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Changing face of Library Profession.

These days mostly everywhere we see the discussions on status and eternality, the deathlessness of LIS profession and sustainability among LIS professionals. Are we really paranoid about the future of libraries and library schools? Are we creating panic among emerging library professionals? However, I complete disagree on the views expressing by some of our colleagues. Library is a Library.  One cannot replace it. Libraries across the world (academic, public or special), are still making a huge difference and shall remain so forever. The demand for library and its extended services is growing continuously. Only formats and access methods have changed significantly but not the usage. Librarians must make the libraries, attractive places for the users to come in and spend time for contemplation and deep learning. Every student, researcher, and faculty must also love to use the libraries more than earlier.

For instance, in our institute (IIT Ropar) we keep doing certain studies such as online surveys, group discussion, interview, observation etc. The result of the studies showing the increasing demand for more library facilities and services. We keep our library open 24x7 on all 365 days, which perhaps was not very common prior to the cyber age.  Our students love to read in the library for longer hours and keep expecting more and more assistance.

Here I am trying to express my views on today’s library profession.

For instance, today there are plenty of job opportunities both at the national and state levels.  If I am right, there are 10-12 Librarian/Deputy Librarian positions in different institutions of national importance. In Universities, this number is more. There are many vacancies at the entry level in both government and public sector. Then the question is why they have not been filled? The reasons are many. One main reason is changing attitude of Directors/Vice-Chancellors/Head of the institutions towards the integrity, leadership qualities and knowledge of our own people. 

Therefore, let our Universities inject ethics at PG and research level. Let the teachers come out of all the differences. Let them sit together, solve differences and curtail egos and let them produce quality students to take up the future challenges.

Let us not politicize our own profession. Let the departments at the universities and at work places, treat all the students/colleagues in a fair and respectful manner. 

Let us maintain some distance from the commercial publishers and agents. In my view, they are the main threat for tarnishing the reputation of the professionals.​ Let us maintain healthy/professional relationships with the publishers and agents.

Let us invite and honor deserved people for our programmes. We need to make a big difference by conducting programmes with the intention of giving importance to the knowledge of speakers, content quality, confining to the content delivery rather than luxurious opening and closing ceremonies. Let us not try to please/satisfy people for personal benefits. Let us focus on end purpose of the programme. Let us take feedback, review the programmes positively and ensure the impact that has made. 

Let us ensure return on investment at all Library purchases/projects. Let us critically evaluate the products/items for the usefulness before buying. Let us not misuse the General Financial Rules which has given autonomy for library purchases. Let us adopt transparent purchase procedures and try to get competitive prices.

Let us not use our own colleagues/subordinates for our personal works. (Students in case of teachers, who also have fallen prey to expecting gifts for awarding PhDs and getting them out sourced). All of these amounts to character building and respect will automatically be earned.

Let others should speak about the progress of our work & profession instead of bowing our trumpet.

Let us love the profession first; be sincere and committed to our work. Let us have more focus on development of Library instead of not taking other administrative responsibilities at the entry level. 

Let others asses our work and identifying our capabilities and offer suitable positions.

Let us shoe gratification in giving ones due and acknowledging which is a way of respecting other.

Let us grow and let others to grow.

 

The BIG Secret is ….

There is no free lunch in life, we must update our knowledge and be proud and good librarian. YES, true the way to success is hard work and there is no short cut for that!!!

Thanks and Regards,
Dinesh

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Replies to This Forum

Permalink Reply by Dr.M.VEERACHAMY on June 10, 2015 at 23:40

YES

Permalink Reply by D.T.Edwin on June 11, 2015 at 16:38

Dear Dr Dinesh,

Wonderful! This is a marvelous mission you have done here. This posting will certainly create enormous changes in the way our profession is handled by own our professionals and others.

Hats off!

Regards

Edwin

Permalink Reply by Dr. Dinesh K. S. on June 14, 2015 at 18:58

Thanks Edwin for your responses. It is difficult to come out from the corrupt system and do something good. I am sure some of the people like you be the part of change and we ensure changes in near future.

