BASICS OF INFORMATION

5 DISSEMINATION

B ASICS OF INFORMATION
DISSEMINATION
S M DHAWAN
Structure
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Importance of Information Dissemination
5.2.1 Problem-centered Nature of Adult Learning
5.2.2 Special Nature of Information Dissemination for Adult Community
5.3 Customizing Information for Dissemination
5.3.1 Issues of Relevance to Adult Community
5.3.2 Assessing Information Needs
5.3.3 Types of Information for Communication
5.3.4 Media and language for Communication
5.4 Approaches to Information Dissemination
5.4.1 Model 1: Searching Indexed Resources
5.4.2 Model 2: Non-indexed Sources
5.4.3 Model 3: Establishing Public Platforms for Reaching Out to Community
Members (Nicknamed ‘Choupal’)
5.5 Database Creation
5.5.1 The First Step
5.5.2 Record Structure
5.5.3 Software for Creating Database
5.6 Conclusion
5.7 Apply what you have learnt

Learning Objectives
We hope that after going through Unit 5, you will be able to

Form your own understanding of various aspects of information dissemination.

Share your understanding of the basics of information dissemination with
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) organizing adult education projects
and programs.

Facilitate the NGOs efforts to develop skills and techniques required for
organizing information dissemination services for the benefit of the adult
community.

5.1 Introduction
Unit 5 pertains to acquiring skill and be of especial relevance to your day-to-
applying the same to your professional day work at adult learning set-up.
activities and we hope that Unit 5 will Information dissemination is a proactive 45
S M DHAWAN information service designed to educate audience using different media and
and inform focused groups of users on communication means.
social, economic and educational issues,
Let us now discuss the importance of
problems, and opportunities of interest
information dissemination before
to them. It requires systematic planning,
moving on to a community’s information
collection, organization, and storage of
needs.
information for its delivery to the target

5.2 Importance of Information Dissemination

I t is a fact that survival and self- learning, the emphasis is on refining
development are the major issues knowledge that already exists, upgrading
central to several adults in many existing level of skills, and nurturing and
communities. The need to raise their shaping innate potential and talent of
socio-economic status is thus necessary individuals and groups in a society. In
and urgent. This requires empowering problem-centered learning, the emphasis
adults, the under-privileged and is on applying information/ knowledge
economically weaker sections of society as well as skills for finding solutions to
with technical skills and education. the problems and issues confronting the
However, organizing programs meant adult community.
mainly for raising awareness, education,
Let us look at the special character of
and training are information and
information dissemination for adults in
communication dependent. Information
a community.
dissemination as such constitutes an
important and critical factor for the
5.2.2 Special Nature of Information
success of adult education and learning
Dissemination for Adult Community
programs.
In the context of this Unit we have used
More often than not, organizers perceive the phrase ‘adult community’ to refer
information dissemination to be a one- to the groups of adult people, who have
way form of communication, circulating something in common such as low level
information and advice mainly through of literacy with a higher level of
mass media in a cost-effective and knowledge and skills, yet poor living
timely manner. In some cases, the media standards and poor economic conditions.
are posters and pamphlets, while in Special features of disseminating
some others reliance is exclusively on information to adult community are as
text-based print medium. However, follows:
two-way form of communication is
Information dissemination programs,
relatively more relevant and effective organized mainly for adult
for organizing awareness programs and community, need not be always one
activities in adult education. way such as through mass media
alone.
5.2.1 Problem-centered Nature of
For vitality and impact, adult
Adult Learning educators need to organize
Essentially, adult learning is more of a information dissemination activities
problem-centered rather than content- in classroom mode and structure
centered activity. In content-centered them around face-to-face
46
 interactions. One of their aims could BASICS OF INFORMATION
contents relevant to problems of the DISSEMINATION
be to offer services such as adult community.
counseling, referral, practical help,
It is essential that communication
advice, advocacy, community with adult community takes place in
education, etc. the language that they understand.

