An industrial library is basically a set of resources, books or materials which are easily available for immediate use and not only for display purposes. It is primarily responsible for housing constantly updated info in order for the user to satisfy his or her demands on a day-to-day basis. This is the place where technical and manual information related to a specific field or industry is making available. What makes a good industrial library?
Characteristics of Industrial Libraries
The type of resources found in such a library should be specifically designed with its users in mind. For example, some industrial libraries contain huge books on industrial processes while others include journals and manuals on various topics such as electronics, mechanics and so on. Such a large library will prove useful to a business analyst researching a new type of machine or equipment to be used by his department. It will help the manager to clearly understand the operational concepts involved in the design and implementation of the new system. For example, if an engineer is working on an industrial engine project, it will be very useful for him to refer to the technical reference book on the same. If the mechanic needs to look up for specific information about nuts and bolts, then his industrial library will provide access to all kinds of nuts and bolts in the market.
A good industrial library should also have specialized sections for user education. These sections will serve as an avenue for imparting training and enhancing knowledge to the readers. Specialized industrial libraries can also focus on particular products or specialties. For example, the engineering library may house technical texts dealing with aircraft, turbines and defense systems. The chemical library may contain special reference books on industrial chemistry, industrial technology and various other chemical components. These special libraries can be used to extend the reach of the local industrial unit and thereby contribute to the development of the company's productivity.
Industrial libraries are often smaller than public libraries and hence lack the wide range of resources that the public libraries provide. However, industrial libraries are gaining a strong foothold in the private sector with the increased demand for technical and reference materials in the recent past. Most big companies now have their own industrial libraries where valuable reference materials and up-to-date information on the latest technological advances are available. Small businesses, especially those which operate from a remote location, are also setting up their own industrial libraries to cater to the needs of their employees.
The Advantages of Industrial Libraries
The advantages of industrial libraries over public libraries are many. Large industrial libraries are more secured and can maintain better security since their contents are usually classified and controlled by security professionals. Industrial libraries also offer more convenient customer service since the librarians possess expert knowledge in the field and are well versed with all the modern tools and techniques that help in searching and retrieval of data and information. They can also handle more projects in a day and handle them with ease.
Central offices that house multiple departments or agencies may decide to outsource certain departments to ensure efficiency in operations. This is where industrial libraries play a vital role. They can serve as central offices that maintain records and data on all the departments of a company. In effect, central offices and other large organizations are saving a lot of money and manpower time by assigning some of their duties to these special libraries rather than the departments themselves.
Facilities From the Library
Large companies that have many departments usually outsource part of their work to several outsourcing firms who can provide them with knowledge management services for a cost. These firms can provide the knowledge management services like knowledge management research, project management, knowledge management analysis and consultation. These firms can also train their employees and assign them specific departments for specialized training depending on the specific requirements of each company.
Knowledge management research can be handled at industrial libraries since most of these libraries also hold collections of reference materials related to this field. Some industrial libraries even conduct seminars and workshops to teach people about this aspect of information services. The seminars allow the users of these services to gain fresh ideas and information regarding this field. By educating the users, industrial libraries can increase their own business and productivity by providing better and more efficient information services to their clients.
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