CONSUMER WELFARE AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION SYSTEM: THE EVOLVING ROLE OF LIBRARY PROFESSIONAL

All consumers are subject to the influence of several environmental factors and these have an important bearing on their behaviour. The economic, social and cultural factors are important to maintain attitude and behaviour of consumer. In a dynamic and complex socio-economic environment, the consumer of today is exposed to a large variety of new products and services. Consumers today are also conscious of their right and wants to be assured of right quality of goods being available at the right price. Whereas globalization has placed the consumer in the wider international market. Consumers are one the most important resources of the country and any country is committed to guarantee their welfare and protect their rights. Right to be informed, is another the responsibility of society. From this aspect Public library system could provide the requisites institutional mechanism for the community information support system. Public libraries had long been a 'Free Space' or a neutral place in the community, which welcomed people from different walks of life. Therefore, libraries (Public) became a wider platform as a community information center through which different consumer welfare issues are distributed and circulated to the whole section of the society irrespective of rural and urban and remote places. This paper highlights the organizational issues to be considered for consumer welfare and protection by providing a structured community information service.