Library Automation in Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya

Introduction 

Automation means a system in which a workplace or process has been converted to one that replaces or minimizes human labor with mechanical or electronic equipment. The term Library automation is used to describe the organization, storage, location, and retrieval of encoded information in computer systems. Library automation is the use of data processing machines to perform such regular library activities as acquisitions, cataloging, circulation, serials, and online public access catalogue (OPAC) etc. Although these activities are not necessarily performed in traditional ways, the activities themselves are those traditionally associated with libraries: library automation may thus be distinguished from related fields such as information retrieval, automatic indexing and abstraction, and automatic textual analysis. 

Development of Libraries in BSAM 

Library plays a central role in an academic institution. It is the heart of the institution and an indicator of its quality and standard. It supports to impart quality education, and therefore, must be updated constantly with sufficient educational materials. It is this principle that has led BSAM to update its facilities and resources, and to purchase books and journals through its regular budget. Now, BSAM has three libraries; Central Library, Campus Library, and Children’s Library. BSAM Library previously used CDS/ISIS a software developed and distributed by UNESCO for information storage and retrieval. Keeping in view the developments in the field of technology, it has become necessary to automate all activities of library. 

Library Software's in Nepal Large numbers of library software's have been developed by the librarians and the information scientists all over the world. The Library software's used in Nepal are MINISIS, MAITRAYEE, LIBSYS, SOUL, KOHA, ALICE, ATHENA, MIDAS, LIBRA, LIMS and LIBINF, etc. Need for Automation in BSAM Library Various factors have contributed to bring about change from conventional to automated library activities. Broadly speaking, the main reasons behind this change are: • Growth of documents • Growth of users • Users services • Greater efficiency • Cooperation and resource sharing • Creation of user friendly environment • Developing interest among Users.

KOHA Koha is full featured modern integrated software developed for the Horowhenua Library Trust by Katipo Communication, Wellington in 1999. It is web based OPAC system. It can tailor full catalogue, circulation, acquisitions system for library stock management and serial management models. It is simple, clear search interface for all users. It can manage online and off line resources with the same tool. It runs on windows as well as Linux operating systems. In BSAM Library, Koha is running on Linux operating system because Linux is free and open source software. This installation is based on centos 5 is a Linux operating system including MYSQL, Apache and Perl. Yes, window is users friendly but Z39.50 Servers can not be run on windows. Z39.50 is an international standard for searching and retrieving information from remote databases. In practice, it provides a way for libraries to search and retrieve records from other libraries. Therefore it saves the time of staffs/users. Koha can generate Spine and Barcode label which is minimum requirement of an automated library. Librarian can send massage or note to members and circulation Section. OPAC stands for On-Line Public Access Catalog which is the major attractions of Koha. It has a powerful OPAC with a choice of search options and variety of display formats. It has good facilities for searching books. Library users can search their required books easily and know how many books of particular Author, Title, Subject, Serial Title, Item Barcode, Call Number, ISBN, Publisher's etc. are available in the library and its branch or on loan. If required books are not available members can reserved the books. If users do not know the full name of title, author, and subject; can use Dictionary Search. Users can search latest books available in the library or suggest the librarian to buy the required books. 

General Features of KOHA 

• Simple, clear interface for Librarians and Members (Patrons) 

• Customizable Search 

• Circulation and Borrower Management 

• Cataloging Module with integrated Z39.50 client 

• Full Acquisitions System including Budgets and Pricing information and Simple also for the smaller libraries 

• Ability to cope up with any number of Branches, Patrons, Patron Categories, Item Categories, Currencies and other data 

• Serials System for magazines or newspapers 

• Reading Lists for Members 

Conclusion 

Information technology and computers have modernized our life and libraries are no exception to it. Therefore, library automation is the need of the information age. BSAM Library started its automation work in the beginning of 2008. Circulation report records that it was circulated books at first time in 18th May 2008. BSAM Library is the first library in Nepal which is circulating its documents by using Koha. Koha is free Library Software and it avoids duplication. It hopes to make its circulation system and transaction works systematic and fast with the implementation of barcode in all its collections. 

References 

• Riaz, Muhammad(1992). Library automation, Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi. 

• Shah, Steve; Soyinka, Wale(2005), Linux administration: a beginner's guide, 4th ed., Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing, New Delhi. 

• Vaidya, Bina (2008), Use of Library Software in Nepal: a case study of TUCL, TULSSAA: a journal of library and information science, Kathmandu, Vol. 6. Issue No. 1. April 2008. 

Websites 

• www.kohadocs.org 

• www.koha.org

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A System of Roll Number in BSAM

Introduction 

The major purpose of the system is to identify the class, section, address, and gender of the students of Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya. The Roll No. is a system of marks or symbols used to represent entities, processes, facts, or relationships in an abbreviated or nonverbal form. As a code of a particular student, it gives short information related to the student. This system assigns Roll No. to the new comers and does not disturb the existing Roll No. of the old students. 

