BGGI Library Article

Automation of Sukham Memorial Central Library of Bhai Gurdas Technical Educational Trust by using NEWLIBSOFT: A case study

BY

Tarvinder Singh Handa*

*Librarian, Sukham Memorial Central Library, Bhai Gurdas Group of Institutions, SangrurMb. Ph: 098720-41405, E-Mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The advent of new technologies has changed the nature of modern libraries. In fact, automation has become

an indispensable part of modern library’s information system development, organization, management and

services. The present article attempts to discuss the concept of library automation and its implementation. It

provides a case study of automation process undertaken at Sukham Memorial Central Library of Bhai

Gurdas Technical Educational Trust by using NEWLibsoft. The paper also discusses the features and

functions of software, requisite hardware and software, facilities offered to users and future objective.

1. Introduction

The use of computers has tremendously changed the face of libraries and information centers. Due to the

adoption of new technological devices, changing nature of their information storage, retrieval and services,

these have become multimedia centers1. The process started in India in middle 1950’s and till 1980’s, the

concept of automation was centered around the use of computers for house keeping operations and

information services by the individual libraries2. In the age of information explosion, increased user

demands labor intensive nature of work, changing concepts of documents became responsible for the

automation of libraries3. Today, Integrated Library Management Systems are largely used in performing key

functions of libraries such as acquisition, cataloging, circulation control, serials control etc. This has helped

enable the libraries to reach out to masses and provide their services without any human intervention and in

a cost effective way.

2. Library Automation

Automation is a process of mechanizing library house keeping operations by using computer based system

to perform activities such as acquisition, circulation, cataloging, reference and serial control 4. It is the most

sophisticated device invented by humans for processing enormous amount of raw material into meaningful

form of information with accuracy, reliability and speed5.

3. Bhai Gurdas Technical Educational Trust

The trust came into being, keeping in view higher technical education need of students of backward regions

of Sangrur, in the year 2000. The trust is named after the great Sikh scholar Bhai Gurdas ji. What started off

as only a management institute soon took a shape of huge educational campus with subsequent start of an

engineering institute in the year 2002 and a polytechnic college. The vivacious campus is spread across an

area of 45 acres and stands tall at Sangrur-Patiala National Highway. The campus houses three institutes:

1. Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology (BGIET).

2. Bhai Gurdas Institute of Management and Technology (BGIMT).

3. Bhai Gurdas Polytechnic College (BGPC).

1

Bhai Gurdas Group of Institutions’ rock-solid reputation for quality is further reinforced by the association

with various international universities like, Wayne State University, USA, Asian Institute of Technology

(AIT), Bangkok; Washburn University and Indiana Wesleyan Online University under the ‘students and

faculty exchange’ program.

4. Sukham Memorial Central Library: an introduction and overview

A Library is the heart of an educational institute which breathes knowledge and information into the minds

of students and scholars6. The central library, established on 19 th September 2009, is a visionary concept of

Bhai Gurdas Technical Educational Trust. It is built and named after in the memory of the late beloved

daughter of Shri Hakam Singh Jawandha, Chairman of the trust.

The Central Library is a three story building spanning across an area of whopping 36000 sq. feet, along with

separate library facility for each Institute of Bhai Gurdas Group i.e. Engineering, Management and

Polytechnic College. The aesthetically designed, fully air-conditioned library was founded keeping in view

the modern day education demands and it contains various sections Viz. Circulation, Periodical, Reference

and a separate e-Journals Lab for online journals and e-Books. Special seating arrangement has been made

for students who want to study Library as well as their personal reading material and is kept open even after

college hours.

The Central Library has a team of highly qualified professional, semi-professional and Non-Professional

staff. The team of library staff consists of one senior librarian, two librarians, four assistant librarians, four

library assistants, and four library restorers.