Counseling may be on livelihood issues
It is essential that information
such as employment, occupation, content in verbal and written
marketing, and new sources of communications to the adult
revenue. community should be of a type of

Practical help may mean aids such interest and relevance to adult
as facilitating and liaison with community (Type of information
different government agencies to content as discussed under Section
address day-to-day problems. 5.3.2).

The scope of information
Adult educators may also offer
dissemination could as well expand content-oriented services mainly for
to training and educational programs the benefit of the NGO staff engaged
to improve employment potential of in education, research and training
adult-learners. in adult education and learning.

The two-way form of communication
needs to dominate information See Box 5.1 on the possible aims of
dissemination activity, with focus on information dissemination oriented
programs.

Box 5.1 Aim of Information Dissemination Oriented Programs

Information dissemination oriented programs, for the benefit of the adult community,
may pursue the following aims.

To sensitize adult learners on the importance and relevance of information

To give practical information for problem solving

To spread awareness in adult community about their rights and privileges as well
as responsibilities

To assist adult community in identifying markets for their produce, products, and
skill sets, and introducing and publicizing such produce and products in the
identified markets

To supply and popularize among the adult community members relevant market
data on best market prices

To educate NGO staff on the intellectual property rights issues and their
management (Intellectual property rights refer to protection given by law to
intellectual property such as patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets.)

To apprise all NGOs engaged in adult education on recent and major developments
in adult learning

5.3 Customizing Information for Dissemination

F or organizing information of the adult community, the first step
dissemination programs for the benefit is to assess and understand their 47
S M DHAWAN information needs based on issues of government subsidies, loan schemes,
relevance to adult community, and to and other money matters
customize the information accordingly
Privileges of senior citizens, women’s
for dissemination. issues and their solutions
5.3.1 Issues of Relevance to Adult
Youth problems, citizens rights and
duties
Community

Education, skill development and
As per local community members’
training programs, admission
choices, needs, aspirations, an adult
procedures, and costs, grants and
educator is likely to arrive at a very
scholarships
specific list of needs. All the same, we

Self-employment schemes and
may say that broadly the issues of
programs, rural development
relevance to adult community with
schemes
diverse cultural backgrounds, cover a

Sports information, games, arts
wide spectrum, ranging from rights and

Agricultural information such as new
privileges matters at one end to health,
farming methods, seeds,
housing, education, market and
insecticides, fertilizers, weather,
marketing issues on the other. We find
vermin-culture,
some of the following issues have been

Recycling of waste material
widely reported in literature

Market information, product,
(Venkatappiah 2004, Vashishth 1995,
produce prices information
and Kumar 2004).

Ongoing trends in the field of adult

Community profile including cultural, learning
civilization of the local area

Content oriented information for

Redressal of grievances – contact education, research, and training
points, government agencies/
departments, etc. 5.3.2 Assessing Information Needs

Rights, privileges, duties, You may adopt participatory approach
responsibilities, welfare measures,
to assess the issues and problems
legal matters
confronting the community and to

Consumer services, daily necessities, understand their information needs. The
provisions of grains and foods at
adult individuals in the community may
reasonable rates
not be in a position to articulate their

Environment information, family, information needs as clearly as research
health and safety, government
and academic communities
information
communicate. However, by holding

Health care information:
interactive sessions with the community
immunization, hospitals, admission
members, adult educators can identify
procedures, fist aid, grandma’s
topics of relevance to their survival, and
remedies, sanitation, hygiene
accordingly judge/interpret the kind of

Housing and schemes mainly content going to be of use to them,
intended for disadvantaged groups
understand their linguistic concerns and

Government welfare schemes for weaker preferences, and their media
sections, rural development, etc.
preferences for communication, etc.

