INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network
INFLIBNET Centre is an autonomous Inter University Centre (IUC) of University
Grant Commission (UGC) of India with its headquarters in Gandhinagar. INFLIBNET is a major National Programme initiated by UGC in 1991.
Initially started as a project under IUCAA (Inter University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics), INFLIBNET became an independent Inter University Centre in 1996.
INFLIBNET Centre is involved in modernising university libraries, connecting them as
well as information centres, through nation-wide high-speed data network for optimum
utilisation of information. It serves as an information centre for transfer and access of
information, supporting scholarship, learning and academic pursuit’) in universities,
colleges and R&D institutions in the country.
Indian Council of Social Science Research (lCSSR)
Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) was established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, in 1969 to promote social science research in the country.
ICSSR, an autonomous body, sponsors social science research programmes and projects in the country; administers grants to institutions and individuals; awards fellowship; sponsor and arrange technical training in research methodology and provide guidance for research; develop and support library and documentation centres for providing information services in social sciences; organises and support seminars, workshops etc.
Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (lGNCA)
Set up by the Ministry of Culture, Government ofIndia in 1985, IGNCA is a premier institution in the preservation and dissemination of knowledge in the fields of arts, culture, lifestyle studies and folklore.
The Centre aims to serve as a major resource centre for National Information Systems and Programmes Information Sources, Systems and Programmes 202 the arts, especially written, oral and visual resource materials; undertake research and publication programmes of reference works, glossaries, dictionaries aridencyclopaedias concerning the arts, humanities and general cultural heritage; develop computerised National Information System and Databank on arts, humanities and cultural heritage and create a network of communication with oilier national and international centres of arts and culture.
The Centre comprises five divisions viz. i) Kala Nidhi, ii) Kala Kosa, iii) Janpada
Sampada, iv) Kala Darsana, and v) Sutra Dhara.
National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM)
Manuscripts are a major source of art, science and culture of a nation. India with its rich cultural heritage has fairly large collection (about 30 million) of manuscripts located in different parts oflndia and abroad. In India, manuscripts are located in a variety of places from university libraries to temples, maths, madrasas, monastries, private collection.
A large number of organisations are facing critical preservation problems due to lack of resources and technical expertise.
The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM)was launched by Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in Feb. 2003 to locate, catalogue and preserve India’s manuscripts; enhance their access, spread awareness and encourage their use for educational purposes.
The Department of Culture is the implementing Ministry and IGNCA is the nodal agency for the Mission along with specially identified Manuscript Resource Centres (MRCs) and Manuscripts Conservation Centres (MCCs.) in different states spread all over the country.
Indian Council for Cultural Relations (lCCR)
It was established in 1950 for strengthening the ties of cultural cooperation and exchange between India and other countries.
The objectives of the Council as defined in Memorandum of Association are to:
• participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes relating to India’s external cultural relations;
• promote cultural exchange with other countries and people;
• promote and strengthen cultural relation and mutual understanding between India and other countries; and
• establish and develop relations with national and international organisations in the field of culture.
The Council has 8 Regional Offices in India and over 14 in foreign countries. The Council collaborates actively in the operation of some foreign cultural centres in India.
For instance, nine out of thirteen British Libraries in India are run jointly by the ICCR and British Council.
The Council with its headquarters in New Delhi, performs its activities through two wings namely: i) Programme Wing, and ii) Administration and Education Wing.
The Programme Wing is involved with exchange of visits of scholars, academicians, artists, writers and performing art groups; commissioning of statues of Indian leaders abroad; facilitation and participation of seminars and symposia abroad; presentation of informatics, audio-visual material, books onIndia and Indian musical instruments abroad and collaboration with foreign cultural centres in India.
Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR)
- ICPR was established in March 1977.
- It promotes teaching and research in philosophy.
- The Council awards fellowships to scholars, supports and organises seminars in different areas of philosophy and related disciplines,organises special lectures by eminent Indian and foreign scholars, conducts annual essay competition among young scholars to encourage them to think critically and philosophically on the issues facing the nation, conducts exchange programme between India and Foreign countries, provides grant for publication of digests, periodicals and scholarly works in philosophy.
National Archives of India (NAI)
- NAI is the repository of non-current records of Government of India.
- It was set up in March 1891 in Calcutta as the Imperial Record Deshifted to New Delhi in 1911 and is now housed in present building since 1926.
- NAI’s holdings comprise government records from the year 1748 onwards covering later Mughal period, East India Company, British Rule and emergence of freedom struggle in India.
- The records are of 4 categories: i) Public Records, ii) Oriental Records, iii) Manuscripts, and iv) Private Papers.
Indian Library Association (ILA)
- The Indian Library Association was founded in 1933 at Calcutta.
- It is a registered society, with headquarters now located at Delhi.
- It is the premier national association representing the entire library profession in the country.
Objectives
i) promotion of library movement in the country and enactment of library legislation;
ii) improvement of library services;
iii) development of library science education and training and accreditation of library schools towards maintaining proper standards of education;
iv) betterment of salary, service conditions and status of library personnel;
v) promotion of cooperation among libraries and library professionals;
vi) promotion of research and bibliographical studies;
vii) affiliation with state and other library associations;
viii) cooperation with international and other national associations with similar objectives;
ix) publication of serial and other publications for dissemination of information;
x) providing a common forum by organising conferences, seminars and meetings;
xi) promotion and formulation of standards, norms, guidelines, etc., for management of library and information systems and their services.
Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC)
The Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC) was founded in 1955.
It is a registered society with headquarters located in Calcutta.
It was formed with the aim of having an association in India similar to the Association for Information Management in the UK and the Special Libraries Association in the USA.
Objectives
i) To encourage and promote the systematic acquisition, organization and dissemination of knowledge;
ii) to improve the quality of library and information services and dissemination work ;
iii) to coordinate the activities and foster mutual cooperation and assistance among special libraries; information centres, etc;
iv) to serve as a field of active contact for libraries, information bureaus, documentation centres, etc;
v) to improve the technical efficiency of workers in special libraries, information centres, etc., and look after their professional welfare
vi) to act as a centre for research special library and documentation techniques;
vii) to act as a centre for information in scientific, technical and other fields ;
viii) to take such action as may be incidental and conducive to the attainment of the objects of the Association.
American Library Association (ALA)
The American Library Association (ALA) has the uniqueness of being the oldest and largest library association in the world. It was founded in 1876 with its headquarters at Chicago.
Objectives
ALA is an organization for librarians and libraries with the overall objective of promoting and improving library services and librarianship and providing life-long services to all.
It stands for user-oriented library and information services. Its aim is to propagate library consciousness and promote the library interests of the country.
It is there to work for intellectual freedom without the constraint of censorship and for free access to reading materials.
The ALA is concerned with the profession, and the professional’s interests.
Awards
ALA has instituted several awards in the name of some eminent library scientists to encourage and recognize working professionals for outstanding performance and excellence in certain fields.
The following are a few examples:
John Cotton; Dana Library Public Relations Award;
Clearance Day Award for promoting love of books and reading;
Melvil Dewey Award for creative professional achievement;
E.P. Dutton-John McRae Award for advanced study for serving the needs of culturally deprived children;
Margaret Mann Award for achievements in cataloguing and classifications;
Ralph R. Shaw Award:
Association for information Management (ASLIB)
This Association was founded in 1926, as the Association for Special Libraries and Information Bureau (ASLIB) and earned a great reputation by its record of professional service.
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) founded in 1929 with the aim of promoting international contacts among library associations and librarians, is a non-governmental professional organisation.
International Federation for Information and Documentation (FID)
The International Federation for Information and Documentation.
The word Information was added to the name in 1986, but the acronym FID is continued.
It was founded by Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine in Belgium in 1895 as the International Institute of Bibliography (IIB).
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
UNESCO, founded in 1946, is an inter-governmental agency belonging to the United Nations system.
It deals with Library, Documentation, Information, Archives, Book Production, Copyright and similar other things.
University Grants Commission (UGC)
The University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory organization established by an Act of Parliament in 1956.
Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF)
Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation was established in May 1972 on the auspicious occasion of the bicentennial birth anniversary of Raja Rammohun Roy.
The Foundation is an autonomous organization, established and sponsored by the Department of Culture, Govt. of India.
Its headquarters is located at Calcutta.
objectives
1) enunciation of a national library policy and working towards its adoption by the union and state governments and persuading them to enact library legislation where such legislation does not exist;
2) helping build up a national library system by integrating the services of national libraries, state central libraries, district libraries and other types of libraries, for instance through an inter-library lending system;
3) acting as a clearing house for ideas and information on library development;
4) providing financial assistance to libraries, to regional and national library associations and to other organisations engaged or interested in the promotion of library development;
5) promoting research in problems of library development; and
6) taking all such measures as may be found necessary to promote library development and its utilization in the country.
Publications
RRRLF Newsletter (quarterly),
Annual Reports; and
Books for the Millions At Their Doorsteps (Information Manual),
Indian Libraries : Trends and Perspective
Raja Rammohun Roy and New Learning,
Directory of Indian Public Libraries
Granthana : Indian Journal of Library Studies.
UNISIST(United Nations Information System in Science and Technology)
known as World Scientific Information System programme
1973
General Information Programme(PGI)
Regional Network for Exchange of Information and Experience in Science and Technology in Asia and the Pacific (ASTINFO).
Asia-Pacific Information Network in Social Science (APINESS), launched by UNESCO in 1986 with the collaboration of Association of Asian Social Research Councils.
Data Retrieval System for Documentation in the Social and Human Sciences (DARE)
Science Policy Information System (SPINES)
International Information in Research in Documentation (ISORID)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, INIS started functioning in 1970.
INIS is the world’s leading information system on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
The Library and Information Services Division of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre; Bombay, is the national centre responsible for INIS activities.
International Information System on Agricultural Sciences and Technology (AGRIS)
AGRIS, which is closely modeled on INIS, became operational in 1975. It is sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN.
Objectives
i) To create a single comprehensive, current inventory of world- wide agricultural literature, which reflects research results, food production, rural development and also to help users to ;identify problems involved in all aspects of world food supply;
ii) To meet information needs by means of current awareness, selective dissemination of information and specialized subject retrieval services and provide means of fulfilling requests for documents; and
iii) To interact with new and/or existing secondary specialized information services so as to increase efficiency and eliminate unnecessary duplication.
Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC)
INSDOC, established in 1952
National Social Science Documentation Centre (NASSDOC)
It was established in 1970 by the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi.
Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre (DESIDOC)
DESIDOC was established in 1958 under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to serve primarily the information requirements of DRDO scientists.
In 1967, it became an independent institution under DRDO.
Reference:
Egyankosh, BLIS Study Materials