Idea Exchange 

Learning and Teaching are two distinct but comprising and accompanying processes. Progress of both is possible by the collective efforts of listeners and speakers. If there is a need for an authentic orator, then there must be a genuine learner. Personally, I believe listening is a much difficult task than teaching. Because listeners should test them rightly if they listen without any judgement. Let this debate be kept aside for now and Exchange Ideas on the occasion of the Librarian’s Day.

12^th August, today is the Birth Anniversary of Dr S R Ranganathan, a Mathematician, and Father of Indian Librarianship, creator of several globally recognised intellectual works like Colon Classification, Classified Catalogue Code, Five Laws of Library, Chain Indexing and many more.

So basically, the ideas, theories and principles of Dr S R Ranganathan were unique and different from others in the world which leads him to the list of the great scholars in the field. We Library professionals will always be obliged for his contribution and will be guided by his teachings.

So what is now? Since this day is important, let us talk to the people around us, maybe in our college, at our workplace, in-home or anywhere connected virtually. And, exchange an idea, a principle, a quote or narrate a story you like the most in your life and follow for problem-solving. 

If we all discuss an idea, a theory, a principle and a story, then this way, we can learn a new piece of knowledge that is very effective in someone's life. This way, we will learn a new thing and will teach a new thing. 

So, in the end, I will mention the words of one of my teachers, "there is a hairline difference between success and failure". This hairline gap could be anything like knowledge, understandings, reading, teaching and motivation... So let us unit to bridge the gaps by the idea of this form of learning and mutual growth. 

Wish you all a very Happy Librarian's Day! 

 

 

Process of Online Journal Subscription

Online journals are also called e-journals or e-journals databases. There may be slight difference but the nature of the entire product is the same. Online journals are collections of research publications with other advanced features.

The process of e-journals subscription take a quite long time, so ask publisher service provider to start the access may be on the trail basis till the closing of the order process.

Online journals are services, mainly consumable services accessible on Institute IP address and account based. 

There could be another process of subscribing e-journals but the following steps are observed good and transparent, reliable and free from questions.

The steps are as follows:

Collection of the requirement (from departments and or individuals)

Data check and complete the left information(if any)

Duplication Check ( in the collections, access and in the ongoing purchase process)

If found the exact title exists in the collection revert the same to intender or move ahead with the process. Make a proposal and take the financial approval from the concerned authority. In most the cases head of the institution reserve this power who executes the payment and purchase orders.

Contact publisher for the proposal. If three are more than one supplier go for a quotation system. Ensure the proposal or quotation must include the documents are details of following

• Profile of company/firm
• establishment certification
• Proprietor Certificate 
• PAN and IT Returns of last 2 or three years
• Proforma Invoice
• Dual taxation certification
• Bank details and foreign currency conversion method
• Other documents of importance(if any)

After receiving the quotation/proposal exercise of the library team or a particular committee begins. In order to fix the cost of subscription institute may bargain with publisher or publisher can supply the item/service on a consortium price. It is considered that the consortia negotiated prices are lower in comparison. Even consortium prices are available but one can bargain in genuine cases basing the data of users and fund. If there is one quotation, means publisher itself is a supplier then there is no involvement of multi-quotation and comparative statement committee can recommend to the publisher for supplying goods or service. And, if there is consortia price, there is nothing to worry since consortia prices are fixed for all and open. After, the recommendation of the committee, purchase order authority may be requested for releasing the PO. Once the PO is released, and publishers intimated acceptance of the PO by a written letter or via email then the publisher generates the License to be signed by the institute and publisher. E-journals are mostly annual services so the license stands valid only till the subscription is on/live. After this process, the publisher sends the invoice for payment. Library process the invoice as per the local policy and release the payments.


Important Points: Must be remembered during the subscription activities. 

Generally, payments are huge so extra carefulness is required.

If required take the help from the accounts division and internal audit personnel and Law Officer in executing the license.

Possibly pay to the service provider instead of any third party.

Ask for onsite training and demo. Do not forget to mention the same in the Purchase orders.

Keep on visiting and downloading the COUNTER reports of downloads/hits records for administrative purposes.

Internet Privacy Settings: Must check in advance

Either real or virtual, 'Privacy' has become a highly important component in our life. Here, the meaning of privacy is nothing but the data which helps others to grow some idea, data, information or knowledge, and business.

Every day we use the internet for our routine things. We log in to various remote servers and deal with several data policies created by different agencies and companies. At a micro level, we give them a little input, but simultaneously they collect the data from a vast identical mob. Do we really care and realise about the data we leave with them? Think and prepare your own answer but before let me highlight a few things. 

Once we come in contact with the internet. We start giving some input to the system and system by default behave like it is built. Mostly a computer-based system conceives the following data from our activities.

- Login hits(read, print, and download)

- the time we spent,

- Geographical location,

- Device information used for login,

- Operating system information,

- Type of search,

- Traffic type in which we are,

- Login and logout and activity log,

- And all our data as per the agreed terms,

- Interaction with data such as like, comment, share, thumbs up etc.

The above sets of data are kind of front-end fair data, which is necessary data to be taken by any system. To moderate these data input mechanism, we need to make the assistance of some methods, but those methods are considered and regarded as used for unethical activities. VPN(Virtual Private Network) is used for hiding is identity over the internet. I don't know whether the use of VPN is right or doubtful.  

Apart from the above set of data some other data, we share and lead with companies may knowingly or unknowingly. Those data are extracted with the help of browsers, software, application, operating systems, licensing and so on.

These privacy and security settings are generally mentioned in the 'Advanced' tab stating a similar line to this: "<Name of browswer> may use web services to improve your browsing experience. You may optionally disable these services". 

Here I have taken the example of Opera, but it is similar in all the browsers. I am using Opera browser for my blog, so I give credit to the Opera Browser.

To change and update these settings navigate to the setting: opera://settings/privacy

In software or web browser, we must check the above settings regularly. These are to be done after each update, major or minor, or any type. I have observed that these settings get altered by its own. Hence, I have advised checking regularly.