Transport, bus, rail, and other You may also use the data in past
modes
reports on adult literacy program,
48
Sources of finance, banks, research papers published on the subject
to update and supplement findings made BASICS OF INFORMATION
contents delivered in the service are DISSEMINATION
from interactive face-to-face sessions going to be of interest and relevance to
with adult community. While identifying the adult community in addressing their
information needs, adult educator would issues and problems.
assess what types of information

Activity 5.1
Identify the issues and problems of unemployed, literate adults in farmer community
and the types of information content, media, and language you would plan for their
socio-economic development.

5.3.3 Types of Information for
Condensed information: concise

Communication picture of thought contents
Theoretically, information generated for described in documents such as
communication and dissemination is of digests, abstracts
different types as stated below.
Consolidated information: literature
However, not all types are of relevance reviews/ state-of-the-art reports to
to the adult community. Assessment catch with latest developments in
about usefulness of a particular type of the specific areas of interest
information would differ from
Repackaged information: to educate a
community to community given their non-technical person on technical topics
diverse social and cultural backgrounds. such as popular/encyclopedic
It mainly depends upon the level of their information sufficient to understand or
literacy and education, the issues and revive one’s knowledge in the subject
problems of relevance to them, and
Let us discuss in brief each of the types
their preferences for language and
of information contents in the service.
communication media (means of
communication are radio and television, Bibliographic information: It is about
newspapers, and magazines that reach the identity and records of books,
or influence people widely). Adult articles, and other published material.
educators would need to customize It also refers to listings of bibliographic
information for dissemination to adult records, listings of cataloguing records,
community or to the team of adult listings of references, listings of articles,
educators according to their needs. You etc. Such information service outputs
may consider the following different are of value and relevance for gathering
types of information for the purpose. and understanding knowledge in the

Bibliographic information subject, and generating new knowledge

Practical information: markets for through research studies and
local products, produce, new investigations.
employment opportunities, where to Practical information: It is the
go for addressing grievances, etc information having value and meaning

Referral information in problem-solving situation acquired

Statistical data: adult literacy data through cognitive process of studying,

Analytical information: analyzing understanding, and analyzing contents,
quantitative data for discovering or knowledge acquired through learning
trends experience. 49
S M DHAWAN
Referral information: It is the understand and comprehend. For
information about experts, people, example, popular articles, like
contacts, or institutions that serve as presentation on the importance and
useful referral sources in gathering relevance of right to information Act.
practical information, knowledge, or
even documentary information.
5.3.4 Media and Language for
Communication
Statistical information: It is about
The information dissemination programs
temporal, spatial, institutional data on
and projects, planned for the benefit
various activities and programs in
of the adult community, cannot be
different subject areas. For example,
effective unless the media and the
adult literacy data of different
language used for communication of
geographical regions spread over time.
contents are meaningful to the adult
Analytical information: It is the community. The media most commonly
information generated by analyzing used for communication are (i) oral/
temporal, institutional, and spatial data verbal communication, (ii) written
for discovering trends. For example, communication, (iii) visual
quantitative data on adult literacy communication, and (iv) multi-media
analyzed on time series basis provide communication.
insight about strengths and weakness i) Oral communication is by word of
of adult literacy programs on mouth when two or more persons
comparative basis. meet and talk directly, face-to-face,
Condensed information: It is the or by telephone. Both these forms
information generated to provide a are oral and not verbal.
concise picture of thought contents ii) Verbal communication is through
described in documents. Examples words, both written and spoken,
include digests, abstracts, synopsis, such as group meetings and
brief summaries, etc. presentations, and informal talks.
Consolidated information: It is the iii) Visual communication (drawings,
information generated by analyzing and photographs, pictures, etc) is more
compressing thought contents from effective than any number of words.
documents that have appeared on the iv) Multi-media communication
subject. It gives a critical and (combining text, visual, graphics,
consolidated overview of the topic, sound, and motion pictures) is still
assessing and reviewing contributions more effective.
made in the field over time, presenting
Given their low literacy level, yet higher
complete overview of trends and
level of language and communication
developments in the field, the latest
skills, communication to adult
developments in field, the state-of-the-
community may limit to oral, visual, and
art in the field, and the highest level of
multi-media. Adult educators may of
achievement in the field, etc.
course adopt written means of
Repackaged information: It is the communication when the target
information generated to educate a audience reaches the requisite level of
non-technical person on a subject of competence in reading and writing. The
importance. It gives a complete but community would be able to receive and
50 concise picture of the subject easy to comprehend the message conveyed only
 that the community understands and is BASICS OF INFORMATION
if it understands the language used in DISSEMINATION
communication. The language used in comfortable with it in face-to-face
oral communication is, therefore, of interactions.
great significance. It has to be the one

