BLIE-228: INFORMATION PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT

Coverage: Course Code: BLIE-228
Course: Information Products and Services Assignment Code: AST/TMA/Jul.18-Jan.19
Blocks: 1 to 4
Units: 1 to 13 Total Marks: 70

Part-1
Note: Answer all questions.

I) Answer the following questions in 250 words each. (3X5=15 Marks)

1. What is literature search? Explain offline and online approaches to literature search. (5)

2. Explain the steps involved in analysis and synthesis of information with diagram. (5)

3. Define electronic document delivery service and discuss the emerging trends in such
service. (5)

II) Answer the following questions in 150 words each. (5X4=20 Marks)
1. Define current awareness service. Describe its scope and characteristics. (4)

2. What is the need for technical digests for technical workers? Discuss the categories of
technical digests. (4)

3. Describe some of the translation activities in humanities and social science in India. (4)

4. Explain the use of web-based services in libraries. (4)

5. Describe content tools according to media. (4)

 2018-2019

BLI-228

I) Answer the following questions in not more than 250 words each.

Q1. What is literature search? Explain offline and online approaches to literature search.

Ans. A literature search is a systematic and thorough search of all types of published literature in
order to identify a breadth of good quality references relevant to a specific topic. In varied forms, this
literature is available, such as journal articles, books, theses, patents, standards, etc. Searching journal
articles related to a particular topic by going through all relevant journals is an impossible task. If we
intend to search journal articles on library classification, there are numerous library science journals in
the world being published in different languages.

Offline and online approaches

No literature search by an LIS professionals can be purely offline or online nowadays. Usually it is a
combination of both. For understanding a concept like ‘charmed particle’, we may consult printed
documents like dictionaries and encyclopaedias. If the reference sources at our disposal fail to provide
any information on the concept we may consult our colleagues, or we may ask the inquirer. These are
all offline searches. If we have the Internet connection at our disposal, we can straightway search the
meaning of the term using the Internet.

For searching the latest literature, online search is a much better option as in many cases latest issues
of online journals appear on the Web weeks before the printed form reaches the library. Not long ago
for a comprehensive literature search one was obliged to search a number of abstracting and indexing
services either in printed form or in database form. There were separate databases for pure and applied
science, social sciences, arts and humanities. Now just by tapping only one online source, we can
search literature pertaining to any field under the sun. Searching any of these sources, we can capture
a substantial amount of literature. However, for comprehensive coverage, we need to search all the
three sources, i.e. SCOPUS, ISI Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar Advanced.

Q2. Explain the steps involved in analysis and synthesis of information with diagram.

Ans. Analysis of information involves following steps:

(i) Study of total contents of selected document or set of documents.

(ii) Identification and extraction of the most relevant information conveyed by them.

(iii) Assessment and verification of extracted information.

(iv) Selection of a scheme for organising and systematising information.

(v) Sorting of extracted information into heading and sub heading according to the table of
contents, classification scheme or typology for the subject or mission.
 Synthesis of information (following analysis) involves following steps:

(i) Comparative arrangement and merging of extracted information from many sources.

(ii) Comparison of data from different sources, derivation of consensus and resolution of possible
conflicting information.

(iii) Compression of information into structure or form most suited for target users.

(iv) Evaluation of the final product according to criteria related to users and use.

Q3. Define electronic document delivery service and discuss the emerging trends in such service.

Ans. The emerging systems employing electronic technology for receipt of requests and supply of
documents are called Electronic Document Delivery Systems (EDDS). Electronic document delivery
is the most effective and efficient method for document delivery in these days. An EDDS can provide
immediate access to the needed information. It is the demand of the present age. Due to changing
nature of user’s information needs and use of modern information technology, it has required to
change the traditional inter-library lending activities.

Emerging Trend: The emergence of electronic document delivery systems have improved the
efficiency of the service, but at the same time brought in many more competitors in the document
delivery service market. Users have the option to avail of the services of publishers, e-journal service
providers, database producers and aggregators to search and have instant access to the
documents/information they need.

Two contradictory trends in document supply/delivery are being observed. First, libraries have
options to purchase information in smaller units, like journal article or part of book, rather than
subscribing to a journal or purchasing a book. This information can be obtained via document
delivery, inter-library loan or payper-view download. Secondly, libraries are becoming part of library
consortia for website licensing of electronic scholarly publications (like INDEST-AICTE
Consortium), which is making an increasing amount of content available to the individual library, at
consortial discount. This has resulted in less demand, particularly for journal articles. National
document delivery centres like BLDSC in UK, CISTI in Canada and INIST in France are witnessing
decline in requests for document supply. For instance, BLDSC supplied over 3.8 million items in
2001, but during the last many years the demand has fallen by more than 50% to 1.6 million items.
The British Library is entering into partnership with publishers, web search engines and database
producers to generate more revenue.

