Information technology is important and indispensable to the li
of human beings. Transmission, recording or memory and processing of
information are three essential processes of informaion. Libraries are the backbone of all information sciences. Virtually,
the information technology has been changing everyday. The basic
challenge of the coming decade is how to make the already available
ss as useful and friendly to a user as the telephone or television
set is to the common man.
Computers a major segment of the new informaiton technologies.
The phenomenal growth of semi-conductor technology and the
proliferation of the semi-conductor memory devices has brought into the
society computers that they can carry personal computers that can do
anything for you, say record a messge and phone back an answer.
With the help of satellite communicaion, the transmission of data
has become very fast. The data can be telexed, the voice over a telephone
can be transmitted on local, national and international net work. The
transmission of images through technology that’s via a T.V. is again going
to be a major challenge, as how to combine all these three components of
information technology into one. It would involve creating various
problems. Firstly, the privacy that goes with it. For further add to the
impact of communication, if one can switch over from voices to images
and data depending on an individual’s need.
It is major challenge before the society at large and the library
professionals as to how compress a library into a computer. Moreover,
one the user’s part it is not easy to sit at a terminal and read. Basically
some psychological and social changes have to be in built in the minds of
the young children especially, so that they grow up with the habit of
reading on a computer screen.
It is also a fact, that there had been a proliferation of a large
number of computers. They are used a sophisticated typewriters. If one
probably asks somebody, as to who is the actual user of the computer, it is
probably the secretary. A lot of PC’s have dust covers on them and one
cannot be sure how frequently they are removed. It is a strange
phenomenon that people haven’t come out of their “hangups”. The
terminals or keyboard of a Personal Computer is looked up as an extension
of sophisticated typewriter. Also there is an attitudinal barrier in sitting
and typing out the matter, which needs to be overcome.
That’s why, the advertising expenditures have to be toned down
to a certain level of reality. Worldwide there is a competition going on as
to how quickly you can gather, disseminate or transmit the information. There has been a tremendous bombardment of information from all sides,
As the demand grows from the public to share the information at the same
time, every section of the society is demanding more and more its share of
message that goes across. Besides, the homes have been invaded with the
message of consumerism – information about goods, marketing, politics,
etc. The young tender minds of the children share gently massaged to all
this.
It is going to be long struggle to convert all the paper-knowledge
into the electronic medium. Moreover, if we want to solve the literacy
problem, the computers may help in self-learning. The revered place of
Guru will be taken up by a personal computer, as whatever one will see on
Why should anyone go to one’s parents the screen will become a realiy
or teachers when the PC can provide answers to all your queries?…
Already, the latest PC is there in the market in the United States which
can store a full encyclopedia in it or the complete works of great men.
With the dissemination of information, the hierarchical structure
of the organization breaks up. There is no need of various layers of
management to perform the varied tasks they were earlier used to do.
During the last decade it was professed that one should control
management. In the 70’s there was the concept of controlling finance.
Today, the dissemination of information through various medias has to be
managed.
With the advancement of information technologies, there is a
danger of creating various problems. Firstly, the privacy that goes with it.
For maintaining the law and order, it becomes necessary as to with whom
does the power decision rests and what details one should part with? Thus
if the details about a culprit have to be fed into a computer with various
information’s, one of secret nature has to be routed through the channel.
Moreover, another limitation is that it would individualize the
society. Besides, it is against the very concept of communication, which is
a two-way process. With new information technologies the kids will be
sitting at the terminals and derive knowledge, which at times could be
impracticable…
Some people suggest that micro-electronics and the other
technologies have produced a symbiotic effect on both the computers a
the communication. It is being feared that the industrial revolution
increased the capability of man by substituting muscle power with machine. The new information technologies will substitute the human
intelligence with machine.
There is a greater versatility, wide range of applications,
tremendous decline in cost and energy. This technology will influence the
home and service sector also. The tremendous advances in semi-
conductors, digital communication systems, computer applications and its
invasion into all walks of life, the successful commercial utilization of
light transmission techniques using optical glass fibre and the vast potential
of putting satellites in orbits and retiring them, has given the hope that
bringing the fruits of communication technology to the doorsteps of the
humankind at large will be fruitful.
