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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
SFIT LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Inside this issue…
Greetings!
We are on the brink of commencing yet another
semester and the Central Library is as excited as all
of you are to welcome the fresh batch of students
and the staff members.
A warm welcome to all of you!
Interview with a Librarian
Library Resources
Library Patron Profiles
Library Update
Visitors @ the Central Library Here’s a bit from us..
The Central library was established along with its
New Arrivals
parent Institute in the year 1999. It had a collection
of 1200 books then. The number has slowly risen to
an overwhelming collection of more than 17500
documents. We have subscribed to 111 periodicals
for this year.
Happy to note…
To add to our constant enhancements, we now boast
of our presence on the widely accepted social
networking platform – Face book, besides our very
We are now on
own blog at sfitlibrary.blogspot.com.
Facebook too as
Do participate in the frequent quiz contests and
SFIT Library.
surveys extended out by the library.
Also, we would be most happy to hear your say on
the re-arrangement of the Central Library.
Ms. Chinmayee Bhange
Librarian
Our Library webpage has also been re-vamped.
Do drop by on the Institute’s website to have a look…
www.sfitengg.org
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
Interview with a Librarian
Mr. Jay Bhatt is the Information Services Librarian for Engineering at
Drexel University. He hails from Surat, Gujarat (INDIA).
Jay Bhatt received the M.S. in Library and Information Science from Drexel
University in 1997 and M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering also from
Drexel in 1986. He joined the Hagerty Library as an Information Services
librarian for Engineering in December 1997. He loves mentoring and working
with students. He is actively involved with the Engineering Libraries Division
of the ASEE. He is also the 2003 recipient of Drexel University's Harold Myers
Distinguished Service Award. He also received the Homer I. Bernhardt
Distinguished Service Award from the American Society for Engineering
Education in 2010.
Following are the informative inputs provided by him through an
Interview taken by the Librarian of SFIT.
SFIT LIB: An academic library seems to be one of the best places in the
world where one needs to have access to every tit-bit of information. Do
you feel this carries an element of duplication? What is your opinion in
this context?
Mr. Bhatt: I think as more resources become available electronically,
it is likely that many academic libraries will be subscribing to the
same resources. This will result in some duplication but because of
the authentication issues resources can only be accessed by faculty
and students in those institutions which have subscriptions.
Consortia agreement among universities will be extremely beneficial
since the subscription will allow access to those universities
belonging to the consortia. Libraries are developing online tutorials
and research guides for the same subject areas resulting in
duplication. I wonder if research guides are standardized with a
space for customization depending on the availability of resources so
that duplication is avoided to some extent.
SFIT LIB: In your vast experience as a librarian, did you ever feel that
your users have over-relied on any print or electronic source? If yes,
would you specify?
Mr. Bhatt: Yes, being an engineering librarian, I observe that some
resources are commonly used and are relied upon so much while
some other resources are ignored due to unawareness of their
availability. Google is an excellent search engine and is used so
much that other key resources including print books and other
electronic resources are ignored. Engineering Village, a key database
for engineering research or Knovel, an excellent collection of science
and technology related online handbooks and encyclopedias are
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
some examples of resources that often are overlooked. Many other
databases representing various subject areas also face similar
problems. It is important that libraries provide useful instruction
and develop mechanisms to increase awareness of availability of
specific electronic resources and other materials so that they are
efficiently used.
SFIT LIB: Have you seen a major shift lately in reader tastes and the
types of books they read?
Mr. Bhatt: Readers tend to be seeking more IT related books. I have
not tried to observe any shift in reader tastes.
SFIT LIB: What is the most satisfying aspect of your job?
Mr. Bhatt: I love teaching. I enjoy experimenting with innovative
teaching methods to help our faculty and students learn not only
about what resources are available but also learn how to use them
most efficiently. The most satisfying aspect for me is when a student
comes and tells me that he or she received the highest grade in final
research paper because of the availability of most useful information
using library resources. If my interaction has resulted in creating a
learning environment that resulted in an outstanding educational
experience for the student I will be the happiest person….
SFIT LIB: What is your opinion about the percolation of electronic
books in the library? Do they over-ride print books?
Mr. Bhatt: Electronic books are bound to find its increased usage all
over the world. With more online educational programs, students
will need to have access to books so that they can read online from
anywhere. However, in certain subject areas students may prefer to
use them in the Print form. For example, a student told me that he
would prefer a book in print where number of mathematical
equations are used to explain a particular theory. It will be difficult
to go back and forth in an online book trying to understand the
concept behind those equations.
SFIT LIB: Has working at a library in the United States different from
that in the Indian libraries?
