Importance of Libraries

Man's quest for knowledge has led to the creation and accumulation of tremendous amount of information. This quest for knowledge knows no bounds and limits and is never satisfied. It has continued since the dawn of civilization to the modern age. This hard-earned knowledge and information is valuable for the entire mankind and therefore liable to be preserved. With the invention of paper man has been able to convey this knowledge to others by writing books. Thousands of manuscripts have been written by the wise men of the earlier times but many of them were destroyed due to the lack of proper means of preservation.

Libraries are established for the systematic collection, organization, preservation and dissemination of knowledge and information. It is very important for man to preserve and maintain the valuable knowledge and information contained in the books and documents because we want to preserve our knowledge and wisdom for the coming generations. By preserving the documents in a library this knowledge can be made available to others so that they can benefit from it. Establishment of libraries is not a new concept. The oldest library dates to around 2700 years ago in Sennacherib's Palace in Nineveh which shows how long ago the concept of leaving a piece of your wisdom behind started being formed into the organized collection to preserve the work.

With the invention of printing press, it became easier to preserve the knowledge in the form of printed documents. This led to the generation of a large number of books. The need for the preservation and dissemination of information led to the establishment of more and more libraries. Thus libraries acquired a great importance in the civilized society for education and research. Libraries play a vital role in the development of any society by enhancing the cause of education and academic research. They cater to the information needs of thousands of peoples.

The development of Science and Technology (S & T) in the last two centuries has led to an information explosion. Rapid changes have taken place at a great pace. In order to meet the growing needs of users the library system has been greatly improved and upgraded to meet the new challenges. The services offered by libraries have also undergone a great change.
With the advent of new technologies in the field of computers and telecommunications, revolutionary changes have taken place in the field of Library and Information Science. The shape of traditional libraries containing a large number of printed documents is in the process of being transformed to paper less libraries containing a large number of digitized documents. The facilities offered by networking have not left libraries untouched. Modern libraries are not only digitized but networked also. This has led to the creation of virtual libraries i.e. libraries without walls through which the user has access to information at any time, anywhere in the world by using the modern tools of communications, such as computers and Internet facilities.

User demand is ever increasing and putting a great pressure on the librarians. Therefore, there is an imperative need for the modernization of libraries in order to keep pace with the modern times. The new challenges in the field of Library and Information Science can be met by adopting the process of digitization and networking. In the present age the Librarians have to face many problems due to the limitations of time and space. User satisfaction is the main objective of a good library. It cannot be achieved without adopting the modern tools and techniques rendered available by the modern technologies available in the field of Information and telecommunication. These developments have led to the creation of Digital and Virtual Libraries, which have great advantages over the traditional libraries. Therefore, digital libraries are becoming popular due to the advantages and facilities, which are offered by them to their users.

Mohammad Azeem Siddiqui

Research Scholar, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (A Central University), Lucknow.

Virtual Elearning Libraries For Online Learners

Libraries are the heart of every learning institution; from grade school to universities, the library presents a haven for learners needing references for projects and homework. They are extensions of the schools providing knowledge and quiet space for learners to bridge the gap in their education.

Traditional libraries usually contain volumes of encyclopedias, books, and periodicals meticulously organized under the Dewey Decimal System. Only a few years ago, libraries had the physical card catalog where borrowers have to sort through alphabetically organized series of index cards containing the title of the book, author and subject. Stern, obsessive compulsive librarians would shush boisterous students and severely reprimand anyone for showing the least sign of disrespect towards a book. Libraries like books, music and almost everything else are now making a radical change of moving into the virtual world.

Virtual libraries are websites and web portals containing catalogues of ebooks and archived media. They are resources that can be used as elearning tools for learners. Most of the virtual libraries on the web are websites of physical libraries. The contents however are limited and most of the time, the library only indicates the availability of the book you searched for and you are required to physically checkout the book. However, there are library portals where the contents are free and open.

The World Digital Library (WDL) is an online portal that consolidates library contents from the 6 continents. The project was headed by the US Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, with the participation of partner institutions in other countries. WDL is also supported by United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with financial contributions from private foundations and businesses.

The service is free and open to the public. This virtual library aims to provide primary information on cultures and histories of different countries. The interface is available in multiple languages so it is accessible, even to non-English speaking online learners.

Just like any normal library, the World Digital Library can be an extension of the online schools. This is an extremely useful resource for online as well as traditional students with homework and projects. Unlike Wikipedia, the sources in the virtual library are credible; the materials came from previously published books, and various archived media.

