Content area
Full Text
Introduction
Technology-led developments have created new opportunities and challenges for libraries in creation, promotion, dissemination and storage of information. The library is one of the many institutions undergoing change in the face of technological advances. This, in turn, has led to the generation of new services, hitherto non-existent, as well as modification of existing library services and their deliverables, as well as the move towards new communication paradigms and the shift from face to face human contact to human machine interaction, from paper to electronic delivery, from text centered mode to multimedia and from physical presence to virtual presence.
The web has become commonplace throughout the world, a natural complement to traditional library services and develops innovative ways to meet the information needs of users. Traditional online services have transformed themselves into web-based services using web technologies. The web also offers libraries the potential for more revolutionary change as well. Library websites have become the main point of access and catalyst for new web-based library services. A library website is a virtual public face, the quasi equivalent of the front door, signage, pathfinders, surrogates to the collections, services and it is used as a window to the world wide web (WWW) ([11] Diaz, 1998). It also serves as an integrated interface to a wide variety of digital resources and web-based library services for users over a network ([21] Letha, 2006).
As more libraries move towards providing services in a web environment, the improved access to remote library collections is making the use of electronic information resources more realistic and more attractive. Indian university libraries also have realized the paradigm shift in library services and they are providing better web-based library services to their current techno savvy users.
Web-based library services
In terms of library perspective, web-based library services provided via the web are considered invaluable. The web allows library staff to extend their services beyond posted library hours. It improves library visibility within the library system, users become aware of what the library has to offer. The library's use of the web to deliver highly visible databases and full-text services promotes the image of the librarians as the "internet expert". Most importantly, providing "web-based library services promotes the image of the library as an innovative,...