From the micro-electronic chip to the micro chip and the micro
processor functioning on the principle of computer, working on the
hexadecimal code, this tiny configuration of electronics could work
wonders. The proliferation of semi-conductor memory devise has brought
into the society computers that one can carry. personal computers can do
any thing for you like sketch a new cartoon or answer a phone call etc.
There are various anxieties that are raised. The machine is only a
complementary means to our activities for information procession. But
will this lead to any attitudinal change to work of the human beings, as
they are. Even with the best of the infrastructure, the libraries today are
caught in the bureaucratic web, as the line in control of order follows from
the Director, who is considered to be the custodian of all the materials.
The information technology emanates from five disciplines or
sources, namely the computers, communications, electronics, artificial
intelligence and the human interface.
Electronics is associated with the radio, television, audio systems
and computers. Almost every aspect of the human life is directly or
indirectly associated with the impact of electronic technology.
In the 1940’s there used to be radio sets, that had a vacuum tube,
which has been replaced today by the integrated circuit. A technological
advancement is gauged by the power it gives or the energy it consumes
and the cost that is involved. The technology that was prevalent in the
1940’s used to be about 100 percent costlier and about 1000 times energy
Consuming. Indian electronics industry during the early sixties started manufacturing radio receivers by public sector and private firms,
Electronics in turn has revolutionized the computers.
Today, in the field of digital communication, there is digital
transmission, digital switching and signaling that is taking place. The
progress of the digital techniques mainly contributed by computer’s
development and the progress of digital transmission systems based on it
have merged computer and communication. It has made possible the
realization of the three basic functions. i.e., the transmission memory and
processing in simple form. And also to realize further advanced and more
complicated systems. This progress has given us many useful means to
better our social life and welfare.
Electronics has accelerated economic progress, the increase of
efficiency and the promotion of welfare in modern industrial societies, p
Today, we are living in an information-oriented society.
The human or man-machine interface is very important including
tele-inspection, telecomputing, etc. Also there will be an exchange in
terms of natural language interface. There are the office automation
machines typically designed for the top executives, who need not touch a
key-board. The computer will respond to the demands of the boss. Thus
the libraries will have floppies and not megatapes. The whole concept of
primary, secondary source, etc., will change tremendously. It will be a
more individualized society.
In five year’s time, telecommunication network in most countries
would become more efficient and would match up to the international
standard.
The telecom revolution which is fast gaining ground will be
heralded with indigenous know-how and technology in many developing
countries and not by allowing import of such technologies which are quite
irrelevant to modern conditions.
Indian scientists and technocrats are trying to achieve by
breakthrough in telecome sector by restructuring programmes on the anvil
The telecome commission, would consolidate by 1990, 500 documents
after extensive survey, which would spell out the strategies which should
be pursued to revitalize the telecome sector. By 1991, these strategies
would be implemented in a phased manner. Simplification of administrative procedures and innovative labour
package plan of action for technology, strategies for improving customer
service, retraining of labour with a view to improve the productivity, etc.,
would form part and parcel of new initiatives.
The time is not ripe for deregulation of serves in India. Major
district headquarters are yet to be brought under STD network. These are
the basics and crucial issues now. Business network no doubt is important,
but cannot be assigned as much priority as to the basic tasks.
The government have taken steps to deregulate the production of
telecome equipment’s. Over a period of time, the share of ITI in the
production of telecome equipment’s would be substantially reduced and the
private sector would have a major role to play in such activities. There is
need for evolving an information culture in the country. Openness to
information and accessibility to the source of information are the key
factors for evolving an information culture. Against this, the present work
culture in the country is feudal and hierarchical. Information is often not
put to the optimum use. Therefore, the major challenge is organizational
and people at the bottom have to be given operational freedom.
With the digitalization of the network, setting up of the
international gateway and the proposed commissioning of the public data
network, the country is well poised for exploiting the full benefits of the
information revolution.
What is of concern is time and costs. The network services
needed to be made available as fast as possible. Equally important would
be to price these services at reasonable levels.
As a first step, private networks and newer types of services for
privatization should be considered. The policy package must be such that it
encourages private sector participation. The leased circuits must bear
There should be no restriction on data communication and switching.
reasonable tariffs. Interconnection with public network must be permitted.
a lead. It is necessary that R&D efforts are concentrated right now on
Equally important would be to close the technology gap and take
ISDN services. The only way to overtake the rest of the world is to work
for a quantum jump and not follow the reinvention route.
