CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

In today’s era content management has become absolute necessity. Managing the scattered online information resources, which is growing at phenomenal rate, has now become vital. The user desires to have all information in electronic form from a single point of access. The access point is usually a library website, which provides access to all types of local and remote electronic resources. Hence, libraries have to gear up and establish content management systems using open sources or commercial software such as my library or place to provide customized services to the users.

The Internet era has caused proliferation of electronic documents in all the subjects and also forcing institutions to bring out their publications in electronic format for wider publicity, and distribution. The number of such documents has been increasing steadily at a phenomenal rate thus causing problem of managing these resources. The libraries attached to institutions need to develop digital libraries to have a control and provide access to documents, which are of interest to institute’s employees. Libraries can also develop an institutional repository for providing wider access to their institute’s publications. Libraries can develop such digital library systems using any open source software such as Greenstone, D Space, etc.

Enhancement of classroom activities, beyond the four walls, with electronic documents resulted in rise of course management systems either developed within the institute or by an outside agency. The courseware enables students to have access to resources, including those offered by libraries from a single web space. This makes the most effective and cost-efficient use of institutional resources bringing the library’s traditional role as resource-sharer into the world of digital objects and environments. The courseware environment provides an opportunity for libraries to take their services directly to the students. Libraries can offer access to courseware from their website or portal.

A digital/virtual reference service is a service requested and provided over the Internet usually through e-mail and instant messaging (chatting) by the library staff responsible for providing reference service to the users. This service is a new way of answering users’ reference queries without them visiting the library. This service is provided using e-mail answering queries over a period of time or through real-time chat messaging services³⁵. Users’ get connected to this service through library website by clicking on a link ‘Ask a Librarian’ or ‘Live Chat Reference Services’. This enables libraries to meet users’ expectations in the web-centric environment without wasting their valuable time.

Electronic discussion forum is a special usage of email that allows for widespread distribution of information to Internet users on a given topic. Many times it brings in interesting discussion on the topic among the registered members and also helps in bringing consensus on the topic. Various web service providers such as Google, Yahoo and MSN provide this service free of cost to members in the form of groups. Through these lists, researchers in various subject fields, exchange views, expertise, and information on the current topics. In the present environment, it acts as an important tool to keep library members informed about new library collection, services, updates, and upcoming events.

The majority of the modern academic libraries are digital and e-learning can effectively take place in such kind of environment. Academic libraries apply appropriate communication technologies in support of e-learning and e-research by providing seamless access to electronic resources and services³⁶. Electronic resources include online catalogues, databases, multimedia, online journals, digital repositories, electronic books, electronic archives and online/electronic services. The utilization of cutting edge technologies by academic libraries to provide access to resources and services in support of learning. Teaching and research has benefited both on-campus, part time as well as distance learners. Both students and teachers can undertake learning and research without being in the library. An academic library managing e-learning, may use appropriate technologies to facilitate learning and access to resources and services. It is quite understandable that an e-learning environment can provide both students and faculty with a sustainable infrastructure and seamless access to knowledge, course content, information resources and services, all from integrated service point.

Though not everywhere, yet e-learning has been integrated in the curriculum of most of the universities by different faculties. From the library point of view, it has been a great opportunity to integrate the library resources and services in support of learning, research and outreach. During recent years several bold steps have been taken to integrate e-learning with the academic work.

The initiative which should be taken by the academic libraries, should establish an e-learning support centre which is capable training of the academic staff in integrating the educational technology into the curriculum to provide access to the content. As a part of this initiatives an Educational Technology unit will develop e-learning smart classrooms, along with video conferencing and assignment tools enabling flexible learning and teaching with the students studying at their own place. The academic library must have a holistic approach in e-learning whereby different traditional and digital methods and media are integrated in learning and teaching. As faculty and instructors have begun to adopt e-learning strategies as a part of their teaching repertoire, libraries are playing a key role, helping to find and organize resources to complement programmes and courses making use of e-learning in order to provide support to students working through their assignments³⁷.

OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) has suggested that resources must be integrated for academic libraries at the point of need to make these more effective. The role of the academic library for e-teaching and e-learning process can be carried out if the library has two types of requirements filled up:

i) Technical and Functional requirements

ii) Technical and Cultural requirements³⁸

1.14.1 TECHNICAL AND FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

a) Display and integrate a variety of information windows as part of a learning activity

b) Aggregate access (discovery and exchange) to content in any given learning context

c) Provide bibliographical tools that permits easy searching and reference completions

d) Provide access to tools that render and present content in user customized formats

e) Integrate plagiarism software into course management systems to encourage good practice and to assess reliability of content.

a) Embed library resources in course management systems

b) Integrate third party commercial information services

c) Customize portal facilities for storing personal preferences

d) Provide easy access to virtual reference services at the point of need.

e) Embed training modules to assist in information seeking.

As a part of e-learning an academic library must provide the services to its students and staff from remote access which includes:

i) New acquisitions to indicate newly acquired materials for each department.

ii) View the patron record to see material borrowed by an individual customer with an option to renew the borrowed material without visiting the library.

iii) Request for material that are borrowed by another user. On return of the material, communication is sent to the user who made the request to come and borrow the material.

iv) Users can suggest additional items that the library should acquire based on their need. The request can be made online.

v) Material placed on reserve by lecturers for specific courses.

vi) E-mail communication is provided through the system to enable a two way communication between the user and the library.

vii) Online charges and fines are made available to users.

viii) Searching for past examination papers by faculty, department and course numbers providing access to full text.³⁹

1.15 ROLE OF LIBRARIANS IN E-LEARNING

Academic librarians generally serve the subject academicians by providing information regarding teaching, learning and research. Now a days academic librarians are a part of e-learning process and are actively participating by providing online and in person modules, guides, subject and class based lists, as well as reference (synchronous and e-mail). The librarians offer classes and courses on research strategies, help students in determining useful scholarly resources, work with the faculty in planning and developing distance education courses (in particular online courses) to integrate concepts of information literacy throughout the curriculum. Faculty need support in these activities because the ability to articulate information needs, find appropriate information resources and critically assess the results of an online search are key to success in e-learning and this leaves the faculty to focus on course content⁴⁰. In the case of libraries what is good for the online student is also useful for the campus based student. The librarians facilitating the e-learning are establishing a positive relationship between the academic achievement and use of open shelf library books.

The librarians should play a dedicated role in supporting instructors and administrators to realize the potential of e-learning through the provision of service models unique to libraries. Librarians somewhere have found to develop web based modules to support course integrated instruction session, encourage students to actively follow the librarians’ presentation using their own topics for selected searches. Students receive Immediate feedback on search strategies during the session can return at any time to refresh their skills for subsequent assignments. Reference staff uses the material to guide students in using information resources specific to their assignments at the reference desk. This blended approach to information literacy offers students and instructors with an ability to address diverse learning styles and encourage active participation along the presentation to a 24/7 access that may foster increased student contact with the librarians. Many librarians especially university librarians are working with online course developers as well as instructors in traditional courses to provide online guides and help for library research; these include modules that introduce students not only to specific resources but to critical evaluation of resources, specific about thesis preparation and the like. As with face to face library connection, these modules are very effective when integrated into course and research material provided by the instructor. The requirements on the part of the librarian to be a part of e-learning are:

i) Must be proactive in questioning the selection of learning management systems and complementary e-learning tools by faculty and departments.

ii) Actively seek representation through appointments to committees that deal with selection, management and governance of online instructions systems on their campus.

