AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY
8. POST-GRADUATE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM
8.3 LIBRARY SERVICES
IARI Library is one of the largest and the finest agrobiological libraries in South East Asia housing a total of 6 lakh publications including 1 lakh books/monographs, 3,50,000 journal volumes, 45,000 bulletins, 15,000 post graduate theses, 10,000 pamphlets, 30,000 news clippings, 30,000 reports, and other reference materials. The Library has, on its role, 2000 members, viz., students, scientists and technical staff. It also serves about 8,000 visitors every year.
The Library functions as the depository of FAO, IDRC and AVRDC publications and also as the National Depository for CGIAR institutes’ publications.
8.3.1 Acquisition Programme
8.3.1.1 BooksDuring the year, the Library procured 516 publications, which included 258 in Hindi and 258 in English costing Rs.
20,44,893. The Library also acquired 217 gift publications, 156 IARI theses, 5 ICAR/RFT theses, and 173 ICAR award winning theses documents.
8.3.1.2 Serials
The Library procured 806 journals/serials through subscription, gifts and exchanges. It subscribed to 106 foreign journals (out of which 45 had online access) and 252 Indian journals and 54 advances/annual reviews. Exchange relationship was maintained with 185 institutions/parties
globally and nationally by sending annual reports/ Indian journals and society publications.
One hundred seventy-four (174) annual/scientific/
technical reports of different institutions and 152 bulletins were received in the Library. The expenditure on Serial Acquisition Programme from Plan and Post Graduate Strengthening Grant was Rs.77,07,346.
8.3.2 Documentation Activities
8.3.2.1 AGRIS projectIARI Library was declared an input centre for national agricultural research database (NARD) under AGRIS Project.
The Library was assigned the job of scanning articles from 10 most important Indian journals. The input was done in ISO format using AGRIN methodology. During the period under report, 392 articles were scanned, processed and sent to DIPA, ICAR for inclusion in AGRIS Index.
8.3.2.2 Development news in agriculture
Four thousand six hundred eighty (4680) news papers were scanned and 35 news items pertaining to IARI as well as ICAR were sent to the Director, IARl and the Principal Scientist (ITMU).
8.3.2.3 Document processing
In all, 1597 documents consisting of books, bulletins, IARI post-graduate theses and Hindi books were processed (classifying and cataloguing).
8.3.3 Resource Management
8.3.3.1 Binding of publicationsIn all, 2751 volumes consisting of 20,000 loose issues of journals, reports and bulletins were bound and 2751 volumes were accessioned.
8.3.3.2 Reference, circulation and stack maintenance Apart from approximately 2000 registered members, the Library served approximately 125-130 users, who consulted approximately 2000-2500 documents everyday. During the period under report, 10550 publications were issued to its members. In all, 95 documents were issued under Inter Library Loan System to various institutions including NISCAIR. Three hundred and sixteen No Due Certificates were issued to staff, including scientists, after checking the relevant record.
8.3.3.3 Reprography services
During the period, the Library provided 89,513 pages of photocopies of scientific and technical literature officially.
One key cord counter for updating of Resograph GR 1750, one Toshiba Color Photocopier Model Studio 351C and one Toshiba Studio 452 digital photocopier were purchased.
8.3.3.4 CD-ROM workstation
In all, 11,0484 references were downloaded to the users consisting of scientists, and students of IARI, and visitors from all over India. The cost based references downloaded were 8801, which generated revenues amounting to Rs. 7,050.
The scientists of IARI were provided access through the Intranet (Local Area Network).
8.3.3.5 C-DAC Project
A memorandum was signed with C-DAC (Ministry of Information Technology) on 4th September 2004 to digitize old documents. During the period, 43,00000 pages of 6250 publications published before 1950 and not covered under Copyright Act were scanned. They can be accessed through the software developed by C-DAC. The first phase of the above project ended on 31st March, 2007.
8.3.4 National Agricultural Library Activities under Agricultural Knowledge Initiative (AKI) Programme
8.3.4.1 Indo-US- AKI workshop on Indian libraries and information system
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi organized an Indo-US AKI workshop on Indian Library and Information System under the bi-lateral programme of India and USA. The workshop was held for 2 days from May 16 to 17, 2007 at NAAS complex, New Delhi. The AKI (Agricultural Knowledge Initiative) Programme is a collaborative programme of India and the USA, and is based upon partnership in four major components, viz., biotechnology, curriculum development, food processing and human resources development.
