for achieving order out of chaos. The library portal is one approach to organize information resources and services in a way that supports the users’ needs. However, the library portal will not be the only starting point for access to the library. The future of library websites in fact lies in integration of different effective information management and need based service modules.