SOUL to help students scan AU libraries

Taking another step towards achieving complete office automation, the central library of the Allahabad University (AU) would soon be providing state-of-the-art facility to help users know instantly whether a given book is available at the central or any of the departmental libraries of AU

Taking another step towards achieving complete office automation, the central library of the Allahabad University (AU) would soon be providing state-of-the-art facility to help users know instantly whether a given book is available at the central or any of the departmental libraries of AU.

Reading room of Allahabad University’s central library. (HT File Photo)

Using software called SOUL (software for university library), authorities of the central library are now cataloguing over 7.5 lakh books on the portal ‘WEBOPEC’ to make this possible. Details of around 2.8 lakh books have already been registered on the portal, AU officials said.

“We replaced Libsys, the previous version of software with SOUL that was purchased last year for ₹1 lakh. The earlier version was costing AU around ₹22 lakh. Now, SOUL will help users know whether the book of his or her choice is available at AU or not,” said librarian of AU’s central library, BK Singh.

Singh said cataloguing of all the books purchased after 2011 have been done on the computer. “Prior to 2011, the entry was done manually at the central library and the book was either kept at the central library or at the departmental library,” he added.

“We are feeding details of each book in WEBOPAC and once the process is complete, we will be providing a link in the AU’s website (under facility section of central library), using which the user will get to know whether the book is available with us or at departmental library,” he added. “Any book can be searched by entering its title or author’s name,” he added.