lntemet utilization and academic activities of faculty members in the universities of Kerala : an analytical study

This thesis Entitled Internet Utilization and Academic Activities of Faculty Members in the Universities of kerala: an analytical study. Today, scientific research is throwing up new discoveries, inventions and vistas by the hour. We are witnessing a veritable knowledge explosion. It is important for members of university faculty members to keep abreast of it for giving up-t-date information to their students about the new development in the subject of their study. The internet is an invaluable tool for achieving it. Most of the universities have sufficient internet facility, but the accessibility to all the faculty members is not adequate. University Libraries also provides standard supplementary service in the internet area. This study indicates differential level of awareness and utilization of the internet services by the faculty members in the areas of teaching, research and publication. However the overall impression is that the awareness and utilization is inadequate. This point to the urgent need to devise programs and schemes to promote internet utilization among the faculty members. The suggestions indicate the key areas that deserve attention by policy makers and administrators. Thanks to the internet, every new development in every field of study is just a click away for faculty members, research scholars and students.

Professional Associations and Academic Librarianship in Kerala

The library professional in an academic institution has to anticipate the changing expectations of the users, and be flexible in adopting new skills and levels of awareness. Technology has drastically changed the way librarians define themselves and the way they think about their profession and the institutions they serve. In addition to the technical and professional skills, commitment to user centred services and skills for effective oral and written communication; they must have other skills, including business and management, teaching, leadership, etc. Eventually, library and information professionals in academic libraries need to update their knowledge and skills in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as they play the role of key success factor in enabling the library to perform its role as an information support system for the society.