Perception of Using ICT in Libraries: A Survey of Library Professionals Working in Government Degree Colleges of Kashmir (J&K)-India

Abstract

The application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has put a huge impact on Information Industry and has revolutionized the way libraries acquire, process, organise, store and disseminate information. It has also caused a drastic change in different library services making it possible for the libraries to serve their clientele quickly, efficiently and distantly. Thus, in this digitally-driven environment, the role of library professionals with respect to serving their users has equally become more important and challenging. On one hand, the library professional should be digitally sound and techno-savvy, on the other hand, he must be able to efficiently use his ICT skills to serve the user community. The objective of the current study was to assess the perception of professional librarians working in the government-run Degree Colleges of Kashmir regarding the use of ICT. This research is based on 44 Govt Degree Colleges in Kashmir region of J&K state. Questionnaire method was used for data collection from the target population. The findings of the study revealed that SOUL, the library management software, and Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) had the highest impact on the role of professional librarians. The findings of the present study support a need for the implementation of ICTenabled systems in libraries for better management of library house-keeping operations and for providing better and efficient services to the users.