Re– engineering Library Acquisition: A Case Study

Abstract

Libraries have always had the ability to respond to the challenges of technology, from the printing press of the middle ages to the print explosion of the twentieth century, to the digital ‘print’ of today. Modern economic rationalism demands that libraries become more accountable for both the services they provide and the funds they expand. Such accountability requires libraries to investigate, analyze and, where necessary change the methods and processes they have traditionally undertaken to justify their very existence to funding bodies. Re-engineering is about changing to the way we do things. Re-engineering is reinventing the way one does business, by stepping back and examining values, goals, and the system processes used to meet these goals. Process redesign is often an outcome of this evaluation. The acquisition process is one prime process for re-engineering as it consists of a large number of easily identifiable routines which can be compartmentalized, and altered as required. This paper is case study of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University Library (DRBRAOUL) and its Acquisition Section and how to reengineer the Library Acquisitions.