Library and Information Resources PDF

# Library and Information Resources ## Question: What are the library and information resources? What measures would you take for the development of library and information resources? ## Library Resources The term 'library resources' means any and all of the materials, functions and services whi...

# Library and Information Resources ## Question: What are the library and information resources? What measures would you take for the development of library and information resources? ## Library Resources The term 'library resources' means any and all of the materials, functions and services which constitute a modern library system. ### Categorization of Library Resources: We may categorize the library resources by a chart: | Library Resources | | | | | :-------------------- | :------------- | :------------- | :------------- | | *Personel/Staff* | *Materials* | *Functions* | *Services* | | 1. Experience | 1. Books | 1. Acquisition | 1. Lending | | 2. Expertise | 2. Periodicals/journal | 2. Processing | 2. Refference | | | 3.Other non book mat | 3.Storage | 3. Indexing & Abstracting | | | 4. Audio-Visual aids | 4. Retrieval | 4. Documention | | | 5. Equipments | 5. Maintenance | 5. Reprography | | | | | 6. Translation | ### Library Resource Descriptions: 1. **Library staff/Personnel:** The resources of any library must include the experience and expertise of the professional and non-professional staff who engaged in decision making work, technical work, reference service, documentation service, and other library operational services. 2. **Library materials:** Materials means all type of equipment printed and non-printed may be the resources of library and information centre. Besides the traditional materials, some non-traditional items like microforms, films, and machine readable database, CD-ROM, etc. are also considered as library materials. 3. **Library functions:** Functions indicate those activities that are required to purchase/acquire/procure, process, store and retrieve of library materials. 4. **Library service:** By service we mean those activities and procedures used to relate the users to the materials. So, library resources are the amalgamation of people, process, ideas, materials and money which form the substance of a library. ## Information Resources Information resources include; data in textual, numerical, image or some forms recorded on conventional and non-conventional media; collections; human expertise; institutional expertise; information industry, etc. Besides, information resources include data and information, hardware and software, telecommunication networks and information system personnel. ### Information Resources Chart: | Information Resources | | | | | :------------------------ | :------------------ | :------------------ | :------------------ | | *Data and Information* | *Hardware and Software* | *Telecommunication* | *System personnel* | ## Factors and Processes of Information Resource Development The main function of librarianship’ is the development of library resources. The primary purpose of the librarian is to start, build up, develop and organize a collection of library resources. These meet the needs, interests and demands of the library’s clientele. The purpose of resource development is to provide the right materials to the right reader at the right time. ### Factors to Consider During Information Resource Development: 1. **Survey of the library’s own resource:** The primary element in developing any collection is a preliminary survey of the resources, which the library already possesses. The book selector must discover what basic books and other materials are already in the library. For this the collection is to be checked against the bibliographies of good standard histories of the particular subject considered. 2. **Updating the collection:** The existing collection of the library should be updated. In updating the collection, the selection of current resource should be accompanied by weeding or discarding unwanted resources, duplicating of titles as well as of replacement of lost or worn out materials. 3. **Variety of materials:** According to the clientele choice most current materials, older books and cut-of-print title may be selected and purchased on the most convenient terms possible. The traditional resource should be supplemented/added by selection of government documents, technical and scientific reports and pamphlets etc. 4. **Gifts:** In developing the collection gifts should be accepted only in case they add strength to the library collection and do not carry unreasonable restrictions. A policy should be developed for accepting gifts. This policy should clearly define what kinds of gifts are desirable for the library concerned and why such gifts should be integrated with the regular collection and where the gifts are housed separate. 5. **Comprehensiveness of collection:** No library can hope to maintain comprehensiveness, that is, the most extensive and intensive collection, in all fields. But comprehensiveness within certain fields or subjects is practicable. 6. **Subject coverage:** Subject coverage will depend upon the size and the social and economic background of the population served by the authority. It means to select preferable element from a number of titles published in a subject, when the library ought to cover. 7. **Balanced collection:** A balanced collection of a library is not a matter merely of a wide of subject matter but also all topics without any biases and emotional matter of librarian. He should be able through advice and guidance to establish his own particular balance. ## Conclusion: The size, nature and contents of the library collection depend upon the objectives of the library and the needs of the clientele. A live, balanced and up-to-date collection should be maintained both in subject content and in kinds of materials. The library being a growing organism should be continuous in addition of new materials.