4.1 Collection Development

Library currently stocks nearly 40,000 text and reference books which include 20,000 books of Engineering

College Library, 13,000 books of Management Institute Library and 7,000 of Polytechnic Library. It also

subscribes to 200 Journals of National and International repute. I addition to this, it contains 560 bound

volumes, 2000 Training and Project reports, 10 Audio-Visual material, 1000 CDs and DVDs, etc.

4.2 Library Services

The Central Library is currently providing following services to its users:

1 Circulation

2 Reference Service

3 Current Awareness Service

4 Reprographic Service

5 Audio-Visual Service

6 OPAC

7 Intranet and Internet

8 CD-Rom Database

9 Inter Library Loan

10 Online Journals of INDEST-AICTE Consortium which include 520 titles

5. Automation of Central Library by using NEWLibsoft

2

Prior to the establishment of Central Library, all the libraries of three Institutions were already automated

using NEWLibsoft, an Integrated Library Automation Software. But the scenario was totally different when

these three libraries were housed in a single building. There was a challenge how these three individual

Libraries would be operated independently under one roof. Early assumptions were made to operate them

individually by setting up different circulation counters at considerable places. But the idea soon proved

futile as it demanded a lot of human resource as well as hefty chunk of money.

Library Committee Meetings were conducted and experts were consulted how to overcome this challenge.

The concerned software expert was called at and demand was put forth to make necessary changes in the

already existing software. Later discussions also took place and a detailed chart was prepared related to

amendments which followed further discussions. Finally all the labor turned into fruit and new modules

were prepared to ensure that a single server shall control all the activities of three different libraries.

5.1 NEWLibsoft: An Introduction NEWLibsoft is a powerful multi-user and simple to use windows based Library Management Solution for all

kinds of Institutional Libraries. You do not have to be a computer expert to use NEWLibsoft. It is designed to

assist / help in the management of institute library in a simplified and comprehensive manner. It provides

extensive feature for backing up and restoring data. Data is secure and available at all times. NEWLibsoft is

powered to handle large volume data with speed data access. It helps you to efficiently manage your work

faster. It has been developed for a central library which houses two or more libraries in the same building

having their own collection and operating differently using a single server.NEWLibsoft facilitates robust reporting engine for generation of all basic and advanced reports. One can

select from the comprehensive list of reports and quickly generate reports for daily and periodic needs.

5.2 Key Features

It also supports the Barcode.

In-built feature of Barcode Generation

It generates Catalogue Card According to AACR-II format.

In-built feature of Membership Card Generation.

It shows the photograph of the member during issue/return.

Barcoding based ‘Gate Entry’ module. A siren blows in case of suspended students.

It also provides a facility of SDI service and newspaper payment summary according to day-wise price.

Calendar-wise presentation of newspaper and journal which ensure total serial control.

Users can see table of contents of a book as well as articles published in a periodical.

Multiple selection criteria for report. Report can be had on screen/printer and imported in word, excel,

HTML etc.

Internet support (In-built browser)

It has very effective multi-level password security (both back end as well as front end).

It has a special module of Gate Entry that will record in/out time of users and display the defaulter

students record.

3

5.3 Different Modules with Detail

5.3.1 Master Menu: This includes the following:

Authority File: This menu is used to generate the master database for branch, class, department and

designation. Select the Type from option box and type the information and click ‘Save’ button. To

update or delete a record, double click in the grid to edit the record.

Holiday Master: The holiday master serves many purposes, most importantly it saves list of

holidays that will come in future. This module is required to give students/staff an advantage in

issue/return of documents at appropriate time as the system calculates the due dates to return a

particular document based on list of holidays provided in the list. The user can also select the

weekdays declared off. All fine calculations are therefore based on the system calculated

logical due date.

This Menu is defined to generate the holiday master of the current year. Type the holiday name and date

and click ‘Save’ button. To add all Sundays, Mondays & Saturdays of the current year, click the

concerned buttons.

Replace Information: Select the related option box, type the wrong information to which you want to

replace and type information with replace and then click replace all buttons.

Replace Class: Select the previous class in the left side and select the next class in the right to

which you want to replace and then click ‘replace all’ button.

