Collection and Services of University Libraries in JandK and Delhi An assessment

Abstract

University Libraries have always been one of the key institutions for giving access to the vast ocean of knowledge that provides the vital foundation for overall development of the nation. In fact, the effective libraries within universities are torans to selective information and academic knowledge as they play a pivotal role in managing the information life cycle, thereby facilitating the development and advancement of overall human intellect. However, at present University libraries are facing key threat of ever-increasing competition of providing quality collection and services to satisfy information needs of their users. Since, with evolving technological innovations combined with variety and abundance of information, which is becoming more and more available to information users, cutthroat pressures will persist to augment for university libraries. Consequently, to overcome these threats, it becomes imperative for these libraries to enhance the overall quality of their organization. This, in turn, can be accomplished by recuperating and advancing every facet of library particularly the collection and services, to meet their user s information needs and expectations in order to ascertain their survival in the ever-changing technological environment. In this perspective the aim of present study, is to assess the vital components of five select University libraries of JandK and Delhi viz; University of Kashmir (UOK), University of Jammu (UOJ), Delhi University (DU), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). This assessment will help to come up with measures through which overall functioning of University libraries could be enhanced in line with transforming needs of current information society to convene user s information needs in most efficient manner. Consequently, present study attempts to understand the strengths and weaknesses in the collection of the university libraries; to assess the range of services provided by the libraries; to assess the use and impact of ICT in enhancing....