II) Answer the following questions in 150 words each.

Q1. Define current awareness service. Describe its scope and characteristics.

Ans. When current awareness service (CAS) was conceived, at that time the Internet, Web, e-mail,
etc. were non-existent. Print form was the order of the day. Hence, inclusion of current literature in
indexing and abstracting services and their distribution in the world usually by sea mail used to take
time in terms of months.

Scope: Both the current and future needs of library users should always be kept in mind in order to
assist them to achieve excellence in their academic pursuits. In this light, library plays a pivotal role as
a gateway to information resources, a center for creation and recreation of academic activities, the
fulcrum of academic life and the engine of learning that fuels the academic institution. There is not
only the need to gear up the old ones but also to initiate the new services with the assistance of the

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latest information technology so that the total library operations and services can be enhanced. The
term commonly used to describe the process of keeping up to date is current awareness (Prytherch,
1987).

Characteristics:

(1) CAS is provided to meet the current information requirement of the user.

(2) CAS is an announcement mechanism.

(3) It is not a pinpointed information; nor a tailor-made or customised information service.

Q2. What is the need for technical digests for technical workers? Discuss the categories of
technical digests.

Ans. Need: Technical digests are useful sources of information for managerial and technical workers
in the industry. Through technical digests the managers and technical workers in industries obtain
information on technical know-how and other technical data helpful in their work.

Different categories of workers in industry require different types of information. Managerial

personnel require product-oriented information such as technical, commercial and marketing
information. An effective technical digest not only saves the time of the manager but also helps
him/her in decision-making.

Categories of Technical Digests: Different types of digests are prepared keeping in view the
following levels of workers in the industry:

(1) Top management

(2) Middle/supervisory management

(3) Operator level personnel

The digests needs to cover the following components of information for the top management:

(1) Corporate management

(2) Total quality aspects

(3) Finance

(4) Production

(5) Research and Development (R&D)

(6) Personnel management (HRM)

(7) Sales

(8) Public relations

(9) External regulations

Q3. Describe some of the translation activities in humanities and social science in India.

Ans. In India, there are twenty-four official languages recognised by Government and there are about
2000 dialects that have been recognised in India. Quite a lot of communication is done in English and
most state governments function in their own regional languages. This situation demands an urgent
need for translation of official documents. A number of organisations in India are actively involved in
translation activities in the fields of humanities and social sciences. Following are some of them:

(1) The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and National Book
Trust (NBT) are both engaged in translation of textbooks in various Indian languages.

(2) The State Council of Educational Research and Training carries out translation work from
English into state languages or vice versa.

(3) The Central Hindi Directorate, Hindi Academy and Sahitya Academy carry out translation
work. The Sahitya Akademy has also instituted a prize for the Best Translator.

(4) The School of Foreign Languages (SFL), Delhi, conducts courses in Chinese, French,
German, Japanese and Russian languages for defence personnel and sponsored candidates. The
School also undertakes translation work.

Q4. Explain the use of web-based services in libraries.

Ans. With the developments in technology and change in the user requirements, Web-based services
are increasingly being used in library and information centres. New tools have provided the libraries
innumerable possibilities to create new resources and services. Web 2.0 technologies have made it
possible to customise libraries websites and introduce space for interaction with their users. Libraries
are introducing Web 2.0 features in their websites and incorporating Blogs and Wikis. The library
services should be designed keeping in mind the current generation of users. The various Web 2.0
applications enable the libraries to be socially interlinked with other applications and communities.

Following are some examples of how Web 2.0 features can be used in libraries:

(1) Wikis and Blogs and can be used by the libraries for marketing of library services on the
Web.

(2) Blogs can be used for interactions with users, faculty and other communities.

(3) Libraries can use social networking applications for approaching their users.

(4) Blogs can be used for receiving feedback from the users about the library services and
resources.

Q5. Describe content tools according to media.

Ans. (1) Text Editing Tools: A text editor is a computer program that lets a user enter,
change, store, and usually print text (characters and numbers, each encoded by the computer and its
input and output devices, arranged to have meaning to users or to other programs).

(2) Graphic Editing Tools: In computer graphics, graphics software or image editing software is
a program or collection of programs that enable a person to manipulate visual images on a computer.

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(3) Audio Capture and Editing Tools: Audio capture and Editing Tools lets us record and edit
music, voice and other audio recordings. When editing audio files, we can cut, copy and paste parts of
recordings and then add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction. Libraries are going more
and more towards recording and collecting audio materials.

(4) Video Capture and Editing Tools: In the collections of libraries, there is lot of recorded
presentations. The recording of any event is captured with the help of a video camera. Nowadays,
video camera directly record in computer readable format, therefore, there is no need to attach Video
Capture Card with the computer.