Set Currency Rates: Equivalent currency rates master can be store in this module. e.g.

equivalent rate of $, Pond, DM etc.

4

Set Fine Rates: In this module, user can create the issue period categories like overnight, 8-

days, 14-days, full session etc. Click ‘Add’ button to create a category and click save button.

Set Default Issue Period: User can set a category of default issue Period for circulation module to save

the time of drop down selection.

Book Master Issue / Return: Using this menu, a user can list the issue record of a particular

member, particular accession number issued by a particular user between two dates according

to issue date, return date and due date.

Periodical Master Issue / Return: This module is similar to ‘Master Books’ issue/return.

Set Member Photograph: This module is used for insertion, modification & deletion of

student/staff photograph path.

5.3.2 Administration Menu

Security: This menu is used to create user, delete user & modify user as well as their rights. To create

user, click ‘Add’ button type user name, password, confirms password and domain form drop down.

You can also define the users’ rights.

Log File: Administrator can checkout timings (In/Out time) of the library staff member who are

working in this software. Select the Date and click check button.

Gate Inquiry: Administrator can checkout users who visited the library between two dates as well as

how many out going books are checked at the door.

Accession Register: Can display the Accession Register on the Screen.

Delete Accession Numbers: Through this module administrator can delete a book by accession no.

Type the accession no. and press enter. After that click delete button.

Alteration in Periodical and Newspapers: Through this administrator can modify and delete any

periodical as well as newspaper information.

Repair Database: Logout all users who are using this software and itself. Then again login and go this

menu and press Repair button. Otherwise database may be corrupted

5.3.3 Get Started

Start the software by clicking on concerned icon on the desktop.

Enter the user name and user password. User name and password both are case sensitive. Only

authorized users can login in this software.

Then, click ‘START’ button to open Main Menu.

Program will start and main menu will open.

5.3.4 Administration/Security Module

5

NEWLibsoft Library Software Package is divided into three levels i.e. Administrator Level, Library Staff

Level and User Level.

User Level: At this level, any user of the library could be allowed to perform certain operations like

making suggestion for procurement of a document, OPAC, Book Search, Boolean Search, Serial

Search, Non Book Material Search, Previous Question Paper Search etc.

Library Staff Level: Only authorized and specialized staff member could be allowed to perform certain

library functions connecting with running of library.

Administrator Level: Supervisor/Librarian can Create, delete and set rights of a user. At this level

supervisor can see how many times the users use the software package and any modification made by

them. NEWLibsoft has an in-built security feature. The user and his/her password is verified before

allowing access to the concerned module. After getting access, the authorized person could perform

only those functions he/she is allowed the Supervisor/Administrator.

Add User: Click ‘Add User’ button. Type user name, password, confirm password and select the

domain level from (Supervisor / Library Staff / Student).

5.3.5 Acquisition Module

To work in acquisition module click acquisition option either from Tool Bar or Menu Bar as shown in

picture:

Requisition for Purchase Library Documents: Library in itself is a complete department itself. The

Purchase Module thus helps to maintain the records of all Purchase Requisition made within the library.

The authorized users can then approve the request. The approved request can be then sent as purchase

order and hence the documents received are recorded .The whole procedure require user to enter

information only at initial stages

6

Set Status of Approved Books:- Search the control no. and edit the record. If the title is approved then

write or select ‘Y’ in Status Box. In case the title is not approved, select ‘N’ in status Box. After that

Press Update Button.

Vendors: - Through this option you can add, delete, modify, search, and get printouts of the

Vendors, Suppliers, Binders and Publishers etc.

Received Books: Search the control no. and edit the record. Type receiving date and quantity. After that

Press ‘Update’ Button.

5.3.6 Accessioning Module

This Module forms the backbone of the whole application as without the proper maintenance of different

Accession Registers no library can run smoothly. This module stores the Books in different registers. Till

now the right to create register has not been given to user as any modification can result to serious data loss

with in an application. The system can easily generate accession numbers in case of multiple copies saving

the user’s time and energy to enter same data again and again. Moreover the user can either select the

existing titles/authors/publishers etc from the combo box provided or can type new. Any key press in these

combo boxes will take the control the closet item matching that character key thus saving the time to search.

