[LIS-Forum] LIS Profession: Image Building and Status Upliftment

[Ishwar Goudar]

Dear Professionals,

I invite others to add additional points or comment on this posting.

Our LIS Profession, like others has its own advantages and pitfalls. I
feel proud of being a librarian and am satisfied, although my entry
into this profession is accidental.   Making our profession a noble
one depends mainly on our positive attitude/sincerity and to a less
extent on our ICT skills. Yes, there are other factors influencing our
working environment such as equivalence with our counter parts like
teachers, scientists and engineers we serve,  in terms of salary, age
of superannuation, etc.  Some of the  issues, we discuss in the forum,
although genuine, are beyond our control. While  our efforts should
continue to make our presence felt in the society, providing effectice
and sincere service is the only way to build good image and lift our
status.  While thorough knowledge of ICT is adavantageous for
providing effectice service, it should not  become a stubmbling block
for our progress.  We need not be programmers.  Application level
knowledge of ICT will suffice. Where there is a will, there is  always
a way.  If we put little effort it should not be a problem for any one
of us to adopt to the digital environment.  I would like to share with
you some of my ideas and suggestions about our LIS Profession based on
my observations and experience for the last 37 years in my workimg
environment, discussions with professionals/patrons and reading of
postings in Lis-forum.  Few points may be the ones raised already in
Lis-forum.  Some of my views can't be generalised.

1.  There is need for better understanding and coordination between
the LIS teachers and           practicing professionals. We should be
complementary to each others' activities rather that being competetors
for positions or power.

2.  While many LIS Schools in the country have changed their syllabus
to suit the digital         environment, there is dearth of teachers
knowledgeable to handle changed syllabus.  We need not wait for
recruitment of new teachers with IT background, We should improve our
skills. Same thing holds good for working librarians.  If we hesitate
we will never cope up with the new environment.  Simply jump at it
with all sincereity and attempt to learn skills, we will succeed.

3.  Teaching based on professional/practical experience is more
effective and vice versa is also   true.

4.  We need more courses like that of NCSI/DRTC/NISCAIR. Unfortunately
the latter ones got into problem.  We should go beyond PGDLANS,
atleast start part time courses of this kind.

5.  We should have a better understanding of developments and service
conditions, etc in the     country.  For example  although UGC has
clearly recommended the superannuation age as 62   for those
professionals  drawing UGC scales, number of universities have not
adopted this. Is it not our duty to help each others by sharing the
information they have along with concerned office orders for having
implemented the UGC Recommendations.

6.  Let us try to improve the quality of our LIS research activity and
avoid duplication in   research topics.  For example we come across
same  Ph.D topics by many scholars like   "Awareness and usage of
e-resources/e-journals.........among Research scholars/Faculty  .....
     in Universities/Engineering colleges...... in
Karnataka/Maharashtra    .... Bangalore/Delhi....", same set of
objectives and hypotheses with just change in the context.  How many
of us             carry out  serious literature search before choosing
research topic and also write a good               literature   review
in the Synopsis/Thesis. Many of us mention same standard sources LISA
and LISTA and not even many commercial/OA full text databases for
which we have access.  Same is the case with many other desciplines.
This reminds me of a statement by J.Frank Dobie "An average thesis is
transference of bones from one graveyard to another".  Let us try for
not be example for this statement.

7.  One of the recent Lis-form posting on " Selection of internal
candidates..." resulted in lot of discussion. I have the experience of
sitting in a number of top R & D institutions, universities, colleges
both in private and public sector.  This is not the case always, the
other way is also true, inspite of there being an efficient internal
candidate, some time they select out side candidate due to various
reasons.  A number of posts of University Librarians have not been
filled.  Few library staff in national laboratories are being
transferred to other divisions without assigning any reasons and still
they want us to keep the libarary open 8-8, or even more.  We should
discuss these issues and try to find reasons and solutions.

8. Some national laboratories have brought down their library budgets
to 10-20 %.  Does it mean that we will get everything through Google.
It can give access to only abstarct level information of commercial
publishers. Unless the open access is totally implemented, we can't
afford to reduce our budgets. Thanks to Consortia initiatives. Slowly
we have started hearing some moves to cut their size too in terms of
budgets and resources.  We don't know in what directions our academic
and research activities are moving.

9. Just now National Mission on Libraries has been launched by
President of India. This is an opportunity for us show the
professional strength, rather than that of individuals, irrespective
of whether we are professionals from different sectors viz academic,
public or special  librariy categories.

10. Professional Associations should be more serious about their
objectives and business. We need not encourage formation new
associations with personal agenda and forget its progress soon after
one or two programs, rather strengthen the existing ones. We have seen
some associations dying  with same speed as they took birth.

11.  To the extent possible let us try to adopt standard OS software
in all our applications.  If we can install and configure the S/W it
is good, else let us take help of others or go for some service
providers, as it works cheaper compared to commercial ones. Those with
expertise, should also try to develop patches to suit typical Indian
library applications.


12. We senior professionals should encourage youngsters, and not be
jealous about their ICT knowledge. we should make use of their
expertise to provide state of the art services, rather developing a
psychology that they would impress the authorities and sideline us.
We too will get the credit of providing quality services being
managers. Infact even today I learn a lot from trainees. Moreover
there is no rule that managers should know everything.

13. To the extent possible let us try to adopt standard OS software in
all our applications.  If we can install and configure the S/W it is
good, else let us take help of others or go for some service
providers, as it works cheaper compared to commercial ones. Those with
expertise, should also try to develop patches to suit typical Indian
library applications.

14. Minimum expectations from a LIS professional are - a good
collection to suit their patrons requirements, an automated library
including house keeping activities, a good library website as a part
of institutional site with necessary details of services and resources
and links to free and OA resources in the area of interest of his
institution. This will help his institution to get better rating in
NAAC or similar assessments and there by his recognition in the
institute.

15. Above all, a good service provider/reference librarian with human
touch is loved by one and all.
He can be much more effective with basic knowledge of  e-resources and
search techniques.

16. Finally, let us congratulate and thank Lis-forum,  which has given
a wonderful platform for us to discuss the matters of professional
interest. I remember my friend and classmate  Late Dr. T.B.
Rajashekar, one of the gems our profession has seen for starting this
service and
Dr. Francis Jayakanth for continueing service and  maintaining it
tirelessly for the last so many years.

Regards,


-- 
Dr. I.R.N. Goudar
Ex. Visiting Professor and Library Adviser
Mysore University Library
University of Mysore
Manasagangotri, MYSORE - 570 006
Ex Scientist 'G' and Head, ICAST, NAL, Bangalore
Mob: 09611165781
E-mail: goudarishwar at gmail.com

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