ABSTRACT

Describes objectives, functions, services, publications and various other activities of Ahmedabad Library Network.

KEYWORDS: ADINET, Ahmedabad Library Network, Library network, NISSAT library network

INTRODUCTION

ADINET, the abbreviated form of Ahmedabad Library Network, is a network of libraries located in and around Ahmedabad established with the sponsorship of NISSAT.

OBJECTIVES

The network aims:

• To bring about cooperative mode of working amongst the libraries and information centres in and around Ahmedabad.
• To integrate the economic, scientific and technical information systems into an effective network in and around Ahmedabad.
• To facilitate and promote sharing of resources amongst the libraries and information centres in and around Ahmedabad by developing and maintaining a central online union catalogue containing bibliographic information on books, serials and non-book materials of all the participating libraries.
• To coordinate with other regional, national and international networks, libraries, information and documentation centres for exchange of information and documents.
• To offer technical guidance to member libraries on selecting, storing, sharing and disseminating information.
• To coordinate efforts for suitable collection development and reduce unnecessary duplication wherever possible.
• To develop databases of projects, specialists and institutions in and around Ahmedabad.
• To create awareness amongst all users' groups and to educate them in the utilisation of information.
• To develop resources and to propagate in ways appropriate to the needs of users in and around Ahmedabad
• To help library and information centre users and also individuals who practice different professions in getting specialised information of their interest.

FUNCTIONS

A centralised database of periodicals , books and non-book materials available in the libraries of Ahmedabad is being created. Records collected from participating libraries are being suitably formatted and merged to generate the Union Catalogue of Ahmedabad Libraries. This database is being updated regularly. At present this database includes only the present/current holdings of libraries. Retrospective conversion will be taken up later. It is planned to procure some databases on special subjects and mount them in the host computer.

SERVICES

Online Information - Information can be searched by the participating libraries accessing the Union Catalogue. Presently, the database of periodicals can only be searched online. This facility will gradually be extended to other databases also.

Inter-Library Loan - ADINET enables a user to locate a periodical/book/report of his interest. Once located the document including the audio-visual material can be borrowed on inter-library loan basis.

Photocopying Service - Librarians of the member institutes and library professional members regularly get photocopies of the contents pages of library and information science journals. They get full text of the selected articles from the contents pages. For meeting the requests for other journal articles, the journal is procured from other libraries in and around Ahmedabad, the required article is photocopied, and then sent to the customer on payment basis.

Current Awareness Service - This service can also be provided using commercial databases that are available in machine-readable form in some libraries.

Information Service - All the members are provided access to databases generated and procured by the Network.

Internet Service - Individuals can come to ADINET and access Internet with e-mail, downloading and printout facilities. The surfing charge is Rs. 25.00 per hour.

PUBLICATIONS

ADINET Newsletter: It is published quarterly , and is distributed free.

Union List of Periodicals: It is published annually and contains unique titles subscribed by libraries of institutes and colleges located in Gujarat and Gandhinagar and universities of Gujarat.

Directory of Institutions in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. It includes postal addresses, e-mail addresses, telephone nos., fax nos. and other relevant information about the activities of the institutes and colleges situated in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar and universities of Gujarat. Updated annually.

Directory of Library and Information Science Professionals in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar: A database is being created providing details about the professionals , i.e. names; official and residential addresses, phone nos., e-mail addresses, URLs of the organizations and the libraries, etc.

All the publications are provided free to the members.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Training Programme: ADINET is providing computer training to library professionals on CDS/ISIS and Internet. For member institutes one participation is free.

Study Circle: Under the auspices of ADINET, the study circle is held on the last Friday of every month during 5PM to 6PM at MJ Library, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad. One of the member initiates the talk on a particular topic by presenting a paper which is followed by discussions and suggestions.

Ranganathan's Day Celebration: In August every year ADINET organizes a conference on a current topic connected with library and information centres.

MEMBERSHIP

Institutions and individuals can become members of ADINET by paying the annual subscription.

Contact: Hon. Director, ADINET, C/o INFLIBNET Centre, Opp. Gujarat University Guest House, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad _380009. Phone: (079) 6305630, 6300368; Fax: (079) 630 5630 E_mail: adinet[at]wilnetonline[dot]net URL: http://www.alibnet.org

 

----

Information Today & Tomorrow, Vol. 20, No. 3, September 2001, p.14-p.15
http://itt.nissat.tripod.com/itt0103/adinet.htm