Another free virtual library portal is the WWW Virtual Library or VL, for short. The library continuously grows in content and is now reportedly containing 300 sub-libraries. The main categories at this time are: Agriculture, Arts, Business and Economics, Communications and Media, Computing and Computer Science, Education, Engineering, Humanities, International Affairs, Law, Natural Science, Mathematics, Recreation, Regional Studies, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Society and Information and Libraries.

Virtual and online libraries are essential elearning tools for online learners because the contents are checked by the organizations and institutions that created them. Relying on sites like Wikipedia can sometimes lead to erroneous information that may mislead students. Many people believe that if the information came from the internet, then it is automatically true. In actuality, a lot of information on the internet have been created without factual basis. Students have to be careful in choosing their sources and the virtual libraries are references they can rely on.

The world, indeed, is shrinking; with each institutions of learning from different countries contributing knowledge, the virtual library is this generations' answer to the great Alexandria Library from the ancient world.

A computer graduate and loves to travel. Reading current news in the internet is one of his past times. Taking pictures of the things around him fully satisfies him. He loves to play badminton and his favorite pets are cats and walk with them in the park with some dogs.

For more information regarding Elearning Tools, you may want to call directly at 813-814-2345 or visit our website for more help.

How to Help Your Child Understand Science

The problem is simple. Your child is in school and begins to study serious science. There is a good chance that the book and the instructor are not communicating sufficiently and your child is struggling. This can happen to the best of students.

Basic science is a key to a successful career in many professional areas that do not require a formal science degree such as medicine. Our school systems have difficulties in meeting their science curriculum. Maintaining a proficient science teaching staff is a challenge in the best of times. Rapidly changing developments in modern science make most texts obsolete soon after they are printed.

Qualifying examinations for college entrance, government and private sector job applications, and military placement tests, all expect basic science achievement. Learning science is an educational necessity.

So how to help your child?

My son was a good student who became lost in a science course. Attempting a required science project independently was impossible. Help began when we went to the library to find books on "Home Science Projects." There are plenty of these to be found and they are simple, brief, and easy to do. We would try as many of these together as time would permit during the school year. I became his assistant. He looked forward to answering my questions.

These simple projects range over many areas of science. So there is surely a fit available for your child's need. All the items required are inexpensive and easily found in the home or the local hardware store. Today similar introductory projects are to be found on the internet with the added advantage that many websites offer video illustration of the working experiment. All these home projects contain explanations of what is happening and why...very useful for parents.

Trying these projects develops the fundamental understanding as to how science is done and learned. A project demonstrates science as a process of observation with the results recorded and analyzed. Even projects that don't go quite right present real results.

Fundamental concepts are learned as your child makes science work. Your child begins to think as a scientist. The cumulative result is science becomes at much more manageable study. Your child will certainly lift his confidence and enthusiasm as a science student.

My son was never interested in a science career but his course grades and scores on scholastic achievement tests gained him admission in a top 30 out of state public university. Oh yeah the kid got himself a scholarship to boot.

J P Ronan

The Roles of Libraries in Teaching and Learning

INTRODUCTION:

Libraries have long served crucial roles in learning. The first great library, in Alexandria two thousand years ago was really the first university. It consisted of a zoo and various cultural artifacts in addition to much of the ancient world's written knowledge and attracted scholars from around the Mediterranean who lived and worked in a scholarly community for years at a time. Today, the rhetoric associated with the National/Global Information Infrastructure (N/GII) always includes examples of how the vast quantities of information that global networks provide (i.e., digital libraries) will be used in educational settings. An important aspect of the Library's educational mission is to promote and develop informational literacy in its users. Information literacy, in general, is the ability to identify, locate, use and interpret information effectively.

Role of Modern Libraries:

A library is defined by three fundamental functions:

(1)selection to create a "collection";
(2) organization to enable access; and
(3) preservation for ongoing use.

Although technologies may evolve to add the second function to the Web, the first and third functions are antithetical to the very nature of today's Web. The Web's successor will become more "library-like," and libraries will continue to become more "Web-like," but each will retain some essential differences from the other.

The Web is most definitely not a library now, and it probably never will be. But the Web provides a wonderful mechanism for collaboration between and among scholars and librarians who want to create "libraries" of high-quality resources on a particular topic for scholarship and teaching. Another great concern about Web resources is that they are ephemeral. Libraries select and preserve information resources for generations to come. The longevity of Web-based resources is calculated in days!

How do libraries support teaching and learning?

A library is fundamentally an organized set of resources, which include human services as well as the entire spectrum of media (e.g., text, video, hypermedia). Libraries have physical components such as space, equipment, and storage media; intellectual components such as collection policies that determine what materials will be included and organizational schemes that determine how the collection is accessed; and people who manage the physical and intellectual components and interact with users to solve information problems

Libraries serve at least three roles in learning.