Activity 5.2
Using information sources available within the library, prepare one-page write-up on the
importance of right to information act can help improve living conditions in the village.

5.4 Approaches to Information Dissemination

I nformation dissemination requires 5.4.1 Model 1: Searching Indexed
systematic collection, organization, and Resources
storage of information relevant to the This model is more suited for collecting
needs of adult community. There are content-oriented information. Here we
several approaches to capturing relevant capture information from indexed
information both content-oriented information resources such as
information and problem-oriented multidisciplinary and specialized
information. Some approaches are databases, library catalogues,
traditional while some others are repositories, digital libraries, web
innovative. Adult educators can generate resources. Information captured from
a series of services after gathering such resources is first stored in the
information through such approaches. database created for the purpose before
Unit 10 will discuss the how or application it goes to the target audience (see Figure
aspect of information dissemination 5.1).
services. Let us here look at different
The indexed information resources
models of collecting information.

Figure 5.1: Information Dissemination

Model 1: Library Services Generated using Indexed Resources 51
S M DHAWAN useful for searching content-oriented databases (with or without abstracts)
information are of the following types. while others are full-text offering access

Electronic databases and Online to the original articles in the archives
bibliographic services dating back to say 5 to 10 years. By

Local library catalogues entering in the database search menu,

Digital libraries and repositories on search terms related to a topic,
the Internet individuals are able to retrieve

Web resources information about articles of interest.
The search outputs from databases
We will now discuss each of the types of
categorized as select listings of articles,
sources for content-oriented
bibliographies, and full-text articles and
information.
papers. Such outputs form the basis for
Electronic databases: Electronic generating analytical information,
databases mainly index primary sources preparing state-of-the-art reports for
of information such as journals (including latest developments in the subject, etc.
scholarly journals, review journals, and
Databases are largely commercial
popular journals), conference
products and are available for online
proceedings, and research reports. Such
access on subscription basis. However,
sources of information generally engage
some databases offer free access online.
in publishing original work in the subject.
We have listed below only some of them.
Journals publish wide variety of papers
You can obtain additional information
such as general, review, theoretical, and
on free databases by searching the
developmental papers focusing on new
Internet.
developments, economic and
commercial information, practical
Ingenta
applications, new tools and products,
Findarticles.com www.findarticles.com
etc. Conference proceedings contain

ERIC- World’s largest digital library of
original and unpublished research,
educational literature
covering case studies, and state-of-the-
http://www.eric.ed.gov/
art reports of topical interest. Research
reports are institutional reports
POPLINE® - World’s largest bibliographic
reporting findings of research projects database on population, family planning,
of social, economic, and cultural and related health issues.
relevance. Such sources are excellent http://db.jhuccp.org/ics-wpd/
sources of information for discovering popweb/
latest trends or understanding the
impact of new measures in the field. Online Bibliographic Service: Online
Evidently, primary information sources bibliographic services such as DIALOG,
are more useful for updating knowledge OCLC, BLAISE, ESA-IRS, and Silver-
in the subject, understanding overall Platter offer online access to commercial
trends in the subject, but not for bibliographic databases, cataloging
searching and collecting problem- databases, trade catalogues, standards
oriented information. and patents on fee basis. Such services
Consequent upon electronic publishing, are of immense importance to libraries
multidisciplinary and specialized that do not subscribe to electronic
database have become available online databases but do need to access them
52 for searching. Some are bibliographic on occasional basis.
 libraries on the Internet and Web BASICS OF INFORMATION
Library catalogues are the tools for DISSEMINATION
accessing library holdings comprising resources are also useful sources of
books, journals, reports, etc. Digital information on books.

