Re: [LIS-Forum] Let us have apex body of Library Association to fight for our profession.

Dear friends, It is perhaps the first time when someone from any association communicated through online discussion forums. The result is that at least some initiative has been taken. We should be thankful to such a gesture. Now in a democratic country you can not put restrictions on association of people under relevant acts of the country. Every association has its own constitution compliant to Registrar of Societies norms. We can not force any such body to follow any of our directives. We can only wish that there could of a strong body to care of professional matters. Now, since number of professional bodies have already come up for whatever reasons, the only way left is ask for proper coordination among these bodies. Now the question is - what could the practical approach in achieving our objective? The best I can think of is through passing of resolutions in the General Body Meetings by the members of such associations. Anybody who has read "Animal Farm" would understand the tendency of "power". So obviously, resolutions seeking transparency and onus to perform would not be liked by any office bearers. I would suggest professionals to give suitable notices to their associations to adopt resolutions: Responsiveness: The best way to make associations responsive is to make mandatory for office bearers to take part in on-line discussion forums. One of these forums should be out of their control of moderation. Coordination forum: To pass a resolution to be part of a coordination forum constituing of various bodies. Transparency: Liability of office bearers to answer queries from its members and non-members within specified time frame. (This is in-lieu of RTI Act which otherwise is not applicable to societies) So friends, whenever you go to any AGM, remember to voice the above issues. They will not listen to you. So you have to be LOUDER enough. --Sukhdev Singh. On Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 5:37 PM, Manjunath K wrote:

Like sankaran I too don't advocate for another fresh association for LIS. It creates confusion and becomes one more addition to the existing number of LIS associations.

Already Indian Library Association (ILA) has become popular and generic in nature for all categories of library professionals. Let us strengthen ILA by making it as an apex body to include all library professionals as its members. The membership to ILA should be mandatory for all professionals irrespective of type of library and it should function from gross-root level. The local chapters should identify all the professionals in that region and motivate them to get inducted to ILA (they may approach the parent institutions for membership).

Let us burry our past bitter experiences and individual differences with associations/officers, and come forward to have a healthy and very powerful in policy making and at the same time more academic in its functions. Like AMA and INFORMS, the transformed ILA can start publishing many reputed journals in the field. I am sure our professionals will welcome the re-charged ILA and support its academic activities too.

The other specialized LIS associations like iaslic, MANLIBNET, IALA, KLA, SIS etc can become associate Organs of ILA and focus on specific categories of professionals … The membership for associate bodies could be optional.

Manjunath

-------------

Dr. Manjunatha K

Chief Librarian

T.A. Pai Management Institute

Manipal - 576 104

Udupi Dist. Karnataka, India

-------------

________________________________

From: Engg-Lib-Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Engg-Lib-Forum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of sankaran arumugam Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 3:22 PM To: Sukhdev Singh; K.R. Mulla Cc: NMLIS; digilib_india@yahoogroups.com; digitalindia@yahoogroups.com; softeyest@gmail.com; Engg-Lib-Forum@yahoogroups.com; corporatelibrns@yahoogroups.com; thimmappa03@yahoo.com; ncsi lis forum; IATLIS; medlib@yahoogroups.com; emala@yahoogroups.com; salis_info@yahoogroups.com; infoscientists yahoogroups Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] [Engg-Lib-Forum] Let us have apex body of Library Association to fight for our profession.

Dear All,

I agree to some points pointed out by our friends Mr. Sukhdev Singh, Mr.Mulla, Dr. Manjunath, Dr. Thimmappa, Dr. Konnur and others. But, I differ in one point. i.e. starting new associations or organisations to fight for LIS cause.

We have too many associations, societies at both national and state levels like ILA, IASLIC, IALA, SALIS, SIS, TN LA, Kerala LA, Karnataka LA, MAdras LA, etc., etc., etc.,

This leads to a position, we cannot present our case in a united single strong voice to be heard by Govt. /university/ authorities. Instead of starting new assns., we can give more representation to young professionals (age below 40) in electing/selecting office bearers.

We quote America for everything, then why not we should follow ALA for a good cause.

About members:

How an association will become strong, if there is no active participation of members in the association activities.

When I invited my friend to attend an association Meet/Talk, he said "Oh! You organised it in a working day, how can I come after attending office", When I invited him for a Meet/Talk organised on a holiday, he said " Oh! that is a holiday, how can I come all the way from my residence to the venue". People always give some excuses.

If this is the attitude of members towards associations, how our friends blame the office-bearers.

I request the office-bearers of LIS associations to throw more light on this.