The introductory session was inaugurated by Dr. S.P.
Tiwari, DDG (Edn. & CS), who was the Chief Guest. Dr.
S.A. Patil, Director, IARI chaired the session. Prominent among others who graced the occasion were Dr. Geral S.
Smith, Agricultural Attache, US Embassy, New Delhi, Mr.
Janet McCue, Cornell University, and Dr. H.S. Gaur, Dean and Jt. Director (Education), IARI. Mr. N.S. Pakhale, Organizing Secretary, and Head, Library Services, IARI, proposed the vote of thanks.
The library partnership between the National Agricultural Library (India), i.e., IARI Library, and the
National Agricultural Library (USA) comes under the human resources development component. In the said workshop, more than 60 officials participated. The workshop, after the introductory session, had a total 5 technical sessions, namely, 1. Library and Information Systems in USA, 2. Indian Library Resources-Status and Linkages, 3. Library and Information System at Some Leading Institutions/DUs/SAUs, 4. Group discussion : Modernisation of National Agricultural Library, and 5. Group Discussion : Networking of NARS Libraries and NAL, USA.
The technical session 1 was chaired by Dr. S.A. Patil, Director, IARI, session 2 was chaired by Dr. Mruthyunjaya, National Coordinator, NAIP, session 3 was chaired by Dr.
Sushil Kumar, Director, NDRI, Karnal, session 4 was chaired by Dr. S.A. Patil, Director, IARI, and session 5 was chaired by Dr. S.L. Mehta, Vice Chancellor, MPUAT, Udaipur.
The concluding session was chaired by Dr. S.L. Mehta, Vice Chancellor, MPUAT, Udaipur with Dr. Janet McCue as Co-Chair person. In this session, the reports on the presentations of the technical sessions were produced by the respective chairpersons.
The major recommendations were as follows:
1. Declare the IARI Library as the National Agricultural Library to be headed by a Joint Director (Library and Information Services)
2. Fill up vacant library positions
3. Fill up the position of Information Scientist with IT background in NAL, SAUs and DUs
4. Compile the e-Resources and databases/journals and book acquisitions
5. Modernise library infrastructure 6. Augment library automation
7. Network with Indian and US libraries 8. Develop human resources
9. Give due attention to disaster management
8.3.5 Training Activities
The following trainings/demonstrations were arranged/
organized by the Training Cell of the Library during the period under report:
1. Basic training about IT January 9-11, 2007 sensitisation for F & AO
and AF & AO
2. Basic training about IT January 15 to sensitisation for Audit Staff February 8, 2007 3. Demo of DODIG for LIS January 17, 2007 4. Hindi Karyashala for January 18-19, 2007
APS 2000 +
5. Hindi training June 16, 2007
5. Hindi competition test August 18, 2007 6. Lecture on E-resources for September 9, 2007
25 participants of Summer School
7. OVID database training September 17, 2007 for LIS
8.3.6 Bibliography of IARI Theses, 1923-2005 (In CD-Form)
A bibliography of 7364 references comprising theses of 883 Associateships, 2812 M.Sc’s. and 3669 Ph.Ds. was released by Shri Rajsekharan, Honourable Minister of State for Planning, Government of India on May 26, 2007 on the occasion of Dr. B.P. Pal Memorial Lecture.
An important mandate of the Institute is to develop an information system, add value to information and share the information nationally and internationally. Publications are an important component of the information system. During the year, the Institute brought out several regular and ad hoc publications both in English and Hindi. The details of the publications brought out during the year are given below:
Regular Publications (English)
IARI Annual Report 2006-2007 (ISSN: 0972-6136)
IARI News (Quarterly) (ISSN: 0972-6144) - 4 issues
IARI Current Events (Monthly) - 12 issues Ad hoc Publications (English)
Soil Testing for Balanced and Integrated Use of Fertilizers (ISBN: 81-88708-19-4)
Testing of Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability for Plant Variety Protection (ISBN: 81-88708-20-8)
Micro Irrigation Manual (ISBN: 81-88708-21-6)
A Practical Manual of Field Crops Management (ISBN:
978-81-88708-23-9)
Detection and Management of Loose Smut Disease of Wheat (TB-ICN:45/2007)
Detection and Identification of Designate-Seed Borne Diseases (TB-ICN:46/2007)