Activity 5.3
List ten online databases in health and medicine using the Internet.

5.4.2 Model 2: Non-Indexed Sources first in the databank created for the
purpose and later applying it for problem
This model is more suited to meeting
solving, educating, training, and
needs for problem-centered
enlarging the choices of the target users
information. It entails browsing non-
(see Figure 5.2).
indexed sources of information for
capturing and storing the relevant data

Figure 5.2: Information Dissemination

Model 2: Library Services Generated using Non-indexed Resources

You can categorize non-indexed
Grey literature: You can refer it as

information resources in the following non-conventional literature. It
heads. comprises documents, not published

Grey literature commercially such as census,

Reference sources such as product statistics, government reports,
directories legislations, patents, conference

Capturing data about intellectual proceedings, theses, preprints,
assets of the local community research reports, newsletters, 53
S M DHAWAN pamphlets, annual reports, and and access compared to traditional
technical reports. Grey literature also sources for two reasons: (i) typically
comprises newspapers even though not collected and acquired by
they produced commercially. Such libraries systematically and (ii) not
documents are often original and well indexed for retreival. Agencies
comprehensive sources of such as government, academia,
information and provide access to business or industry, usually produce
the latest research in a particular them both in print and electronic
area. However, these sources of format.
information are difficult to search

Activity 5.4
List information sources on Indian patents using the Internet.

Reference sources: These are and later use for information

typically comprehensive information dissemination to support awareness
sources compiled mainly for programs, and education and
reference purpose rather than training programs.
reading them cover to cover. These
works are informative in nature and 5.4.3 Model 3: Establishing Public
emphasize the documentation of Platforms for Reaching Out to
statistical data. Examples of Community Members (Nicknamed
reference works are: almanac, Choupal)
atlas, concordance, dictionary or This is an innovative model for
lexicon, thesaurus, directory, establishing communication links with
encyclopedia, gazetteer, and the community for education, learning,
handbook, etc. and addressing issues of importance to

Local cultural wealth: The local the local community such as right to
communities in several areas are rich information, product marketing, health,
in traditional knowledge, traditional job opportunities, etc. The basis of this
art and artistry, cultural resources, model is on the philosophy of
natural resources, agro biodiversity community-based participation, wherein
wealth, etc. The knowledge about the people from within the locality come
such wealth and resources generally together at designated venue for
remains undocumented. There is discussion and exchange information.
need to capture information about Even this model is novel, but
these resources and preserve them conceptually this approach in not new.
for posterity. One can the data Village ‘Choupals’ have traditionally been
needed for the purpose from process the instruments of communication.
documents produced by NGOs, What is new is the application of the
published sources of information, information technology for giving wider
and supplementing this data by field reach to the participating communities,
surveys of the area. Procedurally, it enabling them access to new markets
is better to first document over Internet. Secondly, the
information about local cultural contemporary ‘Choupal’ model has the
54 wealth and resources in the database involvement of facilitators such as the
‘Non-Governmental Organizations’ Rajasthan have put this conceptual BASICS OF INFORMATION
DISSEMINATION
playing their role as link between the framework into practice. (World Bank
village community on one hand and Report 2006). See Box 5.2 for some
government and private agencies in the case studies pertaining to practical
marketplace on the other. States like application of model 3.
Tamilnadu, Madhya Pradesh, and

Activity 5.5
Search the Internet to find out information five ICT based projects on poverty alleviation
in India.