1.16 IMPACT OF WEB-BASED E-LEARNING SYSTEMS

The emergence of web-based e-learning systems through Internet facility has great impact on every facet of library activities and information services. Library and information professional of the future academic libraries face the following paradigm shifts due to the rapid developments in the ICT and WWW technologies:

• 
  Transition from procuring and managing print media to electronic media
  
• 
  Changes from passive user to active user in the e-literacy environment
  
• 
  Concept of web-based networked environment
  
• 
  Disseminating information on demand to proactive digital information services
  
• 
  Providing information service to facilitating access to e-information service
  
• 
  Transition of developing the normal collection to e-resources (e-books and e-journals)
  
• 
  Individual works to team works.
  

Libraries are not the mere store house of books, the modern library with the explosion of information technology has led to a paperless society, digital and virtual libraries the www (World Wide Web) has opened up electronic information and the users want that information in a refined manner. The traditional libraries occupy more space, but the documents are being digitized so, it occupies less space. The main features of digital library are as follows:

• 
  Information is stored in digital form;
  
• 
  Information sources are amenable for computer access;
  
• 
  Facility for multi-user search;
  
• 
  Offers network accessibility
  
• 
  Provides user-friendly interface;
  
• 
  Facility to browse, selects, retrieve, and download in the user computer;
  
• 
  Facility to have any number of copies, if required;
  
• 
  Sometimes, rare and expensive material is available.
  

One reason for using digital libraries in E-learning is that it can store and manage large amounts of digital content such as full text, course materials, bibliographic databases, library catalogues, image and audio clips etc. Thus it provides an environment to bring together collections, services and people in support of the full life cycle of creation, dissemination and preservation of data, information and knowledge⁴². Another reason to use digital libraries is that using various electronic tools, learners can search text materials and images easily and quickly, which can be applied broadly across all kinds of institutions. Advance intercommunication technology, sophisticated search engines, and affordable cost, large storage of digital content are the other reasons to implement a digital library in modern education⁴³. Other advantages of digital libraries in E-learning are:

• 
  The library would allow learner to use electronic resources from anywhere, without even knowing where it is stored geographically.
  
• 
  One copy of the documents could be viewed by any number of users simultaneously.
  
• 
  It can be used for increasing course delivery for a large number of clients at a particular point of time.
  
• 
  Study materials need never go out of print, and new editions can easily be created. One can carry several titles at once on a portable reader and, over time, build a personal library.
  
• 
  It would be easy for non-specialist to use due to the simplicity of operation.
  
• 
  Links to publisher’s sites for full text journals.
  
• 
  It provides and facilitate online and on demand enrolment, study and examinations,
  
• 
  Search result will be delivered to an e-mail box to the user’s choice.
  
• 
  Protecting rare books that are rapidly deteriorating due to over use and poor storage conditions.
  
• 
  It is cost – effective and cost-efficient for its ability of reuse.
  
• 
  It provides faster learning, increased access, clear accountability and equal education for everybody; the web is available on the desktop.
  
• 
  It provides current information and helps in research work. To cope up with the advancements in technology, production of information in multidimensional forms, it became essential for a person to pursue additional knowledge at all times to keep him/her up-to-date in his/her field of interest. These factors are directing to the learning. The virtual conferences, collaborative work on projects, which are shared among institutions, exchange of useful material and experience among teachers provide up to date information for the research.
  

The changing role of library professional implies a set of updated skills needed for facing the challenges created by the latest web technologies in the e-learning environment. The emphasis will shift from technical skills in the library to communication, facilitation, training and management skills. Although technology presents the librarian with ethical challenges, the librarian is to be ready for the role of information professional in the connected networked world and they have to acquire skills that can be contributed to success in their new roles.

One primary role of librarians is to provide leadership and expertise in the design, development, and ethical management of knowledge-based information systems in order to meet the information needs and obligations of the patron or academic institution. In the future, as now, one can expect the virtual library to be the organization that identifies, selects, negotiates for, and provides access to an incredible range of information resources on our behalf. At present, lot of virtual libraries have been created and managed by various institutions and organizations for e-learning and teaching professional⁴⁴. Hence library professional should enrich their management skills to play leadership role in the digital future, for organizing, managing and disseminating e-literacy to users.

