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rary system of the country we feel that even today, we have not been able to develop a sound system owing to reasons that are not far to seek.
5 Problems faced by University Libraries

Even after the recommendations of different committees and commissions, libraries are not given priority in performing its functions. All university libraries have various constraints viz.Decreasing Library budget.

Tremendous growth of print and non print literature in various forms.

Rise in the cost of all types of reading materials.Abnormal Increase in number of users (e.g. students and faculty, researchers and research associates of university).Physical constraints-space problems.Greater and more specialized demand-increase in specialization of subject area studies, etc.

Need for professionally qualified personnel

Need for resource sharing

These problems were compounded with the growing importance of multimedia, revolutionary changes in users demand, information explosion and the impact of electronic age, facts developments in the areas of computer, communication and Information Technology etc. These factors were not adequately foreseen by the Ranganathan Committee (1957), are hence were not discussed thoroughly by them. This made the university library’s efforts to provide relevant services in the presort context to their patron difficult. By the end of 1990s the university libraries had no proper plans drawn to face new issues and new challenges that had arisen.

Efforts by UGC

The UGC, taking into consideration the twin phenomena of information explosion and price rise, decided to face the challenges, by deciding to modernization university and college libraries in the country, and thus lead them in the new era. Dr. Yash Pal, the then Chairman of UGC, aptly remarked, “The most important feature of modern times – influencing Development, emergenceof new goods and services, patterns of international competition, equations between countries and the changing world order – is that the rate of growth of information and knowledge is faster than ever before and still accelerating. While there are lot of local problems which can be solved using or slightly modifying existing information and knowledge, there are enoumous numbers of new developments, both in applications and pure thought, which come only to those who can build on, add to and extend what has already been done. Therefore, a necessary condition for a modern productive economy, or distinction in the world of ideas, is that the educated and the creative members of that society should have quick access to whatever is happening in their own country and the world over. Quite often this in not easy because lot of information is either classified or is in the realm of patents and industrial secrets. Nevertheless, those who are well educated and current with the overall thrust in a field can learn to fill the gaps and develop a way of thinking where even the hidden can become available.

It has always been assumed that the academics in an institution of higher learning will have access though journals and books to the whole fund of knowledge generated in the world and will be current to within a few months of actual publication. This assumption is compeletly invalid in the circumstances that prevail in our country. A large number of universities have