Database Management and R & D

Major Objectives and Responsibility:

The major objectives of the group is to develop and maintain union catalogue of different type of documents available in university libraries. The Union databases are made available in open access through IndCat, a unified interface for online catalogues of books, theses and journals available in major university libraries in India. The union database is a collaborative effort between INFLIBNET and participating university libraries with an aim to promote inter-library cooperation amongst institutions of higher learning. Initiative to develop and maintain union databases of resources available in university libraries was taken since inception of the INFLIBNET.

Major Activities

The Database Management Group has developed suitable software and search interfaces for managing and updating a large number of bibliographic records available in Union Catalogues. The IndCat contains bibliographic description, location and holdings information for books, journals and theses in all subject areas available in more than 155 university libraries across the country. The number of records available in the IndCat is as follows:

• Books: 1,27,25,832 records from 155 university libraries with 73.14 lakhs unique records
• Theses: 2,52,600+ records of theses from 287 Indian universities / institutions
• Serials: 50,164 holding information from participating university libraries including 16,842 unique records
• Current Serials: 35,209 journal titles including journals from the UGC-Infonet Digital Library Consortium
• CEC's Video Database: 15,000 records of educational video programmes produced by the CEC and its 17 EMMRCs.