The Will need For Digitising Fourah Bay College or university Library
INTRODUCTION
In this Details Age, Info Know-how has revolutionized each individual factor of human lifetime to an extent that the current generation could be referred to as digital natives. This Facts Know-how has brought the globe to a issue of getting a global in conditions of data dissemination. It is towards this qualifications that Sutton(2008) envisaged “Data Know-how has promptly modified the globe right now.” This is evidenced in the alter of cultural, social, financial and instructional features of daily life. In this regard, the effect of Information and facts Technological innovation has been felt in the property, education, health and fitness defense and protection, finance and commerce, the sector and in the place of work. This technological progress has also experienced an impression on classic facts establishments these as libraries.
Facts Technology’s effects on libraries in academia has been on routines concerned with in-house keeping routines this sort of as acquisition, cataloguing, serials control, circulation of library components, running studies and retrieval of information and facts. Academic libraries are now providing their clientele with substantially superior and effective info products and services by the use of Details Technology. The application of Data Technological know-how to information management activities has resulted in the all round advancement in the functionality of tutorial libraries.
An educational library is the nerve centre of its father or mother establishment therefore conference the teaching and exploration requires of that establishment. It is founded with the primary concentration of giving effective info services shipping and delivery for students, training staff, administrative and complex staff of an tutorial institution. In this regard, present and suitable textbooks and journals as properly as reference resources represent the assortment of an educational library to match with the information needs of the curricula. In an tutorial library, an suitable and conducive looking through setting should really be supplied for people and it need to be adequately staffed. In a nutshell, an academic library supports analysis operate and enhances the training/learning programme of the establishment.
FOURAH BAY College or university LIBRARY
Fourah Bay School Library is a 3-storey building situated in the centre of the campus housing different sections/departments. The features/operations of the distinct departments of the Library are all geared to a single target, hence the provision of helpful provider supply in assembly the details demands of its clientele. Every department is headed by a properly trained and competent specialist staff supported by para-professional and non-professional staff who are all answerable to the Performing Librarian.
The lower ground flooring of the Library properties the Sierra Leone Assortment and Bindery. The Sierra Leone Selection residences components created on Sierra Leone and the neighbouring international locations components published by Sierra Leoneans few copies of dissertations and theses manuscripts, pamphlets and pamphlets-files picked titles of nearby newspapers, Sierra Leone Gazette Fourah Bay College and University publications periodicals these types of as Sierra Leone Experiments, Africana Analysis Bulletin, Sierra Trade Journal, Sierra Leone Language Evaluation, Historic Journal of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Geographical Journal Sierra Leone Chambers of Commerce Yearly Stories Sierra Leone Functions/Payments CSM Reviews, Parliamentary Debates and Proceedings Annual Reports of the a variety of Federal government ministries and departments and Presidential Addresses. Attaching these kinds of worth to this department for analysis function, the Sierra Leone Collection is referred to as our national heritage. Situated on this ground also is the Bindery which is the Conservation and Preservation Unit of the Library for the preservation of library components to prolong their everyday living span. It also operates commercially as a way of producing revenue for the School.
On the floor floor of the developing on entering the Library are the Circulation and Cataloguing departments, American Shelf, the Librarian’s Place of work, the Reference Area of couple stocks with a conducive looking at area and a Photocopying Device. The Circulation/Lending office of Fourah Bay College or university Library like all tutorial libraries is dependable for lending components especially books for use outside the house the developing or household-reading. The Circulations Desk which is adjacent to the Librarian’s Place of work and Reference Selection handles all lending treatments, so charging and discharging. The Circulations staff also sign-up new students and individuals needing to become members by issuing them geared up library playing cards for the use of the library and its amenities. Recalling overdue books and reserving needed books returned form section of the routines of the Issue Desk. The Problem Desk team also preserve information of all supplies issued for household-reading.