Mr. Bhatt: I have not worked in Indian libraries so I am not sure how I
can respond but I do think that the needs of libraries (in terms of
infrastructure, connectivity, space issues, etc) India may be different
than those needs in the U.S. libraries. In terms of engineering
perspectives, there are number of engineering colleges in India. This
number is growing so that more engineers are available in order to
help meet the increased prevalence of engineering projects needed to
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
maintain Infrastructure. IITs have probably the best engineering related
resources available but because there are so many engineering colleges
and since a large number of engineering students graduate in those
colleges other than those from IITs, there should be some mechanism
envisioned to address information needs of those other institutions.
SFIT LIB: Is it still true that you have maintained silence in a library? Or
is the image of a librarian changing manifold?
Mr. Bhatt: Librarians will need to be more vocal about their vision
and in highlighting their possible contribution as technology experts
as new and emerging technologies evolve. They will need to be more
proactive in identifying changing user needs so that they can
develop and implement mechanisms to satisfy those needs as
quickly and as efficiently as possible.
SFIT LIB: What are the educational eligibilities for a librarian?
Mr. Bhatt: Most librarians have multiple degrees in addition to their
graduate degrees in either library and information science, and
information systems. They may have a degree in chemistry, biology,
engineering or MBA. This means that librarians are an educated
bunch of talented force ready to serve complex information needs of
various user groups.
SFIT LIB: Anything annoying about being a librarian?
Mr. Bhatt: Nothing. I am proud to be a librarian.
SFIT LIB: Do people at social gatherings try to challenge your trivia
knowledge?
Mr. Bhatt: Actually, I take this opportunity to promote changing
landscape of librarianship in those social gatherings. New initiatives
in our library such as the Library Learning Terrace
http://www.library.drexel.edu/about/learning-terrace
and our Personal Librarian program
http://www.library.drexel.edu/about/programs generate a lot of
interest when I talk about them. I introduce our libraries and my
facebook page to friends and people present in such social
gatherings. Some of them have either commented or provided a few
suggestions on wall posts.
SFIT LIB: What is your favorite book?
Mr. Bhatt: Ignited Minds by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
SFIT LIB: Any thoughts about going green (environment friendly) at
your library? How?
Mr. Bhatt: One of the things that I try is not to print my emails unless
it is absolutely necessary. We had started a blog titled Greening of
Drexel Libraries and we had also presented a poster titled ‘Greening
of Drexel Libraries: Supporting Drexel Green Initiative’. This poster
can be accessed from http://www.katherinelynch.org/node/73 or from
http://www.drexel.edu/green/projects/libraries.asp
Drexel Libraries has begun efforts to make our libraries more
environmentally-friendly. In addition to improving workflow based
on greening techniques such as energy conservation and paperless
offices, we are starting a physical archive of vegetable and flower
seeds, auditing all departments within the libraries for ways to go
green, and following waste disposal and recycling efforts.
In addition to the physical efforts taking place in the libraries, the
Libraries Greening committee is also spreading the word about our
efforts and the efforts of Drexel Green, both to the campus and the
world at large through the use of a "Greening" blog to track our
progress, broadcast local environmental news and events, and
provide regular tips for greener living. As a result, our patrons and
staff are becoming more environmentally-conscious.
At Drexel, students are encouraged to work on projects related to
Drexel Green Initiative through Freshman Design, Senior Design, or
assignments through various courses. Through library instruction,
virtual consultations from the Library's web site and by developing
collections in related areas, Drexel libraries aim to impart crucial
information skills that students need to successfully complete these
projects and assignments. This poster highlights some of these
initiatives and in the process; helps support the University's overall
mission of "Drexel Green."
SFIT LIB: Thanks for your time. Any last thoughts?
Mr. Bhatt: Thanks so much for giving me an opportunity to share my
thoughts on libraries. I would love to receive a copy of the newsletter
once it is published.
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
Library Resources
Books
In the
15238
beginning
of the
year 20102011
Added
2258
At the end 17496
of the
year 20102011
Journals
Nat. Int.
18
60
546
AudioNewspapers
Video
Material
CDs VCDs
1767 25
12
18
36
95
641
194
1961
15
75
Project
Reports
06
31
WebOPAC
Search the online
catalog from your
desktop
00
12
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
DID YOU KNOW ABOUT OPEN ACCESS JOURNALS?
Open access is a publication model wherein neither a reader nor the
reader's institution are charged for access to articles or other resources.
Users are free to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to
the full texts of these articles. The INDEST - AICTE Consortium
encourages open access through institutional repositories in its member
institutions.
