READIT-2007 - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

capacity database servers (MS SQL Server 2000) multiprocessor workstations,
scanners, printers, data analysis software, security gadgets and applications…
Knowledge Resources and Services
University Libraries usually known for their archives of print collection are
slowly building up their digital backfiles to cater to their clientele needs. The concept
of serving as Knowledge Centers has warranted them to acquire electronic resources
of e-books, e-journals, e-databases, e-theses, e-reference works… organize them to
track specific information to provide reference for researchers and others who do not
have time to do the work themselves.
They also design, compile and build up value-added services such as Subject
Gateways on specific themes such as eg: Research funding and writing proposals,
Nanotechnology Gateway and so on.
The Library besides being used in the traditional sense is used more as a
Center where the researcher looks up for resources made available at one’s desktop
24x7. The center also faces the challenge of furnishing e-modules of information
literacy catering to users in the virtual environment with distributed learning in
process.
Another challenge is planning to reach out to users in new ways. Interacting
with the users face to face has been dwindling down, as many a time transactions
occur over the web. With the website becoming the library for many of the patrons if
has become crucial to redouble its efforts to disseminate knowledge through various
access methods. Major role of the center is to sieve through the ‘infoglut’ gathered
not only from internal but external sources stored at other library locations and
organize the knowledge resources in the required format.
The Knowledge Commission of India also proposes to create/identify
Knowledge Centers with the support of Govt. of India and state governments and
network these knowledge Gateways which could become the National Knowledge
Gateway in future.
3. KNOWLEDGE ENGINEERS OR KNOWLEDGE WORKERS
Traditional capabilities and training to be custodians of books and maintaining
them have changed the librarians to compete in today’s Knowledge economy
increasingly warranting mastery of complex skills.
The level of “information skills” with the ability to filter out information may
be one of the primary ingredient of a successful knowledge worker. He/She requires
varying depths of knowledge in particular areas (Skyrme 1998) such as
• Technical Skills - information (resources) management,
information technology skills.
• Business Knowledge - industry, markets, customers,
competitors and general
business context.
• Interpersonal skills - networking, listening, interpreting,
challenging, teamwork,
communications.
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