The operations of the Cataloguing Department which is also located in the ground flooring include the classification, cataloguing and accessioning of all newly obtained resources primarily publications in advance of positioned on the cabinets for accessibility by end users. Typing and filing of catalogue cards and stamping of catalogue guides with Library’s ownership stamp is also finished by the staff members of the Cataloguing Division. The American Shelf developed by the American Embassy in collaboration with the Fourah Bay College or university Library is a selection of American literature, heritage and few titles of international publications and gives a little studying house. Photocopying, printing, laminating as very well as comb binding jobs are done on professional foundation in a rented space. This Photocopying Segment situated at the ground ground of the making. The total initially flooring of the library houses the Periodicals Department which homes latest and again issues of periodicals in practically all disciplines. These contain journals, abstracts, indexes and magazines.
Lecturers, college students and scientists discover the Periodicals Section valuable for getting ready lecture notes, executing assignments and undertaking analysis actions. This Office also properties magazines for leisure studying as they have facts this kind of as news products, announcements, statistical details, and commercials about products and solutions and providers. The routines carried out in the Periodicals Section incorporate subscribing to journals, claiming back again problems paid out for but not however to be been given as very well as missing challenges, getting into of obtained journals on kardex, getting ready products to be certain.
The Textbook Collection is partly positioned in the second ground of the Library and as the identify indicates, this section stocks advised texts by the various school training staff in conference the info requires of the curricula. Earlier evaluation dilemma papers, dissertations and theses as very well as prepared lecture notes by some departments type aspect of the Textbook Selection. This office is hugely patronised by college students and lecturers in boosting training/studying programmes.
THE Have to have FOR DITIGISING FOURAH BAY College LIBRARY
Tutorial libraries really should move along with the global tendencies of details technological enhancement. I is as a result viewed with considerably optimism that digitizing Fourah Bay College or university Library will significally greatly enhance its functions and improve its info assistance supply. A digitized library guarantees an accurate and quick information and facts processing, storage, retrieval and accessibility. The use of desktops in gathering, processing, analyzing, retrieving of info and info for dissertation to buyers could be witnessed as a wonderful privilege savored by tutorial libraries in this Info Aged. In accordance to Birdsall (2009) a digitised library operates in just an digital collaborative surroundings to access details no matter its location. This implies that uncomplicated accessibility to electronic publications of publications and journal is feasible and probable by means of a digitized library program. Digitised library enables data to be accessed by an unrestricted viewers at the exact time and everywhere.
According to the fifth maxim of Library Science asserted by S. R. Ranganathan (1931) “The library is a escalating organism”. Indicating that libraries especially educational libraries in 3rd Entire world nations around the world in this Data Age really should not remain static but be dynamic and transfer along with the world traits of technological development in terms of information and facts processing, preservation, retrieval and dissemination. Justifiably, Fourah Bay Higher education Library demands to adopt and adapt this trend as a way of improving the providers it gives in striving to meet the demands of details seekers.
The dire require to digitize Fourah Bay University library stems from the simple fact a electronic is 1 that harnesses digital technologies and infrastructure to lookup, accumulate, organise and distribute cultural, historic and scientific information and facts whether or not it is textual content, visible illustrations or photos or audio. Electronic libraries make it feasible for electronic publications of publications and journals to be accessed by an limitless audience at the exact same time and anywhere. In this regard, digitising tutorial libraries such as Fourah Bay School Library is a requirement. Justifiably, there is dire need to have to digitise Fourah Bay School Library as the routines carried out manually are time-consuming as opposed to the digitised process which is pretty much a lot quicker and it is hence needed to digitize Fourah Bay University Library as a way of efficiently maximizing its functions. With out controversy, a digitize Fourah Bay Faculty Library program is quite a lot in its operations and retrieval of data and research procedures contain less labour, expertise and encounter as effectively specialist competence in reference queries posed by facts seekers.