URLs of Open Access Journals
Bioline International
BioMed Central
HighWire Press
Indian Academy of Sciences
Indian Journals
Journal of Digital Information
Journal of Post Graduate
Medicine
MedIND
Medknow
Molecular Diversity
Preservation International
Public Library of Science
PubMed Central
Trials
Open J-Gate is an electronic gateway to global
journal literature in open access domain. Launched
in 2006, Open J-Gate is the contribution of
Informatics (India) Ltd to promote OAI. Open JGate provides seamless access to millions of journal
articles available online. Open J-Gate is also a
database
of
journal
literature,
indexed
from 8870 open access journals, with links to full
text at Publisher sites.
Visit www.openj-gate.com now!
Access to 8870 Open Access Journals
In need of a book not found in
our Central Library?
Access www.delnet.nic.in
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on
the set, I go in the other room and read a book. ~Groucho Marx
Profile of a Library User
Name
Position (Faculty / Staff / Student)
Research Interests
Special Interests
Library books most commonly used
(e.g. Computers, Management,
Social Sciences, Humanities,
Information Technology,
Electronics, Telecommunications,
Novels, Basic Sciences)
Favourite Journal
Favourite Book (Title and Author)
Give a brief review of your
favourite book
Current recreational reading
SFIT Library services / facilities
which you have used
Best thing about the Library
Niti Khadapkar
Student
Neural Networks, Databases, Systems.
Computers
Information Technology
Telecommunications
Novels
IEEE
‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’
There are many books titled ‘Chicken Soup
for the Soul’ for people of various ages,
having varying roles in life; like ‘Chicken
Soup for the Teenage Soul’, ‘Chicken Soup
for the Women’s Soul’, etc. The book is full
of short stories. The stories include examples
of the best qualities we share as human
beings: compassion, grace, forgiveness,
generosity and faith. One story will make
you smile and warm your heart, another will
make tears come to your eyes, others will
make you laugh and others you will just feel
you have to tell someone else about.
The stories inspire you and turn you into a
virtuous human being. It is a must read for
everyone.
The online library facility.
Every book has its proper place. There are
succinct directions to get to the place to find
the book. The quietude of the place is also
blissful.
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
Library Update
♣ Commencing from this year in January, we have created quizzes based
on the library’s resources and activities to our users.
The winners consistent from every quiz would be declared at the end
of the year.
♣ Second, we organized Book-Mark making contest for our users. The
winners are:
1st Place: Ms. Melinda Gomes
2nd Place: Mas. Aaron D’souza
3rd Place: Ms. Kinjal Shah and Ms. Nidhi Panchal
♣ Third, as always we are in the process of increasing the number of
copies of many text-books
♣ Fourthly, we have created the following User-Guides for the benefit of
our staff and students:
1) Arrangement of Books
2) Check Availability of a Document
Have a look
at the FAQs
3) Reservation of books
about the
4) Access CD-Server
Central
5) Access IEEE
Library!
6) Access DELNET
The above guides are available on the Circulation Counter.
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SFIT Library Newsletter
Vol 3 Issue 2
Visitors @ the Central Library
What they said…..
The library is well maintained. I
appreciate all the library staff for
your dedicated service!
Sr. Ardra SIC
Provincial Superior
Bethany Sisters’
Trivandrum Province
Sr. Bhavya (Asst. Librarian, SFIT) alongwith Sr. Ardra and Sr. Pradeepthi.
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SFIT Library Newsletter
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Select New Arrivals
BRANCH: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
S.N.
1
2
3
4
5
TITLE
Op-Amps and linear integrated circuits, 4e
Electronic devices and circuits, 2e
Environmental Studies, 2e
Digital image processing, 2e
E-business and e-commerce, 3e
AUTHOR
Gayakwad, R.
Salivahanan
Rajagopalan
Gonzalez, R.C
Chaffey, D
BRANCH: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
S.N.
1
2
3
4
5
TITLE
Digital Design
Digital fundamentals, 8e
Microwave engineering, 3e
Microwave devices and circuits, 3e
Optical Fiber Communication, 3e
AUTHOR
Vahid
Floyd and Jain
Pozar
Liao, S.
Senior
BRANCH: COMPUTER
S.N.
1
2
3
4
5
TITLE
Discrete and combinatorial maths
Principles of communication system
Fundamentals of database systems
Introduction to algorithms
Database system concepts
AUTHOR
Grimaldi
Taub
Elmasri and Navathe
Cormen
Silberschatz
BRANCH: FIRST YEAR
S.N.
1
2
3
4
5
TITLE
Engineering Chemistry
Textbook of engineering physics
Basic electrical and electronics engineering
Object oriented programming in C++
Engineering mechanics
AUTHOR
Jain and Jain
Kshirsagar
Patil, B.R.
Balagurusamy
Hibbeler, R.C.