Select the option in which you want to work. For new entry click ‘ADD-NEW’ button. In case of

sequential entry, the software will generate Accession Number automatically and in random case,

accession no. will be entered manually. Type the Title and Author, then click Book-Code Button and

Press Enter Key (Compulsory) Otherwise next text boxes will not be enabled. Fill all the fields precisely

before save.

If a particular title is already available in the Library database then you have to select thes same title

from drop down menu and it is must to select first t author by drop down menu. The Bibliographical

detail will appear on the screen as entered earlier. Fillup all the fields shown in the figure below and

Press ‘SAVE’ Button.

To Modify any Record (Accession No.), Click ‘Edit’ Button and change the fields you want the modify,

Then Press ‘Update’ button.

7

To delete an accession number, select the Administration Menu then click on “Delete an Acc. No.

Menu”. A screen will be open. Type accession number and press enter. Related accession number will

be shown in the list box. Then clik delete button. Press delete in range button to delete multiple records.

5.3.7 Non-Book Material: If your library has non-Book Material, then you can accession them. User can

add, delete, modify, search and get printouts of non-book material.

5.3.8 Project / Thesis / Training Report: Through this module, you can accession the Project / Thesis /

Training Report. User can Add, Delete, Modify, Search & get Printouts from this module.

5.3.9 Stock Verification: This module helps you with inventory management of the library. Presently it

serves the purpose to stock verify the books only. We just need to type in accession number and press enter.

The accession number entered will be checked if that book is either issued to some one or not and also

check for its current status. Its current status has to be issuable otherwise the system will generate a warning

message asking for user permission to whether to accept this entry or not.

Once you have entered all the books for stock verification click on calculate lost books. The system will

then calculate lost books based on its database. It saves the work load of library staff to physically verify

books. For next time if you feel to start a new verification just press start a new verification.

6. Services Provided to Members Using NEWLibsoft

Users of all the three respective libraries get the following facilities:

6.1 Student/Staff Membership: Library users who are members of a particular library form its lifeline. The

central library registers users by providing unique ID Number to each user. The module thus helps to keep

track of its members with both staff and students. In the same module it keeps necessary information to keep

limit details of every member against each register and against each type of document depending upon the

case of different register and document.

6.2 Circulation: Issue/Return facility is provided to all the authorized members. Three different exe files

have been prepared for running software and carrying out circulation process of three libraries of different

institutions i.e. BGIET.exe (for Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology). The name of

institute will flash on in the circulation module you are working with. Similarly, to differentiate the

collection of all the three libraries, the alphabets P and M are added before the respective collection

of Polytechnic and Management College. Bar-coding of books of all libraries is done in same way.

Each student of all the three Institutions gets 3 books issued for a period of fourteen days. They can

however return any book within the time span and get another desired book issued. Similarly faculty and

8

staff members get 10 books, 2 books for full semester and remaining 8 for 30 days on circular basis. The

Document issued can either be a book/non book/thesis/periodical.

The procedure to issue/return a document is same. In case of issue one has to enter unique user ID and press

enter and then just enter accession number. If the accession number is found to be valid the system will

further ask “Do You Want to Issue This Book?” Just press enter and book is issued. Tell me honestly if that

was so simple as before.

6.3 Combined OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue): No application is complete if it cannot cater to

every user needs and is very limited in information retrieval. Once you have different types of documents in

your library they all should be easily accessible to members of library that is application should support a

convenient medium to search them. This is where OPAC comes into play.

9

The Central Library provides a centralized OPAC to its users where all the students, no matter what Institute

they belong to, can search Books/Serials/Non Book Material/Thesis and Project Reports/Question Papers

etc. The central Library OPAC supports Boolean system for searching documents.

