Digital Library inaugurated in Vijayawada

A wealth of information on medical, allied subjects

STUDENT-FRIENDLY: Vice-Chancellor of NTR University of Health Sciences R. Samabasiva Rao at the inauguration of digital library in Vijayawada on Wednesday. Registrar P. Jayakara Babu (extreme right) is also seen. - Photo: RAJU V.

VIJAYAWADA: Vice-Chancellor of NTR University of Health Sciences R. Sambasiva Rao on Wednesday inaugurated a digital library on the university premises.

Addressing a gathering at the inaugural function, Prof. Rao said all books, journals and other reference material bought for the university library between 1986 and 2002 were given away to Siddhartha Medical College when it was de-linked from the university in 2000. "In May last year, we planned to develop a good learning resource centre that could ultimately be groomed into a State-level reference library in health sciences," he said.

The digital library would enable six students to browse the Internet at a time. They could copy the desired material on to a compact disc, a floppy disc or any other reprographic mode. The university had spent Rs. 7 lakhs to procure added pro-quest compact discs that provided access to all the published articles from 1998.

Free access

Prof. Rao said that following an invitation extended to affiliated medical and dental colleges in the State by the university, as many as 31 colleges responded and thus the formation of a consortium of digital library became a reality.

Financial deals were struck with a couple of e-journal suppliers to extend their services to medical and dental colleges. They would not only impart training to persons engaged in maintenance of the new facility in various colleges but also agreed to provide free access to all subscribers for the initial 15 days.

Membership

Prof. Rao said that the university had taken up the issue of membership of the consortium with the Medical Council of India and expressed the hope that it would approve the same. To start with, the library is subscribing to 152 journals in 37 disciplines and 102 e-textbooks and yearbooks at a cost of Rs. 1.92 crores.

He said that it was mainly a reference library for the fields of medical and allied sciences. Responding to the changing modes in the curriculum, the university had decided to focus on web-based resources and services. Staff and students of medical colleges (allopathic, dental, Indian systems of medicine, nursing and physiotherapy) affiliated to the university and staff of Government hospitals and other teaching hospitals in the State were eligible for regular membership in the library.

The library would remain open from 10.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all working days except on second Saturdays, Sundays and other holidays.

Courtesy: The Hindu