M.J.S. Govt. Post Graduate College, Bhind, M.P

  National Research Seminar in Library & Information Science            (UGC Sponsored) on “Increasing utility of Library for Collegiate Teachers”

                                                 June 26 & 27’2011

                                         REPORT

 Reporter Sh.  Sudesh Kumar Sood, Sr. College Librarian (SG),

Govt. P.G. College, Una ,Himachal Pradesh.

The two days National Research Seminar in Library & Information Science sponsored by the UGC was organized by the Department of Library & Information Science, M.J.S. Post Graduate College, Bhind, M.P. in the College Campus. The Seminar was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Member of Parliament of Bhind Lok Sabha Consituency Sh.Askok Argal and Smt. Krishna Kanta TomarPresident,Mahila Mandal by lighting of the lamp and garlanding of Godess Mata Saraswatiji and chanting of Saraswati vandana. The inaugural session of the event was chaired by the College Janbhagyadari President Shri Sushil Gupta. Coordinator of the Seminar Prof. S. Kumar (Former Head of the School of Library & Information Sciences,Vikram University,Ujjain, M.P. and Patron Dr.(Mrs.) Saroj Modi, Principal of M.J.S. Govt. P.G. College,Bhind, M.P.

The inaugural session was started with a key note address by renowned Scientist & Professor of Library & Information Science Dr. S. Kumar. In his address firstly he thanked the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education and the Principal Secretary of Higher Education to the Government of Madhya Pradesh for the Justice done to the College Librarians of the State for implementation of the revised UGC pay scales at par with the teachers. He in return drew the attention of the College Librarians to do justice with the performance of their duties to prove their worth with the added responsibilities which they are to shoulder with the advent of information age and introduction of new technology to satisfy the information needs and demands of their clientele of the library. He emphasized the role of digital libraries, e books consortiums, free online books and journals, social networking, chats, emails, etc.; which have opened wider interactions and partnerships between the librarian-faculty-students collaborations. He advised librarians to work hard at their jobs and satisfy the needs of their readers to the best of capabilities.

        Sh. Raghvender Tripati College Librarian and organizing secretary of the seminar highlighted the objectives behind organizing the National research seminar and welcomed the dignitaries and delegates ,who had come from the various parts of the country to participate in the seminar. Hon’ble M.P. Shri Ashok Argal congradulated the Organizing Secretary Sh. Tripathi and Principal Dr. Saroj Modi for organizing  national seminars at a place like Bhind which had meager infrastructure for hosting such an event. He emphasized the role of libraries in education and said that libraries with the advent of new technology have become the best learning resource centers. He announced to contribute Rs. 10 Lakhs for the development of the college library out of the M.P. development fund. Smt. Krishna Kanta Tomar in her address emphasized the importance of books as the best friend of humanity. The President of the seminar Dr. Sushil Gupta said that this National seminar is just a start of such an event at Bhind,we in future shall try to host a bigger event like an International seminar at Bhind. College Principal and Patron of the seminar Dr. Saroj Modi gave a warm welcome address to all the dignitaries and delegates.

        There were 64 participants who came from the various parts of the country to participate the seminar. In all more than 45 research papers were received from the LIS professionals, out of which 35 were selected by the editorial and selection committee for presentation. The analysis of selected papers was from M.P.-20,U.P.-4, Himachal-2,Rajasthan-2 and one each from Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Mizoram and last but not the least one paper from abroad Sultanas of Oman. The deliberations were divided into three technical sessions with a special presentation by a Resource Person and then presentations by the delegates.

