National Information systems and Networks

NISCAIR (National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources) :

NISCAIR came into existence on October 1, 2002, following the merger of two CSIR institutions viz. Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) and National Institute of Science Communication (NISCOM). In 2021, the institute was merged with National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies to form National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research. Two important current National Level Projects of NISCAIR viz.TKDL and NSDL. 

• Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL):  Recognising the need for and importance of documenting the existing knowledge, available in public domain on various traditional systems of
  medicines, NISCAIR (Under CSIR), AYUSH (Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) and DIPP (Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) collaborated to establish Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) on Ayurveda. TKDL includes search interface providing full-text search and retrieval of TK information on International Patent Classification (IPC) and keywords in multiple languages.
  
• National Science Digital Library (NSDL):  Under NSDL Project, electronic access to digital resources of curriculum related material in science and technology will be provided to students in
  remote areas. NSDL will be implemented by NISCAIR with the active participation of UGC and Ministry of Human Resource Development. In the first phase, NSDL will cover the students of undergraduate level in Indian universities and colleges.

DESIDOC(Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre):
DESIDOC started functioning in 1958 as Scientific Information Bureau (SIB). It was a division of the Defence Science Laboratory (DSL) which is presently called as Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC). The Defence Scientific Information & Documentation Centre (DESIDOC) is a division of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which had its beginning in 1948 became a division of Scientific Information Bureau (SIB) in 1959. The present director of DESIDOC is Dr K Nageswara Rao. DESIDOC maintains the Defence Science Library (DSL) is headed by Sh. Tapesh Sinha, a well-equipped library housing 262,000 documents. It also provides access to various databases, and other reference material.

Publications :

• Defence Science Journal
• DRDO Newsletter
• DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology (earlier DESIDOC Bulletin of Information Technology (DBIT).

SENDOC (Small Enterprises National Documentation Center) :

SENDOC was set up in 1970 at Small Industries Extension Training Institute (now known as National Institute of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), Hyderabad, to revitalize the micro, small and medium enterprises in India and developing countries by providing their required information. The objectives of the Centre are to collect, store and disseminate techno-managerial information pertaining to MSMEs and to conduct need and demand based training programmes. The libraryof the SENDOC possesses 70,000 books, 18,000 back volumes of journals, 30,000 reports and others.

Some of the important services provided by the Centre are:

Inter-library lending of documents

Lending of books

Reference Services (preparation of bibliographies) and literature search

Newspaper clippings (on select items)

Technical enquiry

Reprographic Services

ENVIS(Environmental Information System) :

Recognising the importance of environmental information for sustainable development and formulation of environmental management polices, Government of India set up ENVIS in 1982 under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF). Long-term and short-term objectives of ENVIS Programme are as follows :

    Long-term objectives:

• To build up a repository and dissemination centre in Environmental +Science and Engineering;
  
• To gear up the modem technologies of acquisition, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information of environmental nature; and
  
• To support and promote research, development and innovation in environmental information technology.

    Short-term objectives:

• To provide national environmental information service relevant to present needs and capable of development to meet the future needs of the users, originators,processors and disseminators of information;
  
• To build up storage, retrieval and dissemination capabilities with the ultimate objective of dissemination of information speedily to the users;
  
• To promote national and international co-operation and liaison for exchange of environment related information;
• To promote exchange of information amongst developing countries.

INFLIBNET: Information and Library Network

INFLIBNET is helping in automation and modernization of university library system. It is providing universities high-speed line for accessing e-journals. It has become a major player in enhancing scholarly communication in India. INFLIBNET development was started under University Grant Commission (UGC) India in 1991. Initially it was started as a project under Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA). INFLIBNET became an independent Inter University Centre in 1996. The headquarter of INFLIBNET is situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The present director is Prof J P Singh Joorel. Primary objectives of INFLIBNET are :

• To promote and establish communication facilities to improve capabilities in information transfer and access, that provide support to scholarship, learning, research etc.
  
• To linking libraries and information centres in universities, deemed to be universities, colleges, UGC information centres, institutes of national importance, R&D institutions etc. Avoiding duplication of efforts.
  

Activities :

• The Centre has developed Windows based library management software named 'SOUL'. The library automation package 'SOUL' is installed and required training is provided. 'SOUL' has been well received by the university libraries.
• UGC is modernising universities campuses with the state-of-the art campus wide network and setting up its own nation wide communication network named UGC-INFONET.
  
• The Centre also assists participating libraries in database development, develop utility tools for retrospective conversion of union catalogues, develop software tools for multilingual database of union catalogue, etc.
  
• To enhance the skills of university library staff for implementation of INFLIBNET Programme, Centre conducts several training programmes and workshops on 'the application of computers in libraries and information services'.
  
• INFLIBNET Centre in collaboration with different universities organises a national convention, 'CALIBER' (Convention on Automation of Libraries in Education and Research) every year.
  

DELNET: Developing Library Network

DELNET (Developing Library Network) earlier known as Delhi Library Network till 2001 started in the year 1988 and registered as a society in 1991. Initially, it was sponsored by NISSAT, DSIR and currently is being promoted jointly by National Informatics Centre (NIC), Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India and India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi. Delnet (http://www.delnet.nic.in) provides ILL Online, Retrospective conversion, Referral Services, Document Delivery Services, Training Programmes, Creation and Maintenance of Bibliographic Databases, E-mail Service, and Internet Connectivity Service. Apart from these services, DELNET provides some useful software products namely 

DELSIS – a powerful library networking software;             DEL-DOS –for creating MARC (Machine Readable Catalogue) Records of books; NICNET(National Informatics Centre Network): NICNET stands for National Informatics Centre Network. NICNET, has institutional linkages across all the Ministries /Departments of the Central Government, State Governments, Union Territories, and District administrations of the country. National Informatics Centre (NIC) is an institution under the Government of India. NIC was established in 1976 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It provides solutions in the area of e-governance particularly for the sectors that fall under Government of India. It supports NICNET. NICNET produced the enabling facilities for supporting added activities, projects and programmes in the special work areas. ERNET (Education and Research Network) ERNET stands for Education and Research Network. The Research & Development projects are initiated by ERNET groups. The core groups of ERNET have worked towards the development of products and technology transfer to the industry. The following are some of the ongoing projects:

• Wide area Quality of Service Network Test bed
• Bringing Europe's electronics infrastructure to expanding frontiers
• Setting up of vocational centers for skill creation for the disabled children in the area of Information Technology
• Community Information Centres Vidyavahin(CICVVs)