The modern trend is for the role of the librarian to move from that of a passive intermediary role responsible for guiding patrons to appropriate information resources, towards that of a much more proactive professional role which includes analyzing and repackaging information, content information management systems and institute digital repository management systems.

To face the challenges of the virtual learning environment in educational institutions, librarians are becoming masters of the Web. Librarians create powerful web sites such as the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed database. They create their own website as an easier way to share with others what they know. They gather electronic information and create electronic pathfinders and front-end search tools to help users for accessing the required information⁴⁵. Academic Library professionals create online tutorials and instructional web pages to help patrons for performing the best searches. They provide links to websites on specific topics and lead patrons to these evaluated sites as a starting point for retrieving related and relevant information.

Librarians have to change their role in the e-learning environment by participating in e-learning experiments and becoming involved in universities’ e-learning centers. They should invest in procuring e-learning tools and software and should develop their e-learning and ICT skills. Hans Roes⁴⁶ addressed changes in education in general, and then focused on strategic opportunities in education for libraries. The opportunities for libraries, he mentioned, included:

• 
  Developing digital libraries as natural complements to digital learning environments to support educators with respect to the selection of adequate resources for a given course;
  
• 
  Managing and indexing digital student portfolios and integrating them with other information resources offered by the library;
  
• 
  Teaching information literacy to educate future knowledge workers, in traditional ways or via Internet-based instruction modules;
  
• 
  Collaborating as part of multidisciplinary teams of experts to design courses;
  
• 
  Providing a learning center to serve as a physical learning environment suitable for more active learning styles.
  

The librarian has an important role in making digital space accessible to members of an academic community on campus and beyond, in addition to providing physical space for assembling communities of interest. A number of faculty members have data sets that they may wish to post for review and comment by colleagues on or off campus. Some academic and research libraries have expanded the concept of providing access to scholarly work by becoming electronic publishers of faculty projects and by providing institutional repositories, where faculty can store their scholarly work under the stewardship of the library. Librarians also can participate in the institution’s e-portfolio program, in particular, by providing advice and expertise on information policy issues and preservation strategies.

Academic and research libraries have a major role in ensuring that they and their home institutions remain vital players in the changing terrain of information and education. Faculty may not aware of copyright issues and do not know what material is electronically available or licensed by the library. Virtual learning systems can be connected to library systems, through the integration of library systems at the back end via the technology components, and through the close liaison and involvement of library staff in VLE development, i.e. the human component. MacColl⁴⁷ says that: “VLEs are changing the way learning and teaching is delivered and will soon be ubiquitous. Libraries must assert their traditional role as resource managers in this new environment of web-based courses”.

Technology will continue to change, and libraries and librarians have to use the changing technology to provide the best access and service to their patrons. Electronic information creates challenges for the library community at its very foundation, moving it away from the traditional paper-and-print format to an ethereal world of circuits and connectivity. The library is no longer defined simply as a building or a physical repository that houses information.

So the essential future vision of the academic library professional to achieve the necessary information-transformation and to face the digital information needs of the user should concentrate on the following:

• 
  The vision of the future academic library professional must be to create a World Class Networked Global Library and Information Centre to provide web based quality information service to the user in time in the e-learning environment.
  
• 
  The librarians must change the library environment as pathways to high quality information in a variety of electronic media and information sources⁴⁸.
  
• 
  Library professional must assert their evolving roles in more pro-active ways, both in the context of their academic institutions and in the context of increasing competitive markets for information dissemination and retrieval.
  
• 
  The vision for the 21st Century librarians must offer electronic teaching and learning both to guide and beckon the library profession as education leaders. They should shape the library programme and serve as a tool for library media specialists to use to shape the learning of students in the academic institutions⁴⁹.