First session was with the presentation by Dr. Nabhi Hassan, Deputy Librarian, IIT, New Delhi on the topic “Traditional vrs Automated libraries: an impact on resources, services and libraries”. In his superb presentation he detailed the course of transformation of traditional libraries into automated libraries. He beautifully illustrated his experiences and showed how ICT has transformed the libraries into a new modern library and information system. Sh. Harish Kumar Tripati, Librarian ICAR, New Delhi presented his paper titled” ICT applications in libraries during collaborative era: a practical approach. In his paper he tried to focus on how ICT application should be made effective in libraries. Dr Niranjan Singh, Librarian, Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, Agra in his presentation “Role of Librarian in improving information search activities among users in digital era”. He discussed the information environment in changing age and the skills of library professionals. He also explained the recent trends in LIS field and suggested LIS professionals and users to update themselves with the current trends. Dr. (Mrs.)Vinay Kashyap, of Poornima Group of Institutions, Jaipur in her presentation “Library services in digital environment” said that new technology have affected the functioning of libraries in various ways. Now information to user can be provided to and from anywhere in the world. She said that the vision of library has altogether changed in the digital environment. Mrs. Vineeta Jain, Librarian, Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Gwalior in her presentation “Digital information services and their challenges” mentioned different services provided with the help of digital library. She explained the challenges in the terms of metadata, digital collection development, copyright, preservation, cost effectiveness, technology obsolescence, etc. She highlighted the ways, how the information professionals can equip themselves to meet the new challenges. Mrs Rooli Mishra, of Techno Institute of Management science, Lucknow in her titled “Quintessence of knowledge management for libraries and librarians in modern era” paper suggested that the librarian/libraries in the digital/knowledge age should be in charge of the knowledge management in their respective organizations in order to leverage the intellectual assets and facilitate knowledge creation. Sh. Ragvender Tripathi in his presentation “Role of library professional and library in new era” said that with the proliferation of networked digital information, the role of librarian has shifted from custodians of physical collection to one who has changed into a cyberarian, with knowledge of information technology. The session of the first day ended with the discussion on the day’s deliberations and lively interaction between the participants’ questions and the presenter’s answers to their queries. The reporter reviewed the day’s presentations and the chairman gave his expert suggestions and comments.

The Second days’ Technical Session started with a presentation by Dr. R.G. Garg, Head School of Studies in Library and Information Science, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, M.P. titled “digital information, storage and retrieval in hindi language: problems and prospects”. He said that there are 22 official languages in India. Hindi is the mother tongue of about 42% of the total population. We are imparting research facilities in hindi and regional languages. We can do deep thinking in our mother language, therefore we need to know how to store, organize, and retrieve information in hindi, we need to bring technical developments in hindi language.

Sh. Sudesh Kumar Sood, Sr. College Librarian from Himachal Pradesh in his presentation titled “Faculty–librarian partnership in information age” illustrated that faculty–librarian collaboration can yield many creative projects, that enhance instructions. Though this collaboration is relatively new educational trend but, with practice and demonstration of success, it will become traditional. Library now has morphed into a more comprehensive institution, the “teaching library” they have become more active and involved in instructions.

Smt. Bindiya Gupta in her presentation highlighted the Human resource development in Government college libraries of M.P., with special reference to Rewa District. She impressed upon the requirement of money, manpower and materials as the important ingredients for management and effectiveness of libraries. Ms. Pooja Thakur from Himachal discussed the changing role of librarians in the age of information technology. She pointed that the use of technology facilitates the library’s ability to serve the information needs of the library users more effectively. Dr. Pawan Sharma, Librarian, ITM University, Gwalior discussed the history, definition of open software, their need & uses in libraries and their criteria for selection. Ms. Pooja Shukla, Asstt. Professor, Deptt. Of LIS, CSJM, University, Kanpur spoke on recent trends and issues of resources in libraries. Her study demonstrated all the existing issues related with e-resources collection, availability and the emerging technologies. There was a number of queries and questions put forth by the participants which answered in a lucid manner by the presenters.

 It is true that faculty and librarian are the two important pillars of an educational institution; one is antecedent to the other. Teachers are involved in direct teaching, while librarians are imparting instructions. Both the academicians share the responsibility of the institution of higher learning. Education and library have been inseparables since centuries and civilizations. Evidences are plenty where library has been one integral part of all education, more so in the institutions of higher learning. Librarians and faculty have complementary roles in facilitating the development of information literacy skills. Librarians have extensive training in information sources and how information is organized, as well as experience in accessing and evaluating information sources. They can guide students in the process of searching, retrieving and evaluating sources of information. Classroom instructors, with their subject discipline expertise, provide an informed context for guiding students in interpreting and understanding information in their profession. Contact with students throughout the course, gives faculty the opportunity to guide students in the evaluation and synthesis of discipline specific information.  Thus the seminar has been a great success. Libraries of today have assumed a new role in modern society, by that they integrate educational technology, information and communication technology and the new media. The libraries since their existence have also adapted to changes that have influenced them from outside as well as within. The moveable type brought the first landmark change in the content of libraries. Since that time the libraries started acquiring new media and also a new role to support academic programmers’ of all educational Institutions. Libraries with changing media enhanced the needs and wants of the learners and the facilitators of learning – the teacher and the librarian.