South Asian Libraries & Information Networks (SALIN)
(an electronic journal)

South Asian Libraries & Information Networks (SALIN)   is an initiative topresent the review of South Asian libraries, information networks, programmes and services. It would publish refereed papers as and when available, since the frequency concept of print-based journals is no longer relevant in the case of electronic journals. Research papers and articles published in SALIN will be archived on annual basis for the end-users' convenience. Access to SALIN is free of charge.

SALIN 2007

Contents

Editorial

Refereed Papers

South Asia in the global electronic village: issues and implications   by Dr. Jagtar Singh (jagtar@pbi.ac.in), Department of Library & Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, India. SALIN  - 1.  Date: 08-05-2003.7 June 1999

Development of library and information science periodicals in Asia, with emphasis on South Asia: problems and solutions,   by R. N. Sharma , Editor, Library Times International , West Virginia State College , West Virginia, USA . SALIN  - 2.  Date: 08-05-2003.27 May 1999

Status of library profession in Pakistan since 1947   by Mohammad Khan Marwat, Librarian, Government Higher Secondary School No. 1, Peshawar Cantt., Pakistan. SALIN  - 3.  Date: 08-05-2003.8 August 1996

Perceptions of LIS education and training in Sri Lanka   by Pradeepa Wijetunge (pradeepa@eureka.lk), University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Jonathan Willson (j.p.willson@mmu.ac.uk ), Department of Information and Communications, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. SALIN  - 4.  Date: 08-05-2003. 27 May 1998

Availability of information to LIS curriculum developers and policy makers and the status of LIS education system: the case of an information poor country   by Pradeepa Wijetunge (pradeepa@eureka.lk), University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Jonathan Willson (j.p.willson@mmu.ac.uk ), Department of Information and Communications, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. SALIN  - 5.  Date: 08-05-2003. 7 July 1999

Accessing indian numeric and statistical data: a critical study of the suprastructure and infrastructure in India   by Dr. Jagtar Singh (jagtar@pbi.ac.in) and H.P.S. Kalra (harry@pbi.ac.in), Department of Library & Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, India. SALIN  - 6.  Date: 11-05-2003.

1.  Issues of Quality Assurance (QA) in LIS Higher Education in Pakistan. by Dr. Kanwal Ameen, Assistant Professor, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. SALIN - 7. Date: 10 December 2007.

    

2.  LIS Education and Training in Bangladesh by Dr. M. Nasiruddin Munshi, Associate Professor, Dept. of Information Science & Library Management, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.SALIN - 8. Date: 09 January 2008.

Opinion Papers

From atoms to bits: consequences of the emerging digital divide in India   by Dr. Jagtar Singh (jagtar@pbi.ac.in), Department of Library & Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, India. SALIN  - 7.  Date: 08-05-2003.

Reviews and Profiles

This section provides reviews of important books, documents, and software on library and information work and education in South Asia. Profiles of libraries and information centres, networks, programmes and systems will also be featured under this column. The inaugural issue reviews a book on library development in India and two important softwares developed in India, SOUL and SANJUKTA.

• Library and Information Services in India - States and Union Territories on the Eve of Millennium This book is a laudable effort by the editors and contrinutors in presenting the state-of-the-art of library services in India. Complete review is also available in The Hindu.
   
• Information Democracy and South Asia: Promises and Perils of the Web This book is a landmark in the history of library and information science literature in India by being the first book published on on this subject from India.
   
• Software for University Libraries (SOUL): This software for library management has been developed by Inflibnet programme of the University Grants Commisison of India. Its six broad modules are
  • Acquisition,
  • Cataloguing,
  • Circulation,
  • Serial Control,
  • OPAC, and
  • Administration

  . These modules have been further sub-divided into sub-modules looking at the nature of functions handled by various functional divisions in university libraries. Complete review of SOUL is also available in the INFLIBNET Newsletter, 5(4), October-December 1999, 2-11.
   

• SANJUKTA: This is a bibliographic information storage and retrieval software. It was created in 1998 to support the central databases of Calcutta Library Network (CALIBNET). This review of SANJUKTA is also available in the Information Today and Tomorrow, 20 (1), March 2001, 3-5. For further details, kindly contact the Director, CALIBNET.

Projects & Dissertations

This regular column includes projects and dissertations of Library & Information Science in different universities of South Asia. This issue contains projects and dissertations of Master of Library & Information Science students of Punjabi University , Patiala (India).

• Projects
• Dissertations

Useful Links

This section provides links to the websites of important libraries, information centres, programmes, networks, and systems in South Asian countries. The inaugural issue contains links to scientific and technical information centres in these countries.

• SAARC Documentation Centre (SDC), New Delhi, India.
• SAARC Agricultural Information Centre (SAIC), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

  South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) was formed in 1985, and the SAARC Documentation centre (SDC) was established in 1994. SAARC was set up for providing and exchanging information, particularly in science, technology, industry, and development matters among SAARC member states. Besides SDC and SAIC as a regional initiatives, many member states have their own scientific and technical information and documentation centres. Links to such centres in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are given below.

  
  

  • National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR), New Delhi, India.
  • National Centre for Science Information (NCSI), Bangalore, India.
  • Sri Lanka Scientific & Technical Information Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
  • Pakistan Scientific and Technical Information Centre (PASTIC), Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Bangladesh National Scientific & Technical Documentation Centre (BANSDOC),

Literature Alert

This section provides a listing of important books and articles on library and information work and education in South Asia. It includes a few current articles as well as a few articles of historical interest. Click here for the list.

Forthcoming Events

• Workshop on Quality Indicators and Best Practices for Academic Libraries in 2008. Details will be announced here soon.

• International Conference On Bridging the Gap: Networking of LIS Education in Developing Countries, TISS, Mumbai, November 2008. Further details will be announced soon.

Editors' Mail

This section includes mail addressed to the editors including problems faced, comments and suggestions by the users of SALIN. A word of encouragement from the Secretary General, IFLA is included in the inaugural issue of SALIN.

• S Koopman and Ross Shimmon, IFLA: SALIN delights IFLA.

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South Asian Libraries & Information Networks is published and maintained by Dr Jagtar Singh and Dr. H. P. S. Kalra, Department of Library & Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala (India). Updated December 2007.