6.4 No Dues: Type the membership number and press Enter. Name, photograph & Books issued to that the

student would be displayed on the Screen. Even the title, author and the cost of the books can also be seen.

By clicking the Fine button, Overall fine will be calculated automatically.

Print out of final status of dues can be taken and served to the concerned member.

6.5 Special Reports: Through reports module, users of all the three libraries can derive variety of

information according to their varied needs. Currently following key reports can be viewed on screen:

6.5.1 Student/Staff History: Information pertaining to personal status of both students and staff can be

viewed in two different modules. It includes the total books issued to a particular Member as well as

summary of overdue books.

6.5.2 Accession Number History: Information regarding any particular accession number or between

ranges can be viewed. This includes subject-wise, author-wise and publisher-wise summary of books.

10

6.5.3 Main Reports: Users can pick and choose any option be it accession number, author-wise, title-wise

or publisher-wise, to get bibliographic information available in their subject field through access to complete

accession register.

6.5.4 Serial Reports: Information about a particular serial can be derived by any user. This includes

pending issues, subject-wise summary and annual summary of a serial document.

Information regarding all the above mentioned reports can be imported to any files and subsequent printout

taken.

6.6 Combined Check-in/Checkout: NEWLibsoft provides a foolproof measure for the unauthorized exit of

library material. Items being carried out are checked using a barcode reader. The process is carried out, for

all the users of three different libraries, on a single window.

Similar to the circulation process, the alphabets P and M are applied to Polytechnic and

Management College Library’s accession number and concerned button gets automatically

activated. Issued status will be shown for an authorized exit of student otherwise a siren blows

out in case the document is not issued or being carried out illegally.

7. Future Objective and Conclusion

The future objective includes digitizing of library holdings and providing users of Central Library a single

platform where students of all the three institutions may fetch the desired document in digital form by

sitting on personal computer. What seemed hard how to operate three libraries differently using single

software, in the beginning, soon proved as simple as switching on a fan. The venture is first one of its kind

in Punjab by any organization or trust running group of institutions and having a central library for all

institutes. The libraries of three different Institutions are being operated successfully using a single server

and that too without losing their individuality. The students as well as staff have shown their utmost

satisfaction towards the venture. Moreover, the idea of rendering affective and efficient library services in

cost effective manner has been achieved.

11

Minimum Hardware/Software Requirements

1. Multi User 2. Single User

Pentium III or Celeron Pentium III or Celeron

128 MB RAM or more depending on number of users 64 MB RAM

20 GB HDD, CD-ROM Drive 10 GB HDD, CD-ROM Drive

10/100 MBPS LAN Card, Color Monitor resolution 800x600 Color SVGA Monitor, Scanner

UPS with at least 2 hour backup Window 95/98/NT/2000 OS

Server: Windows NT/2000 server

Node: Windows 95/98/2000 OS

References:

1. Konnur, M B and Rajendra A R, Automated Libraries: Some Experiences, Herald of Library

Science. Vol.33, Jan- Apr, 1994, pp. 24-28.

2. Charry M K, Library Automation in Kakatiya University: A Case Study in Modernization in

Libraries. IN Seminar Papers 33rd All India Librarians Conference, Bharatidasan University,

Thiruchirapalli, Dec 28-31, 1987, pp. 237–250.

3. Sridhar M S, Managing Modernization of Library Services using IT in Library and Information

Science: Parameter and Perspectives (Concept Publishing Co.: New Delhi), 1997. pp. 70-89.

4. Roy N, Computerization in the Universities in India: A Perception and Reflection. University News.

38 (31), July 31, 2000. pp. 9-11.

5. Rama Reddy E, Automation and Networking Experience of IGM Library. University of Hyderabad.

University News, May 27, 1996, pp. 17-20.

6. Misra V N and Phadke D N, “Information Technology and Libraries” In Computer Application in

Library and Information Science, edited by D. C. Ojha (Scientific Publisher; Jodhpur) 1995.

12