Need of Systematic Roll No. in BSAM 

Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya is a residential institution. All boys' students have to live in hostel. Some girl students are also going to live in hostel from this year. The students of the same class are similar in age, so their dresses, books, boxes, etc. are also similar. Hostel wardens get confused if the roll number is not assigned on the property of individuals. The Roll No. is individualized to separate the particular things of individual. The Roll No. of a student is used not only in a classroom but also in many places like in the library while issuing books, in the fee counter at the time of paying fee, in the lab, in the store, in the administration, in the exam section and so on. If a Roll No is duplicate, then it creates problems in the above section of the institution. 

Objective 

The new system of roll number seeks to create simple, short, easy to remember, and automatic way to update the concerned with basic information about the students at the first glace. 

Limitations 

If a student is upgraded from his/her general grade or failed this system cannot update the Roll No. We will easily know the upgraded or failed students with the help of the system. It does not show the exact year of admission, in case of the students who are admitted in class 5, 6 or 7. If a student is changed from one section to another section this system can not update. This system can not allocate more than ten sections, more than 80 students in a particular section and more than 160 students from Bagmati Zone in a particular class. 

Notation 

Notation is a device for mechanizing arrangement, and must be composed of written symbols or signs whose order is defined. Indo-Arabic numerals (from 0 to 9) are used as notation for Roll No. Generally, the number of digits for Roll No of students will be four. Every digit of the Roll No. has its own meaning. First digit represents class, second - section, third - place and fourth - gender of a student. 

Capacity of the Notation 

The capacity of the notational system is defined as the maximum number of students that can be accommodated in a system. The decimal system in universal use today requires ten different symbols, or digits, to represent numbers and is therefore a base-10 system. The ten different symbols of decimal system are 0 to 9. The maximum capacity of decimal system is the power of ten. The system is like decimal system but not exactly similar to decimal system. Because the total number of class is IV to XII only nine (not ten) and the maximum number of sections are A to H eight (not ten). Therefore, its capacity is less than decimal system. The maximum capacity for whole BSAM students is 8800. The maximum capacity of a particular class is 800. The maximum capacity of a section of a class is 100. The maximum capacity from particular zone in a section of a class is 10 and the maximum capacity from particular zone in class is 80, except Bagmati zone. 

How to Assign Roll No of Students 

The first digit of the Roll No. represents the class of an individual student. In other words, the last digit of the year in Bikram Sambat contributes to the batch of the student enrolled in the Mahavidyalaya. For example, if a student is admitted in class four in 2066, the first digit of his Roll No. will be 6. Similarly, if a student is admitted in class four in 2067, the first digit of his Roll No. will be 7. Likewise, if a student is admitted in class six in 2066, the first digit of his Roll No. will be 4 because his batch is started in 2064. 

The second digit of the Roll No represents the section of an individual student in school level and faculty and section in campus level. 1 is used for section A, 2 is for section B and so on in school level. Similarly, 1 is used for section A of humanities faculty. 2 and 3 are used for section A and B of management faculty. Digit 4 is vacant for future use. Likewise 5, 6, &7 are used for section A, B, & C of science faculty. 

The third digit of the Roll No represents the place (permanent address) of an individual student. 0,1 are used for Eastern Development Region, 2, 3, 4, 5 are used for Central Development Region, 6, 7 are used for Western Development Region, 8 is used for Mid-Western Development Region, and 9 is used for Far Western Development Region. In detail these digits for separate zones; 0 is used for Mechi & Koshi, 1 is for Sagarmatha, 2 is for Janakpur, 3 & 4 are for Bagmati, 5 is for Narayani, 6 is for Lumbini, 7 is for Gandaki & Dhaulagiri, 8 is for Rapti, Bheri, & Karnali, and 9 is for Seti & Mahakali. The fourth digit of the Roll No represents the gender of an individual student. Odd number including 0 is used for boys and even number is used for girls. For more detail, 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9 are used for boys and 2, 4, 6, & 8 are used for girls. General Instructions of the System To avoid duplication, first check the existing Roll No. available before providing the Roll No to a new student. If a student is admitted in class 5, 6, or 7 we have to check the existing Roll No. in a particular section of the class, not in all sections or all classes, so it is very easy to check the existing Roll No. If a student is admitted in class IV and XI, we don’t have to check the Roll No. The number of digits of the Roll No for the students whose batch start in the years that end in 0 (i. e. 2070, 2080, etc.) will only be three. In that case, the first digit represents section, second digit represents place and third digit represents gender of a student. For example 9736 is for Manisha Poudel, it means she is a girl of science faculty, class XI, and section C from Bagmati zone. 

Conclusion 

The Roll Number of a student serves to denote class, section, address, and gender of a particular student without naming them or defining them. This system will save the time of all teaching and administrative staffs to search the particular student among the whole students. The system is very simple anybody can assign the Roll No. of a student. We can easily say that the Roll. No. is right or wrong. If we know the Roll No. of a student we can easily find out class, section, address, and gender of the student. If we are confused in Roll No. which is hand written, for example, whether the last digit is six (6) or zero (0) for Manisha Poudel. She is a girl so last digit must be six not zero. Similarly, we will not be confused with the digit three (3) with eight (8), because all digits are reserved with their special meanings.

(This Article is published in Sallaghari Magzine 2066 published by Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya Bhaktapur)

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