First, they serve a practical role in sharing expensive resources. Physical resources such as books and periodicals, films and videos, software and electronic databases, and specialized tools such as projectors, graphics equipment and cameras are shared by a community of users. Human resources--librarians (also called media specialists or information specialists) support instructional programs by responding to the requests of teachers and students (responsive service) and by initiating activities for teachers and students (proactive services). Responsive services include maintaining reserve materials, answering reference questions, providing bibliographic instruction, developing media packages, recommending books or films, and teaching users how to use materials. Proactive services include selective dissemination of information to faculty and students, initiating thematic events, collaborating with instructors to plan instruction, and introducing new instructional methods and tools. In these ways, libraries serve to allow instructors and students to share expensive materials and expertise.

Second, libraries serve a cultural role in preserving and organizing artifacts and ideas. Great works of literature, art, and science must be preserved and made accessible to future learners. Although libraries have traditionally been viewed as facilities for printed artifacts, primary and secondary school libraries often also serve as museums and laboratories. Libraries preserve objects through careful storage procedures, policies of borrowing and use, and repair and maintenance as needed. In addition to preservation, libraries ensure access to materials through indexes, catalogs, and other finding aids that allow learners to locate items appropriate to their needs.

Third, libraries serve social and intellectual roles in bringing together people and ideas. This is distinct from the practical role of sharing resources in that libraries provide a physical place for teachers and learners to meet outside the structure of the classroom, thus allowing people with different perspectives to interact in a knowledge space that is both larger and more general than that shared by any single discipline or affinity group. Browsing a catalog in a library provides a global view for people engaged in specialized study and offers opportunities for serendipitous insights or alternative views. In many respects, libraries serve as centers of interdisciplinary--places shared by learners from all disciplines.

Formal learning is systematic and guided by instruction. Formal learning takes place in courses offered at schools of various kinds and in training courses or programs on the job. The important roles that libraries serve in formal learning are illustrated by their physical prominence on university campuses and the number of courses that make direct use of library services and materials. Most of the information resources in schools are tied directly to the instructional mission. Students or teachers who wish to find information outside this mission have in the past had to travel to other libraries. By making the broad range of information resources discussed below available to students and teachers in schools, digital libraries open new learning opportunities for global rather than strictly local communities.

Much learning in life is informal--opportunistic and strictly under the control of the learner. Learners take advantage of other people, mass media, and the immediate environment during informal learning. The public library system that developed in the U.S. in the late nineteenth century has been called the "free university", since public libraries were created to provide free access to the world's knowledge. Public libraries provide classic nonfiction books, a wide range of periodicals, reference sources, and audio and video tapes so that patrons can learn about topics of their own choosing at their own pace and style. Just as computing technology and world-wide telecommunications networks are beginning to change what is possible in formal classrooms, they are changing how individuals pursue personal learning missions.

Professional learning refers to the on going learning adults engage in to do their work and to improve their work-related knowledge and skills. In fact, for many professionals, learning is the central aspect of their work. Like informal learning, it is mainly self-directed, but unlike formal or informal learning, it is focused on a specific field closely linked to job performance, aims to be comprehensive, and is acquired and applied longitudinally. Since professional learning affects job performance, corporations and government agencies support libraries (often called information centers) with information resources specific to the goals of the organization.

The main information resources for professional learning, however, are personal collections of books, reports, and files; subscriptions to journals; and the human networks of colleagues nurtured through professional meetings and various communications. Many of the data sets and computational tools of digital libraries were originally developed to enhance professional learning. The information resources--both physical and human--that support these types of learning are customized for specific missions and have traditionally been physically separated, although common technologies such as printing, photography, and computing are found across all settings.

Role of Digital Libraries:

Digital libraries extend such inter disciplinarily by making diverse information resources available beyond the physical space shared by groups of learners. One of the greatest benefits of digital libraries is bringing together people with formal, informal, and professional learning missions. Many of the data sets and computational tools of digital libraries were originally developed to enhance professional learning. The information resources--both physical and human--that support these types of learning are customized for specific missions and have traditionally been physically separated, although common technologies such as printing, photography, and computing are found across all settings.

Digital libraries combine technology and information resources to allow remote access, breaking down the physical barriers between resources. Although these resources will remain specialized to meet the needs of specific communities of learners, digital libraries will allow teachers and students to take advantage of wider ranges of materials and communicate with people outside the formal learning environment. This will allow more integration of the different types of learning. Although not all students or teachers in formal learning settings will use information resources beyond their circumscribed curriculum and not all professionals will want to interact even occasionally with novices, digital libraries will allow learners of all types to share resources, time and energy, and expertise to their mutual benefits. The following sections illustrate some of the types of information resources that are defining digital libraries.
conclusion:

As research and teaching increasingly rely on global networks for the creation, storage and dissemination of knowledge, the need to educate information-literate students has become more widely recognized. Students often lack the skills necessary to succeed in this rapidly changing environment, and faculty need training and support to make use of new technologies for effective teaching and learning. The current environment provides an opportunity for librarians to play a key role in the evolution of integrated information literacy. Thus, technology itself may provide a positive impetus as, "developments in education and technology are beginning to help academic librarians achieve new breakthroughs in integrating information and technology skills into the curriculum"

Technology allows library services to be available to students and faculty whenever and wherever they need such services. Technology makes possible round-the-clock library services without increasing investment in human resources. In addition, research materials increasingly exist only in digital form. Such resources are available only with the application of technology. Libraries will continue to exploit the inevitable technological innovation to improve productivity, control costs, enrich services, and deliver the high-quality content that is demanded.

Reference:
1. ls.unc.edu/~march/cacm95/main.html
2. educause.edu/pub/er/erm00/pp069073.pdf
3. informationr.net/ir/3-1/paper24.html

R.POONKOTHAI, Librarian, Cauvery College for Women, Trichy, TamilNadu.
E-mail: koswamy@yahoo.co.in

Internet Phone Calls Making the World a Smaller Place

Over the past decade, technological advances in the world of communications have been fast paced and driven by a global demand to communicate more freely. Whilst the greatest advances have been achieved through the mobile phone industry, the convergence of the internet and the traditional phone call are beginning to form a formidable partnership.

As such, calls via the internet may use a broadband connection and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to stream telephone calls over the web. The ability to implement this concept has become relatively accessible. Users are simply required to download internet telephony software onto their PC, plug in a headphone set (or use the PC's built-in microphone and speakers), and find someone with a similar set up to speak to. Video calls can then be achieved with a web cam and a higher spec PC.

Once you've established your internet connection and logged into your software, there is a variety of advanced features at your fingertips, which includes two-way real-time video via web cam, instant messaging, voice mail and speed dialling.

Indeed, one of the major advantages with this form of communication is that, once connected to the internet, there is no cost in making an internet call. That means you can talk to anyone in the world for as long as you want, and for free. Furthermore, the sound quality can be as good as talking over a traditional phone line, though this is at times dependent on network traffic or internet connection speed.

Whilst simple to set-up, getting started with internet calls is also not too difficult. Often a traditional call or email is required to ensure both parties are online and logged in to the software at the same time. And for many, the advantage of free calls far outweighs any current disadvantages of internal calling, as friends and families seek a means to communicate globally. As it goes, internet calls offer the ability to both see and talk to loved ones in another country, simply at the touch of a button.

Although internet calls are offering many homes the latest advances in telephony, consumers are demanding more. And if you look at the bigger picture, currently computer-to-computer calls are free, compared to computer-to-landline calls and landline-to-landline calls, which are still chargeable. And when you consider the cost of such trans-continental calls, it is easy to see the benefits of what internet calls can offer.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

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What Makes a TV Show Successful?

"Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

-Dylan Thomas

What makes a TV show a success? Is it the writing? The cast? The look and feel of the show? Originality? Well, if any of these were the case, "Firefly" would've lasted more than the 12 aired, 14 filmed episodes. It took 3 years for the show to get a big-screen reboot, and, but for some minor changes needed for transition, the movie was even better. Not that it mattered much at the box-office. And yet the DVD sales were rather good.

The show itself has, in time, rounded up quite the fan-base (I'd expect nothing else from a space western full of colourful characters). But I fear that leads nowhere. From my point of view the whole "Firefly" universe is dead and gone as far as live action TV and movies go. To have it any other way would be unfair to everyone involved. The timing is off.

But I'm not writing this for "Firefly"'s sake. I'm using it as a pretext to dig into some cancelled, some revived shows and the reasons behind. What makes a TV show a success? Devoted fans. It's the only possible answer. And even that is not enough at times.

Case in point: "Jericho". Now there's a show I liked, from the moment I saw the pilot. It had little action in its hour run, a lot of characters thrown at us, and a slow pace. But you could see it was building up to something. And the last episode of the first season proved to me it had potential(an all out skirmish between two small towns post-nuclear holocaust does have its appeal). The CBS folks didn't agree and cancelled the show. But fans were so nuts about the show they proved it. Flooded with the seed, the execs brought back the show, on a trial run. 7 episodes were to test the show's potential. But to be honest, despite a hardcore fan base of about 5 or so million people who tuned in every week, the network had already made up their mind and those 7 episodes were a sad, yet necessary goodbye to the show.

That isn't always the case. Sometimes fans get their wish and the shows endure. Like with "Family Guy" (in this case Fox stands to make a bundle from the highly popular animated show, and they're greedy enough to step on their pride, "The Simpsons" are a good example of how far they'd go), or "Cagney&Lacey" which remained on the air 4 more seasons than the 2 previously aired. Sometimes the TV shows die, but DVD movies are born. E.g. : "Stargate SG-1" (though having outlived its charm somewhere in the middle of the 6th season, continued to provide some above average episodes until its 10th season cancellation) lived to fight another day on DVD with not one but 2 movies, providing all fans with much needed closure; "Futurama" has its own future on DVD with a bunch of movies having been made or being made (how can you not like an ass kicking sexy one eyed mutant and a drunk immoral robot working for a delivery company? ).

Other times shows die, after just one season, maybe less. As was the case with the largely unknown "Day Break". Good cast, good premise, well executed, not attractive enough to the general public. Though cancelled, the 13 episodes were wholesome enough not to leave us wanting more, yet saddened that we weren't going to.

And a lot of times a show's popularity strips it of all decency. Yes, I'm talking about none other than the soapy(and soon to get even more melodramatic) "Prison Break". Despite a good cast (I'm looking at you Robert Knepper and William Fichtner) and an original plot (as far as the first season goes), the show has outworn its welcome by 2 seasons, and it's looking forward to its fourth. In retrospect they shouldn't have called it prison break, unless they are keen on throwing the main characters in prison every so often (I'd suggest Asia next, if they're going by continents).

What makes a TV show successful? Luck.

http://popculture4fun.com

Pop culture for all it's worth

TV, Made Simple - And Affordable

As much as I like TV, it has also caused me some serious headaches.

These days cable is a must. While local news is good, there is so much more to be seen on CNN and other major national networks. Then there's sports. ESPN, FSN, all those big channels provide 24/7 sports action. Cable TV also has the best movies on channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, BET, and the likes. No doubt about it, cable TV has become a staple among households all across the country.

However, there are a few problems I've had with cable TV. First, availability. I live in a household that owns two TV's (right up there with the national average of 2.4), but those two TV's seem to be continually used up. Thanks to my wife's interest in the food channel, one TV has become devoted to that whenever she feels the need to watch some more recipes, food trends, or ideas. My other TV met its availability downfall when my family purchased a Nintendo Wii. My children (and I'll admit, us adults as well) spend a lot of time playing games on the TV. When all is said and done, TV availability get really scarce around here. I thought about buying a new TV, but there's two problems with that. One, it costs more money, and two, I don't really have room for it. That's the first problem.

My second problem with cable TV is the cost. Our DirecTV Choice Package includes 150 channels, and costs me $45/month. I don't know about the rest of you, but that adds up when you throw that in with your other monthly payments like cell phones, rent, utilities, insurance, etc. I mentioned earlier that cable TV has become a must, but the price has almost turned it into a can't in my household.

I'd like to think that to every problem there is a solution. Whether or not that is true, thankfully, in this case, I have found a solution! It's pretty simple, and I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before... TV on the computer!

My household currently maintains three computers and two laptops. I'm not sure what the average computer per U.S. household is, but I'd imagine it is both high and rising. There is already double the amount of computers in my household than TV's. This makes availability a non-factor around here. Then there is the matter of pricing...

I searched around online and finally landed on a sweet deal. It includes 9,000 TV channels.. 8,850 more than I was getting before, but (this is the best part) is only cost me $40!! That is a flat rate fee, not to be paid monthly, costing even less than what I was already paying per month! I was a little skeptical at first, because this seemed too obvious a deal for me and many others to have passed up if it were legitimate, but a 60-day money back guarantee sealed the deal for me. I tried it out, and boy, was I impressed! Now I can go anywhere I want and watch cable TV on my laptop anytime I want to! The amount of channels available to me are more than I could ever need, and there was no satellite installment needed!

This, my friends of cyberspace, is a bonafide good deal. I suggest you check it out, they provide all the information you could need and even let you watch a sample channel if you want.

Oh, and another little perk... I have a projector, and when I hook it up to my laptop I can project the TV across the wall, creating my own big-screen TV of sorts. If you have a projector, this would be another cool deal to try out!

If you're interested, go ahead and check out my website, which can be found in my profile and gives you details as to how you can sign up.

If you have any questions or supporting comments about this deal, feel free to add input! Happy watching!!

Preston