Box 5.2 Case Studies Reflecting the Application of ‘Choupal’ Model

Case Study 1 - Information Village Research Project
Information Village Project is the initiative of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation,
a non-governmental organization founded by Prof. M S Swaminathan. (http://
www.iimahd.ernet.in/egov/ifip/feb2006/article3.htm) This project employs technology
as a tool for empowering the poor for reaching the unreached, who need access to
information that they can immediately use to their advantage Local volunteers collect
information from the markets, weather office, government departments, etc.
Transmission of this information goes to the nine villages over the local area networks.
In villages without steady power supply, the villagers use the substitute of solar energy
and charged batteries. The volunteers and representatives of the community meet at a
designated place regularly for sharing and exchanging information. The project is known
for innovative use of technologies for reaching the so far not-reached communicating to
them the information they can use to their advantage and helping them to realize their
innate potential. Local volunteers, mostly women, operate the knowledge centers, and
gather the locale specific information. It is an example of bottom up approach, demand
driven and need-based program for empowering the poor some of them still below the
poverty line.
Case Study 2 – Warna Wired Village Project
This project is the initiative of National Informatics Centre undertaken in collaboration
with the Government of Maharashtra, and Warna Vibhag Shikshan Mandal. This is an
example of top to bottom approach in information dissemination for educating farmers,
cultivators, and others on latest crop cultivation practices in respect of major crops,
pest and disease control, marketing information, dairy and sugarcane processing practices.
(http://www.apdip.net/projects/2003/in/cases) The NIC has set up village kiosks in
the Warna area, computerized and networked for access and sharing of information.
Since the people in the area are not literate, kiosk operators lend help to disseminate
information to the villager visiting the kiosks. Each kiosk has 8 to 10 computers linked
to VSAT for network connectivity through NIC. The project was initiated is 1998 and is
jointly organized by the Government of India through the National Informatics Centre
(NIC), the Government of Maharashtra and Warna Cooperative Society.
Case Study 3 – E-Choupals and Choupal Sagars
It is an excellent example of private sector participation in marketing services to the
farmers for marketing using information technologies. ITC has opened up business model
e-choupal telecenters covering 30,000 villages in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra and Rajasthan. (http://www.apdip.net/projects/2003/in/cases) It is also
planning to extend its e-choupal models to cover 100,000 villages across in the next two
years and is looking at investing Rs 50 million (or 5 crore) per 50 e-choupals. It was in 55
S M DHAWAN
June 2000 that ITC began its e-business operations with six e-choupals in Madhya Pradesh.
The company plans to set up ‘Choupal Sagar’, a multiple service centre for every cluster
of 50 e-choupals. This multiple service centre will accommodate warehouses, retail stores,
a fuel station, a training and health centre. ITC does not employ any marketing or
advertising to promote its e-business model. The company’s field teams directly go to
Indian villages to create awareness for its e-choupals. With the help of audio-visuals,
they show the benefits of the project of mutual interest to villagers. After selecting an
operator (sanchalak) in a particular village, ITC trains him or her to run the Internet
centre. However, the real work still lies in educating villagers to use Internet centers
effectively.
Case Study 4 – Gyandoot Project
Gyandoot project in Madhya Pradesh is an example of grassroots level participation of
local people at village level for socio-economic development. Under this project, twenty
information centres (soochanalayas) have been set up in five blocks of Dhar district.
(http://www.apdip.net/projects/2003/in/cases) These are located in the premises of
the office of village panchayat (panchayat ghars) for availing of their technical and physical
infrastructure such as power, furniture, equipments. The librarian in the centre (called
Suchak) provides technical and information support for running activities such as computer
literacy, desktop publishing. Interestingly, nearly half-a-million people in Dhar district
are using these services.

