Library Automation                                               

 Library is automated in using Integrated Library Management System (ILMS)

●    Name and features of the ILMS software

●       Nature and extent of automation (full or partial)

●       Year of commencement and completion of automation      

 Write description in maximum of 500 words

 The library plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of academic and research environment in educational institution.

The Vivekanand Library of the university has initiated the process of library automation in 2007 using an Integrated Library Management Software namely “SOUL” which was completed in the year 2009.  Software for University Libraries (SOUL) is state-of-the-art integrated library management software designed and developed by the INFLIBNET Centre based on requirements of college and university libraries. It is user-friendly software developed to work under client-server environment. The software is compliant to international standards such as MARC 21 bibliographic format, Unicode based Universal Character Sets for multilingual bibliographic records and NCIP 2.0 and SIP 2 based protocols for electronic surveillance and control. Presently university is using “SOUL 2.0”. The ILMS covers all housekeeping operations of the library that includes acquisition, technical processing, cataloguing, circulation and serial control. It has other features like OPAC and Administration.

 Major Features of SOUL are as follows:

▪           UNICODE based multilingual support for Indian and foreign languages;

▪           Compliant to International Standards such as MARC21, AACR-2, MARCXML;

▪           Compliant to NCIP 2.0 protocol for RFID and other related applications especially for electronic surveillance and self-check-out & check-in;

▪           Client-server based architecture, user-friendly interface that does not require extensive training;

▪           Supports multi-platform for bibliographic database such as My SQL, MS-SQL or any other RDBMS;

▪           Supports cataloguing of electronic resources such as e-journals, e-books, virtually any type of material;

▪           Supports requirements of digital library and facilitate link to full-text articles and other digital objects;

▪           Support online copy cataloguing from MARC21 supported bibliographic database;

▪           Provides default templates for data entry of different type of documents. User can also customize their own data entry templates for different type of documents;

▪           Provides freedom to users for generating reports of their choice and format along with template and query parameters;

▪           Supports ground-level practical requirements of the libraries such as stock verification, book bank, vigorous maintenance functions, transaction level enhanced security, etc.;

▪           Provides facility to send reports through e-mail, allows users to save the reports in various formats such as Word, PDF, Excel, MARCXML, etc.;

▪           Highly versatile and user-friendly OPAC with simple and advanced search. OPAC users can export their search results in to PDF, MS Excel, and MARCXML format;

▪           Supports authority files of personal name, corporate body, subject headings and series name;

▪           Supports data exchange through ISO-2709 standard;

▪           Provides simple budgeting system and single window operation for all major circulation functions;

 By July 2021 1,52,170 records have been filled in SOUL. The complete process of automation has been done in-house with the technical support from INFLIBNET Centre. As on date there are total 1,95,060 number of bibliographic records available in SOUL. With the successful implementation of the SOUL software the Vivekanand Library has achieved 100% of automation covering all types of library activities and services such as acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, serial control, web OPAC, Patron, Advance search, Reports, Tools etc.

 SOUL is a proprietary software which is true enterprise-class ILMS with comprehensive functionality viz. multilingual, powerful search engine, compliant with all library standards and protocols. The applications and tools in SOUL are world class and compliant will all the types of web and mobile technologies making it platform independent.

 Software web OPAC facility is also made available through SOUL 2.0 to know the bibliographical details about the collection of resources in university library. One separate node is made available in the central library for OPAC facility and as it is a web OPAC so users can access from any location con search the library collection search by giving title, author and domain can be carried out function of SOUL.

 Apart from Library automation other services provided by the library are:

 Digital Library:

The Vivekanand Library has deployed an Institutional Repository (IR) using DSpace. The repository consist of institutional publications designed and developed by Schools of Study, Faculties and Students. To ensure smooth operation and access to library resources, the university has invested in cutting-edge ICT infrastructure and technology integration to provide users with a highly efficient and multifunctional searching and browsing experience, as well as remote access to e-resources from anywhere on the globe. http://gyansampada.baou.edu.in:8080/jspui/

 Inter-Library Loan (ILL) through DELNET:

DELNET has been actively engaged with the compilation of various Union Catalogues of the resources available in member-libraries. It has already created the Union Catalogue of Books, Union List of Current Periodicals, Union Catalogue of Periodicals, CD-ROM Database, Database of Indian Specialists, Database of Periodical Articles, Union List of Video Recordings, Urdu Manuscripts' Database, Database of Theses and Dissertations, sample databases of language publications using GIST technology and several other databases. DELNET is offering Inter-Library Loan & Document Delivery Services to its member libraries BAOU has subscribed to the membership of DELNET.

▪           DELNET maintains an online union catalogue of books. It has around 2,92,70,150 bibliographic records.

▪           DELNET has created union lists of current periodicals in science and technology, social sciences and humanities. This database is available online to DELNET users. It now lists 38,184 periodicals

▪           DELNET maintains a union catalogue of periodicals, which contains full holdings data of the libraries. At present, the database contains 20,235 records.

▪           The database has details of articles which can be searched under the title, author, compiler, name of the periodical and subject. The database is being extensively utilized by the researchers and scholars. Presently the database contains 11,06,228 records.

▪           A bibliographic database of CD-ROMs available with the member-libraries is being compiled. It has 61,750 records.

▪           The database of video cassettes available in DELNET member-libraries and has about 6,000 listings.

▪           The union list consists of audio cassette records available in member-libraries. This database has 1,025 records.

▪           A database of Theses and Dissertations submitted to Indian Universities has been started, which covers various subjects. The database has 1,30,753 records

▪           Database of E-books of the DELNET has reached to nearly 1613 records.

 Physical and E-Resources for Campus & Remote Access:

The university library is very much rich in terms of physical and e-resources. The collection include more than 65000 books 50+50 Journals as on July 2021. The online repository of the university also offers full text access to over 1,80,000 e-books and 4,000 International Journals totally free of cost. All these resources can be accessed 24X7 both within the campus and anywhere through remote access password. To ensure the smooth functioning and access to library recourses the library has latest ICT infrastructure and technology integration to provide very efficient and multifunctional searching and browsing facility to its user and also provide remote access facility to users to access e-resources from of campus location too. Around 245 theses have been uploaded on SHODHGANGA portal.

 Anti-Plagiarism Software (URKUND):

URKUND is an automatic text-recognition system made for detecting, preventing and handling plagiarism. University library has subscribed to this tool by the UGC's INFLIBNET Centre. All the Schools of Study and faculties have been provided and access to the URKUND so that they can check their papers, research scholars’ thesis and learners’ dissertation/reports using this software. Library also organizes periodic training sessions for faculties, learners and researchers about how to use the system.

University has made it mandatory for all the Ph.D. research scholars and faculties to attach URKUND plagiarism check report along with their theses or research papers to the Research Division or for any of the conference or journal for publication. Over 200 theses and research papers have been processed through URKUND software.

 Digitalization of Question Papers:

Centre for Examination and Evaluation and University Library has join hand for providing more resources to the learners by facilitating question papers of different University examinations into digital form since 2008. Over 2.5 lakhs pages have been digitized so far.

 Facilities for Differently abled people:

The library has obtained membership of “Sugamya pustkalaya” which provides taking books to visually impaired users.

 Collaboration with libraries of Other Universities for resource sharing: