Automation of Records and Tapes Collections of the Library Attached to Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

Abstract

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is the first Asiatic broadcasting entity established under British administration and the recording commenced in 1936. There are more than 25000 records and tapes in the library. There are five records and tapes libraries in the SLBC. Different physical forms like records, tapes, CDs, Dat and MD are available and they contain programs conducted, songs, music, advertisements, news, and notices and so on. The purpose of this paper is to examine the process of automation of records and tapes collections available in the library attached to SLBC and other objective is to explore the issues facing when digitization the collections. Automation means the activity or process done to achieve good results with the help of equipment, machines, tools and techniques specially computers and computer applications When automating the library attached to SLBC, the process should be started from automating the collections like records, tapes with their content and data with a mechanism of combining the metadata with the sounds of these. Later these sounds should be incorporated to the digital technology. Automation of the SLBC library began in 2009. Most important and valuable sounds belong to old songs, rare songs, songs and other programs that are prone to decay and ruination are being digitized at present. It is in the scrutinization process and study that digitization has to be fully operated with the help of a compatible library management software. How to make an access system for the users purpose for this digitized collections with the Metadata belong to records and tapes and how a classification system used whether the AACR 2 or RDA system is used in the anticipated database are some of the complications the library facing at this stage. Developing and keeping up proper authority file management, selection of the different fields needed for the above database and providing user accesses for information retrieval are issues to be addressed very scientifically for enabling and providing quality service. Whole digitization proses is a team work which us to be done very carefully. Everybody involving this activity is delivering very concomitant job. Due to this dynamic transformation cost effect, audience friendly, easy maintenance, less labor driven effective and efficient environment seen in the SLBC library premises. With these developments, SLBC library has achieved a success in digitizing very important treasures for preserving, conserving, effective organization and delivery of sound to the audience.