DELNET – Developing Library Network The Network that Evolved into a Major Network

1. DELNET – Developing Library Network The Network that Evolved into a Major Network H. K. Kaul Director, DELNET Developing Library Network

2. Introduction • Condition of Libraries in Delhi in the 1980s • Panel Discussion – January 7, 1988 • Committee Set Up

3. The Feasibility Report • NISSAT Support • Coordination Committee • CMC • Feasibility Report Accepted April 1990

4. O Phase of DELNET • Consultative Comm. on Rationalisation of Periodicals • Training Programmes • E-mail facility introduced – X-400 • Rationalisation – 40 lakhs saved - January 1992; Much more thereafter • Indo-British Meet – 1992 Registration recommended

5. Registration of DELNET as a Society • NISSAT requested to be permanent member of DELNET Board • Libraries were asked to come forward to host DELNET • The host institution had to give a letter agreeing to giving its address as the registered office. • To this I got the following response: • NISSAT did not issue a letter confirming that it agrees to be a permanent member on the DELNET Board; • No institution came forward to act as the host institution for DELNET. • No institution, including IIC was prepared to give its address as the registered office of DELNET. • DELNET registered finally at home address of Dr. H. K. Kaul at L-67A, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi 110017.

6. Initial IIC Approval • NISSAT Support • In return to raise money through training programmes and return money to NISSAT • Failure of this arrangement NIC Support • Director General, NIC Dr. N. Seshagiri gave support to DELNET in 1993 India International Centre (IIC)

7. Online Union Catalogues and Union Lists The DELNET Online Union Catalogues were formally inaugurated on February 21, 1994 by Dr. (Mrs.) Kapila Vatsyayan, Academic Director, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and a Life Trustee of IIC. At that time we had 91,957 records in the Union Catalogue of Books.

8. The Building The Land : Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) • Application to JNU in 1993 for land • Shri P. N. Haksar, Chancellor; Prof. Y. K. Alagh, Vice Chancellor • Land allotted in 1994 – one acre The Architect : C. P. Kukreja & Co Building Grant from the Ministry of Culture • Rs. One crore sanctioned by the Ministry in 2002

9. The Building Laying of Foundation Stone for DELNET Building • 23rd December 2002 Construction of the Building DELNET Shifts to its Own Building in JNU Campus • October 6, 2005

10. National / International Initiatives National Bibliographic Database IXth Five Year Plan, 1997-2002. The Working Group had made the following precise recommendation: ‘Among the different city networks, it has been found that DELNET has emerged as an operational library network in India with 60 libraries in Delhi and other states as its members. It has been developing on-line union catalogue of books and periodicals. It is recommended that DELNET be supported to create National database and develop on OCLC pattern covering all subjects.’

11. National / International Initiatives National Bibliographic Database On the basis of this recommendation I approached the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Culture in 1996 to support the creation of a National Bibliographic Database. • International Institute of Tamil Studies(IITS), Chennai • Punjabi University, Patiala • Andhra University Library, Visakhapatnam • Asiatic Society of Bombay, Mumbai • Asiatic Society, Kolkata

12. National / International Initiatives AICTE - DELNET MOU The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and DELNET signed an MOU in 2001 to network libraries of the technical institutions approved by AICTE. Other National Seminars / Workshops • Indo-British Meet on Library Networking (1993) • National Workshop on Library Network Services (1994) • Networking of Public Libraries in South Asia (1996) • Seminar on Australian and Indian Libraries: The Nature, Demands and Special Needs (1997) • Modernisation of Oriental Libraries. January 5, 2000. • National Round Table on Modernisation and Networking of Libraries in India • National Seminar on the Book in the 21st Century

13. National / International Initiatives International Cooperation / Participation The Library Networks Around the World • BLCMP (Birmingham Libraries Cooperative Maintenance Project) • LASER (London and South Eastern Library Region) • CISTI (Canadian Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) • CAN/OLE (Canadian Online Enquiry Service) • OCLC • VALNET (Veterans Affairs Library Network) • FEDLINK Network Operations.etc.

14. National / International Initiatives • SAARC and the Other Countries • ICONLIS • National Knowledge Commission (NKC) • NAAC • SIRO Software Research

15. Training Programmes and Workshops • Coordination Units • DELNET Consortium

16. The Publications • Delnet Newsletter • Director’s Reports • NACLIN Proceedings and Other Publications

17. DELNET Lectures DELNET Annual Lectures DELNET instituted the Annual Lectures in 1998. They were delivered by the following eminent personalities: Mr. N. Vittal Prof. M. G. K. Menon. Dr. V. S. Arunachalam, Prof. N. Balakrishnan, Dr. R. Natarajan, Chairman, Dr. N. Seshagiri, Dr. N. Vijayaditya, Prof. P. M. Bhargava, Prof. V. S. Prasad, Mr. Stephen Abram, Prof. S. V. Raghavan, Dr. S. S. Mantha, Mr. Brent Mai, Dr. Gulshan Rai Other Lectures by Eminent Scholars

18. DELNET Membership: A Statistical Profile In India - 4246

19. DELNET Membership: A Statistical Profile Outside India - 23 Total Members – 4269 (As on November 12, 2012)

20. DELNET Union Catalogues : A Statistical Profile

21. The Future of DELNET

22. THANK YOU