Current Awareness Service is part of Active Documentation. The need for modern information is very important to researchers in the current age of information explosion. That is, what kind of work is being done on the subject, and with the help of this information, the researcher can start new work, change, and even avoid repetition of work. It plays a leading role in determining the content of all these works.
Current awareness service is recognized as the most important and effective method in modern information organization and environmental processes. It is not easy for a researcher to be informed about all the information related to his research, but he needs to know it for the needs of the research. The system through which the service is provided to the user is called the Current Awareness Service, or CAS.
According to B.C. Vickery, “CAS can be met more frequently and adequately by circulating current journals, newly received books and reports, and abstract bulletins that users can scan through.”
So it can be said that the current awareness service in informatics is a modern technique by which the reader or user can know all about the new information collected in the library and information center.
Objectives of Current Awareness Service:
- Staying Up-to-Date: The goal of CAS is to inform people or organizations about the most recent advancements, fashions, and stories pertaining to their particular fields of interest or competence.
- Timeliness: By guaranteeing that subscribers receive information on time, CAS helps them stay on top of developments and take prompt, well-informed decisions.
- Relevance: By removing unnecessary or superfluous content, CAS provides information that is suited to the individual requirements and preferences of its subscribers.
- Efficiency: By offering curated updates, summaries, or highlights, CAS assists subscribers in managing information overload and saves time and effort when gathering and processing information.
- Recognizing the Competition: Businesses can use CAS to monitor their competitors’ activities, industry trends, and market dynamics, gaining insights for strategic planning and decision-making.
- Research Support: To promote continuous learning and professional development, CAS helps researchers, academics, and professionals stay up-to-date on the most recent publications, studies, and advancements in their fields.
- Risk management: By helping to detect possible threats, risks, or opportunities early on, CAS can support the implementation of preventative measures aimed at reducing risks or seizing opportunities.
- Support for Decision-Making: CAS helps subscribers make well-informed decisions in business, academia, policymaking, and personal affairs by delivering pertinent and timely information.
All things considered, the main objective of a current awareness service is to arm people and institutions with the information they require to stay informed, make wiser decisions, and successfully adjust to environmental changes.
Methods of providing current awareness services in libraries:
- Content Circulation: The Content Circulation method is a simple way to compile a table of contents. Copying a list of all journals on a specific subject saves time and labor. However, photocopying content from different periodicals can result in different types of characters, creating a disorganized look. Create a new schedule with minor changes instead for a more presentable look. This method also allows for removing unnecessary parts while adding new content.
- Book jacket display: When a new book or periodical arrives in a library or information center, the service provided by opening its jackets and displaying them in one place is called the display of jackets. By doing so, a user will get all the latest information about him in one place.
- Book exhibition or fair: Libraries can organize book exhibitions or fairs to display their collection and provide readers with up-to-date information. The exhibition can be subjective or source-oriented, and it is an important aspect of customer service.
- Indexing: Indexing is all kinds of knowledge and book through bulletin. This bulletin can be of different types when service is provided through a bulletin callethe currentnt awareness bulletin or CAB.
- Broad subject-based: In this method, articles published in various journals are combined and arranged under broad subject headings. Chemical application is an example.
- Project-based: Entries are organized by the project of the respective organization rather than categorized or broadly thematic. As a result, researchers involved in the project can be aware of the latest information on their respective subjects.
- Email Alerts: Libraries can set up email subscription services that allow patrons to get regular updates on news about the library, upcoming events, and new acquisitions.
- Simple Syndication (RSS) Feeds: Libraries may provide RSS feeds so that patrons can sign up to receive updates on events, new resources, and blog posts.
- Social media: Libraries use social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to inform their followers about events, announcements, news, and other updates.
- Websites for libraries: To make sure users can quickly access up-to-date information online, libraries keep websites with sections specifically for news, announcements, and events.
- Online Newsletters: Users can sign up to receive regular newsletters from libraries via email. These newsletters may include information on upcoming events, new acquisitions, research advice, and other pertinent topics.
- Mobile Apps: A few libraries have apps for smartphones that include push alerts, tailored recommendations, and information about events and services at the library.
- Alert Services: Libraries may provide users with the ability to create customized alerts based on their preferences or particular search parameters. These alerts will notify users when new materials that fit their criteria are added to the library’s collection or when pertinent news articles are published.
Libraries use these techniques in an effort to provide their patrons with the most recent information on services, resources, and developments.