Digitising Fourah Bay College or university Library is justifiable as performance and efficiency in details service supply is ensured more than the handbook. A digitised library method increases speed in accomplishing duties and subsequently will increase efficiency. Indisputably, these kinds of a library destinations the comprehensive assets it has at the fast disposal of the user. Realistically, advancement in the services furnished by a digitised library will be on a scale not possible to realize by guide procedures. A further issue of justification in digitising Fourah Bay College or university Library is that the existing handbook process is incapable of handling the perform-load having into account the recent state of the selection in phrases of dimension and boost in the number of customers. It should be pointed out with issue that supplies specifically guides are additional to the selection on a every day basis and the student population of the college or university increases every single year.
Retaining rate with the present-day trends in this Facts Age, it is required to digitise Fourah Bay Faculty Library so that it will get some prestige. It is a universally approved phenomenon that libraries that have initiated a mechanised programme have captivated awareness and increased their track record appropriately. In this working day and age, there is certainly enhancement in the currency of searchable data, advancement in the currency and manufacturing of Present-day Consciousness Bulletin, and capacity to look for and manipulate information in a selection of unique means as a end result of digitisation. In this regard, there is a want to digitise Fourah Bay College Library as the method boosts its Present-day Consciousness Products and services in retaining customers abreast of latest developments in their regions of curiosity.
As no library is self-sufficient in data sources, info sharing is facilitated as a end result of digitisation. It is pretty probable with the use of the pc to share the means of Fourah Bay College or university Library with other libraries and information models without having the problems and constraints represented by the catalogue. By digitising Fourah bay College Library, team can master new competencies based on this new technological innovation monotonous employment can be delegated to machines a lot easier and a lot quicker obtain to details simpler means of remedying typing glitches availability of shorter working hrs thereby giving more earnings for the personnel.
WHAT TO AND WHY DIGITISE
Digitised academic libraries stand to advantage amid other detail improved output and more productive jobs in documentation and details processing, information and facts community enhancement and ideal management of data management and retrieval.
Getting into account the size of the Fourah Bay University Library selection, its digitisation requires enough funding by the college administration. Nonetheless, if not the Sierra Leone Collection which holds scarce and essential documents of historic and investigation benefit, some of which are out of print need to be digitised. By digitising the Sierra Leone Selection, the country’s cultural heritage will be well preserved for posterity. Area newspapers and some crucial paperwork housed in the Assortment are so flimsy that if they are not digitised, as years go by, there is each and every tendency for them to don out and turn into unreadable.
The Cataloguing Section of the Library which processes newly obtained elements right before placed on the shelves for accessibility requires a computerised cataloguing technique that will exhibit a obvious superiority around its manual counterpart. A digitised cataloguing program entails the production of catalogue playing cards as nicely as the availability of superior pace printers. Not like manual cataloguing, a digitised cataloguing program makes sure enhancement in operate move extra efficient operate area and greater productivity is also envisaged. Depending on the availability of necessary cash to embark on this all-critical venture, the Sierra Leone Collection and the Cataloguing Section should really be prioritised in digitising Fourah Bay Faculty Library.
Workers and end users will remarkably enjoy the huge benefits to be derived in digitising Fourah Bay Faculty Library new competencies are realized based mostly on this new technology. As for the personnel, tiresome work can be delegated to devices and typing errors can be simply remedied. Consumers have much easier and quicker accessibility to details thereby reducing intermediary with a digitised library system. Some benefits of digitising tutorial libraries include things like boosting improved output far more productive duties in documentation and facts processing, information community enhancement and excellent handle of records management and retrieval. In accordance to Tedd (2009), academic librarians will obtain better regulate and manipulation of their perform natural environment as a result of the use of digitised library procedure. In this regard, Library wants to be suitably and sufficiently stocked with appropriate products to satisfy the information requires of the curricula, a digitised technique will make certain effortless selection and acquisition of supplies from publishers and their suppliers. The purchase of supplies in particular books and journals can be completed on the net and much less paper is included in this workout. And a major reward of a digitised library system specifically the Acquisition Section is the ability to follow up fantastic orders the identification of publications needed to build the assortment ordering publications from ideal suppliers their recording on arrival the settlement of invoices and in-depth preserving of acquisition accounts.
