Information Technology Application in Law University Libraries in South India: A Study

Abstract

Information technology (IT) plays an important role in the development of libraries and information services. This paper aims to describe the application of IT in the law university libraries in South India. The method adopted for collection of research data from the field was the survey method. As the researcher desired to include all the six law university libraries, no sampling method was adopted and the census population was considered. This study found that Wi-Fi Internet facility was available in only four law university libraries - National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Karnataka State Law University (KSLU), National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) and National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR). The NLSIU library was the first to automate its collection, in as early as 1996, followed by the NALSAR (2005), the NUALS (2009) and the reaming three (KSLU, Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University (TNALU) and Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University) in the year 2012. All the libraries selected for the study have a circulation module and online public access catalogue (OPAC) search facility, while the Web OPAC was found in only four libraries (NLSIU, KSLU, TNALU and NALSAR).