Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
Purpose: Information explosion and advent of modern ICT have changed the Library environment to a large extent. Libraries are to play great role to serve the user community in right direction and the use of modern ICT tools and techniques has made situation more user oriented. Of course, due to certain constrains, all types of modern ICT tools can’t be applied by the libraries for extending services to their user community. This situation is in existence in case of university library system also. The present study is made on "Prospects of using modern ICT tools and techniques for extending library services in university libraries of Assam".
Study design/methodology/approach: The study is confined to three university libraries of Assam taking into account three specific parameters. For the study, primary and secondary sources have been used. Prescribed questionnaire for library professionals, visiting libraries, discussion with both senior and junior library professionals have been used for collecting primary data. Review of literatures has been done for getting information on modern ICT tools and techniques.
Findings: Though ICT tools have been used by the university libraries under study to some extent, due to some constrains like limited resources, infrastructural inadequacy and lack of skilled professional staff, the libraries are not yet able to use the modern tools and techniques fully. There are enough scopes of using ICT tools and techniques for providing library services of which social media sites, whatsApp, cloud computing, etc can be cited, and use of these tools are found to be cost effective and people are accustomed in using them.
Originality/value: This study finds no major problem in using modern ICT tools and techniques in university libraries of Assam. By using these tools and techniques in extending library services to its user community will certainly help in enhancing the library service quality in the days to come.