In phrases of accuracy and speed, the merits of a digitised cataloguing method considerably outweigh its guide counterpart. Efficient get the job done place and elevated productiveness specially in the production of catalogue playing cards is ensured as a result of a digitised cataloguing technique. The digitisation of Fourah Bay College or university Library boost its impression as a credible source of pertinent, well timed and current facts in satisfactorily conference the needs of its clientele. In a nutshell, the digitisation of Fourah Bay College Library improves helpful details company shipping and delivery therefore attracting superior patronage.
DIGITISING Issues
Notwithstanding the advantages derived in digitising Fourah Bay School Library, there are challenges similarly involved with this new technological innovation. It ought to be mentioned with excellent concern that as a end result of economic constraints confronted by the Faculty, there has been a drastic slice in the Library spending budget and this has adversely affected the operations of the Library and its management. Towards this back-drop, digitising Fourah Bay School Library will not be an uncomplicated enterprise as the method needs to be correctly preserved and sustained.
One more problem to be taken into consideration in digitising Fourah Bay College or university Library is that most consumers and staff members absence standard education in the use of this new technology and as such, they need to be adequately qualified for the helpful operations of this technique. And it really should as a result be borne in thoughts that the teaching of consumers and personnel to grow to be laptop or computer literate and proficient consists of dollars which the Library can’t easily afford. This implies that for the programme to triumph, it have to be integrated into the functioning life of users and staff of the Library. Unquestionably, the Library will have to have enable from procedure analysts to be certain the features of the system. Contracting the solutions of computer technicians costs income which ought to be regarded as money burden on the Library. Apart from, the Library will also have to have to acquire and sustain all necessary tools for the method to be operational.
A hard endeavor in handling digitised library units is that computer systems are elaborate, speedily shifting, fragile and typically incompatible. Other than, electronic documents are difficult to maintain simply because of quick variations in laptop components and software. There will generally be a new or enhanced system offered that is greater, improved or considerably less costly than the a person just ordered. The time and energy demanded to convert guide details to device readable sort is also a trouble in utilizing the method. Repeated electrical power-cuts as nicely as irregular electric power source pose a critical problem in digitising Fourah Bay College Library as it does not have a stand by generator to run the procedure.
It really should be also taken into account that a actual trouble throughout the rainy year is the risk of significant depth lightning strikes. The stability of the equipment from problems is also found as a obstacle if customers and personnel do not obtain sufficient abilities in dealing with this engineering. Yet another obstacle related with digitising Fourah Bay Higher education Library is the drastic reduction of its employees therefore generating unemployment which inevitably turns into a social difficulty.
Summary
Digitising Fourah Bay Higher education Library is a excellent idea using into account the improved companies which the program would provide to it. The higher education administration hence, must totally assistance this initiative as users and team of the library as very well as the administration will immensely benefit from it. Precise and speedy info retrieval so as to get the appropriate data to the suitable individual is realised when the library is digitised. In essence, endeavor this kind of a undertaking is truly worth-although notwithstanding the pending troubles that it will provide with it. The university librarian need to for that reason advocate with justification so that the administration manifests substantial interest in funding this all-critical job. In addition, the college or university librarian ought to solicit cash from other organisations, request donor agencies and be actively engaged in fund-elevating routines and income-making programmes for the realisation of this aspiration.
REFERENCES
Birdsall, Margaret O. (2009). Running digital info. New York: Prentice Hall.
Chinney, Victor M. (2007). Selecting an automatic library program: a organizing guide. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Findlay, George R. (2009). Controlling periodicals in school libraries. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Suttan, Milton S. (2008). A computerised library: consequences and worries. London: Routledge
Tedd, Lucy A. (2009). An introduction to computer system-primarily based library technique. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons.