Information Technology in Library and Information Services

Information explosion, literature flood, publication deluge, mushroom growth of computer and communication technologies and networks worldwide not only made the task of bibliographic control difficult, but also forced the contemporary libraries to make a paradigm shift from the age old traditional library operation to automation with the latest state of the art such a change playing a key role in increasing the aspirations, unlimited expectations and sky high desire of the library clientele to a considerable magnitude. The contemporary librarians are quite aware of this current situation and psychologically prepared to adopt changes. Knowing fully well that, without such a change, the interest of the library and its clientele will not only be in a state of jeopardy, but also their very existence without application technology will cease to operate. Information Technology (IT) is the boon of the present century. It gives accessibility to information at the finger tips. The technological developments in information transfer emphasize the fact that universal availability of information in no more an utopian concept. The promising and diversified possibilities information technology have reduced the space and time between people, country, continent and ultimately have led to the emerging concept 'global society' and 'global village'. The prospects of application of information technology in Library and Information services are many fold and in today's time of rapid development in the field of science and technology, we can not remain untouched by it. In this context the entire work related to various technologies is divided into fifteen chapters. An attempt has been made to identify the impact of electronic media in modem libraries and information centres in the context of the information age in the 21st century.