Activity 5.6
Search the following website for information on impact of e-information village.
http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/egov/ifip/feb2006/article3.htm

5.5 Database Creation

Libraries supporting adult education and created for different types of
learning programs would need to create publications and media. These include
a database for organizing and storing ISBD (M) for monographs, ISBD (S) for
the data/ information they capture for serials, ISBD (NBM) for non-book
the purpose of dissemination. Such a materials, ISBD (ER) for electronic
database could come handy for resource (IFLA Committee on
disseminating the same information Cataloguing. ISBD(G)). These ISBDs
repeatedly, if so required. prescribe the common way for
presenting data elements in the
5.5.1 The First Step
bibliographic record, a pre-defined
The first step in creating a database is order separated by prescribed
to create bibliographic records punctuations. The need for establishing
conforming to established bibliographic standards for bibliographic description
standards such as the i) standards for had arisen from the fact that without
bibliographic description, and ii) common standards libraries would not
standards for record format be able to exchange bibliographic

Standards for Bibliographic information. You will find a detailed
Description discussion on these standards in Unit 9.
There is International Standard for Bibliographic description is also about
56
Bibliographic Descriptions (ISBDs), syntax for describing the contents of
bibliographic elements. For example, it BASICS OF INFORMATION
You will find a detailed description about DISSEMINATION
helps to learn the skill of rendering the these standards in Unit 9 on Standards.
name of personal author or corporate
5.5.2 Record Structure
author in author field or of writing the
statement of responsibility. I may also The term record structure often implies
tell you about the filing elements in a record format. However, record format
cataloguing record. You can control such is generally the broader term and often
syntax related issues by using cataloguing refers to a combination of record
code: Anglo-American Cataloging Code- structure, content designation, and
2 (AACR-2) (American Library content of the record. The record
Association. 2002). structure specifies the structure of
bibliographic/ cataloguing record. It

Standards for Record Format consists of
The term record format first came into
A record label consisting of 24
being when user computers sought it characters,
for cataloguing and cataloguing
A directory consisting of a 3-digit
database. Essentially, record format is tag of each data field, along with
a standard for representing bibliographic its length and its starting character
data in machine-readable form for position relative to the first data
exchanging data between the libraries. field, and
Standards provide a common way of
Data fields of variable length, each
organizing machine-readable records so separated by a field separator.
that they users can easily exchange
ISO 2709 further specifies that the
records. A number of standard formats data in fields may optionally be
schemes have been created. These preceded by indicators and
include USMARC, CANMARC, UKMARC, subdivided into subfields.
MARC21, CCF, and UNIMARC. (Saur
5.5.3 Software for Creating
1994, Simmons and Hopkinson (Eds).
Database
1998, MARC 21 Manual http://
The libraries need to acquire software
www.loc.gov/marc/) Such standard
for creating records in machine-readable
record formats comprise prescribed
format. This could be either an
bibliographic data elements as well as
integrated library management software
prescribed codes to identify data
or single module software exclusively for
elements. The importance of standard
database creation only. The software
record format lies in the fact that
acquired and used by the library for
libraries can exchange such records
record creation must support the
without any loss of data and thus
standards for bibliographic exchange
libraries can benefit by sharing their
format, and standard record format.
cataloguing or bibliographic resources.

5.6 Conclusion
After completing this Unit, the learner can play in addressing the social,
would come to understand the economic and educational issues and
importance of information dissemination problems of interest to adult
and the role that such a proactive service community. They would also come to
57
S M DHAWAN
learn of issues and problems confronting potential. The learners would also learn
adult community and how could they use about different models available for
information dissemination services for planning and organizing information
raising awareness about opportunities dissemination services. To make impact,
in the marketplace for improving their they would have place greater emphasis
socio-economic status. The learners on offering proactive information
would also come to learn what type of services, and opening avenues for
information is useful in planning interactive sessions with the target
communication to the adult community community, such as E-Chouplas and
for addressing their day-to-day Choupal Sagars and deploying all such
problems, improving their employment innovative means that interest and
potential, or developing their innate benefit the target adult community.

5.7 Apply What You Have Learnt

If you have completed all the activities, of how you plan to augment your efforts
given in the various sections of Unit 5, to disseminate information received at
you would have learnt to apply the your end among those connected with
information provided. Further to this your adult learning set-up.
input, you may write a short account

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