Permalink Reply by Mohd Ismail on June 11, 2015 at 23:58

Dr. Dinesh,

wishing you all the best for the thing you are saying. self confidence is the first and foremost. But there are manipulations are going on which are specially hurdling old horses in  this field who are having more than 20 years of experience.one common with this profession is that the current policies are not placing right person at the right place.

with regards

ismail alvi

Permalink Reply by Dr. Dinesh K. S. on June 14, 2015 at 19:01

Thanks Mohd for your responses. Ya if we commit ourselves to do changes, certainly we will. Please be part of change and we will practice ethical librarianship.

Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on June 12, 2015 at 18:25

Dear Dr. Dinesh K.S.
Thanks for your post and for addressing a some what "different" issue amidst the popular ones like NET Questions, Answer Keys etc. which tend to provide somewhat easier & instant solutions to tide over the set hurdles. As I see, this seems to be the Changing face of Librarianship in India in practical sense!! I must apologise, If I have hurt the consensus of my fellow professionals or I am wrong in speculating (I would be really happy and relieved if it so happens!)

As I am associated with this profession for last few decades, I had opportunity to witness the transformation both in terms of forms & services as well as mindset.
You have appealed for keeping away from evils like politics and personal differences affecting the profession, but I am afraid, the roots have gone so deep, that it is extremely difficult to come out of such evils overnight. The tempt of "retaliation" seems to engulf the entire profession. Besides, with the present system of service, it is rather difficult to single out the competent professional from a host of incompetents. As earlier, human ability used to prevail in rendering services, it was rather easier to ascertain the competence of individuals and within a short span of time (say 2 to 3 years) the academicians or researchers became well aware of the fact because the interaction between the personnel & clienteles were more close and intense. While as of now, we as professionals, hardly know about our users. They come to the wi-fi enabled Library with laptops, browse the OPAC ( or even know about the resources beforehand through WEBOPAC) connects to the sites, downloads requisite materials, writes note on their Laptops closes the sites, deletes the history and departs. Very seldom they discuss with the Library staff about their research issues or access to requisite materials. Library people, too, on the other hand, are quite seldom sufficiently knowledgeable about the resources. They just keep their concerns limited to accessibility of the e-resources, whether the sites are opening properly & in time, whether downloading speed is comfortable and that's all!!Admittedly, with so many serials in clustered full-text e-databases, it is virtually impossible to check the content pages of the journals which had been sort of mandatory for the professionals some 25-30 years ago when subscribed hard copy titles were far more limited in number. The researchers used to depend upon the Library staff and more importantly used to have faith upon them that they will go through the content pages of the journals and will inform them in case they come across some relevant articles. Naturally, they used to share their phase of research. This culture seems to be virtually nonexistent today.

Among professionals,we no longer bother for the depth of knowledge of speakers, rather his/her image and influence matter much. It is a vicious give & take policy that prevail in all profession and ours are naturally no exception.

Amidst such suffocating condition, your post seemed to be an entirely different approach. and it filled my heart with joy with the feeling that not everything is lost in our profession there are some people somewhere who still try to sweem against the tise.

Thanks once again..

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

Permalink Reply by Dr. Dinesh K. S. on June 14, 2015 at 19:07

Thanks Siddhartha for your responses. You have rightly pointed out the issues which are threat to our profession. In every system we will find both good and bad. At-least some of us get together and be the part of change. I am sure if we are authentic in every of our action we can really bring out the changes. 

Permalink Reply by Dr. Dimple on June 14, 2015 at 20:09
Sir we can also offer one separate space for peer teacher meeting area, that is learning our side the class room.
More learning happens out side classroom where students meeting with their peers, have group discussion, take help of teachers where they required, so it is good initiative to give a space in library to these users. Where they can interact with their peers and teachers and solve their quarries. If whiteboard and projector is available in the library it will be added advantage to them.
Sir, i am very small instead of all you but these are my view for making library innovative. please give your comment

Thank you

Dimple

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