Information Systems, Networks and Services in India: : Developments and Trends

Citation

Satija, M.P. (1999), "Information Systems, Networks and Services in India: : Developments and Trends", Asian Libraries, Vol. 8 No. 9, pp. 359-360. https://doi.org/10.1108/al.1999.8.9.359.7

The subjects dealt in this volume are highly topical, and most of the contributors are leading exponents in their fields. There are 19 chapters, each on a distinct Indian topic. In Volume 1, P.B. Mangla writes on Indian library and information services and policies, while T.H. Chowdhary discusses India’s telecommunications policy in global perspective. K.N. Prasad dwells on intellectual property laws in India, with special emphasis on patents and computerised information and enforcement of the laws. H. Parekh and K.S. Raghavan write on the development of university libraries, concluding with the INFLIBNET programme for networking and resource sharing. In the next chapter, INFLIBNET is described more fully by its director, Pramod Kumar. S. Kumar writes on the origin, development and services of British Council libraries in India. A corresponding chapter on United States Information Service (USIS) libraries in India is by T.D. Gradisher, USIS Director for South Asia. T.B. Rajasekhar writes in detail on the Internet and WWW, their roles and emerging trends, and explains their problems in India vis‐à‐vis the telecommunications infrastructure and policies. The last chapter in the first volume is on the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and NICnet by its director, N. Seshagiri.

Volume 2 begins with a chapter on IASLIC (India’s Aslib/SLA) by M.N. Nagaraj. This is followed by a review of library associations in India by P.S.G. Kumar; half of this chapter describes and evaluates the Indian Library Association. V. Venkatappiah, who writes on public libraries with special reference to library legislation, speaks authoritatively on his topic, while I.K. Ravichandra Rao reviews the important Librametric and related studies in India. NISSAT, India’s National Information System of Science and Technology, is described by by A. Lahiri, B.G. Sunder Singh and S. Ravindran, all of whom are associated with this programme. S. Parthasarathy writes with conviction on the origin, development and services of special libraries and information centres in India. D.N. Gupta explicates the history, present organisational structure and services of INSDOC, the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre. S. Seetharama discusses the norms and standards for library and information centres and services, especially the work of the EC:2 of the Bureau of Indian Standards started by Ranganathan in 1947. It concludes with a note on standards in the automated environment and quality standards such as the ISO9000 series. M.P Satija and K.S. Raghavan highlight India’s contribution to classification and indexing studies and research. The chapter is mostly devoted to the work of Ranganathan. K.S. Raghavan discusses the LIS education scenario in India and suggests the need for broad‐based education programmes to meet the emerging challenges.

Although the topics covered are many, one is somewhat disappointed by lack of a chapter on the National Library of India and its bibliographic services, on social sciences information services, on LIS research in India and an overview of academic libraries in general. What is most conspicuous by its absence is a chapter on the Documentation Research and Training Centre, Bangalore ‐ an institution founded by Ranganathan and with which Professor Neelameghan has remained associated since its inception.

Although without a preface or an editorial, editing work has been done meticulously to achieve uniformity in references and chapter format. Each chapter, preceded by an informative abstract, has been divided into small sections to facilitate browsing. There is a cumulative index in Volume 2. The work is commended to all students of information studies.