Thanks & Regards

sankaran

----- Original Message ---- From: Sukhdev Singh To: K.R. Mulla Cc: NMLIS ; digilib_india@yahoogroups.com; digitalindia@yahoogroups.com; softeyest@gmail.com; Engg-Lib-Forum@yahoogroups.com; corporatelibrns@yahoogroups.com; thimmappa03@yahoo.com; ncsi lis forum ; IATLIS ; medlib@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, 15 June, 2008 8:15:41 AM Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] [Engg-Lib-Forum] Let us have apex body of Library Association to fight for our profession.

Dear Friends,

I fully endorse the view points expressed in emails on the issue of better activism for Library Associations. I propose a coordination forum or joint committee of all national / state associations. Such a forum should have online presence and should engage in online discussions.

Let me update you all on my own fight to get membership of Medical Library Association of India. Not that I am dying for its membership. But I am fighting because matter is of principles and my rights. I am professionally qualified with master degree and a Life Member of ILA. I applied for membership for "Medical Library Association of India" (MLAI) on the suggestion of one of my colleague. To my great surprise my Cheque came back in an envelop without any covering letter. Don't jump to conclusion that there might be some administrative mistake (as latter on it became clear that there was a method in their madness). I wrote number of emails to the office bearers of MLAI, but could not get a single reply. My colleagues (including one EC member of MLAI and their "Best Medical Librarian of the Year" awardee) also wrote to them to seek a reply as what is happening. At last the president of the association wrote back that she will investigate the matter and respond back shortly. That "SHORTLY" is now THREE YEARS OLD. I am still waiting for an official reply from MLAI about my membership. I just want to know why my membership was not accepted. I know the plight of that rubber stamp president while power flow from Delhi.

Now tell me, Can such an association have guts to write a memorandum to any authority? They don't even have the guts to update on membership status of an individual. Should not I believe that other associations are also like that?

Some of you might be wondering on my stupidity of belittling myself while narrating this incidence. But that is what I am. I will continue to belittle myself till I get an answer from MLAI.

--Sukhdev Singh.

On Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 12:11 PM, K.R. Mulla wrote:

...

Dear LIS Professionals,

I am completely agree with Dr. K. Manjunath's suggestions & lighting on the issues. in this direction we should not blame any others we should think positively.

I am requesting all our elder library professionals they may in teacher or librarian should come forward join hands to gather and strengthen the Local Library Association such as ILA chapter of Karnatak, Maharashtra, Kerala, TN, Andra, MP, Rajastan, Gujarat, UP, Bihar, HP, J&K, Delhi, Punjab, Assam,West Bengal and other state

On Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 11:26 AM, Manjunath K wrote:

...

Dear LIS members,

I feel the weakness of our associations lies in the absence of a strong LIS body at National, regional, state and local levels.

I had suggested earlier on this forum (when lot of comments on ILA elections/etc) to make ILA as an APEX body at national level and make it mandatory that all LIS professionals should become member of ILA.

The national ILA body should be based in New Delhi and should have influential office bearers who can have strong links with Govt and other bodies.

The national body needs to function through its regional associations (four or more), State Units (one for each state), District bodies and Local chapters. The local chapters should induct all LIS professions in that region as its members. Once they become members of local chapters, they become members of ILA by default.

The local bodies nominate/elect members for District/state unit- who intern select/elect members for regional centres. The regional centres will elect the office bearers for national body.

All the other professional LIS Associations should have affiliations to ILA. This makes ILA powerful and this body can honestly strive for upliftment and justice to the profession.

I invite and request all LIS professionals to think constructively and offer their valuable thoughts in this direction. I used the term 'ILA' to represent the nation. Let us not attach any importance to the Terminology 'ILA' per se. Let us not again start 'criticizing/throwing mud' on the issues revolving around the current Indian library association.

Let us have discussions at all levels and constitute a body with comprehensive coverage of our professions goals and objectives.

It is good to note that Mr. Thimmappa, Dr. PV Konnur and Mr. Sukhdev Singh have already initiated the discussions. Let us have a strong representative body to address our problems in the country and move boldly along legal/policy journey. If need be, I am ready to join the movement.

Manjunath ------------- Dr. Manjunatha K Chief Librarian T.A. Pai Management Institute Manipal - 576 104 Udupi Dist. Karnataka, India Ph: +91-0820-2573551(0ff); 2575161(Res) email: manjunath@mail.tapmi.org; manjunathak@gmail.com web: http://www.tapmi.org -------------

-----Original Message----- From: digilib_india@yahoogroups.com [mailto:digilib_india@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of thimma naik Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 9:52 AM To: NMLIS; DIGILIB INDIA; IATLIS; ncsi lis forum Subject: [digilib_india] Role of Library Associations

Library Associations having major role in influencing the formation and implementation of government policy concerning libraries and information. They can act as effective Pressure Groups for political action. But in India, Library associations are not in the right place. In my personal view Library Associations are conducting some seminars, workshops in a year, and elections for the committee. No professionals questioning the activity of the associations. Why we can¢t discuss the role of Library Associations in India on this forum. So it will help to us to make unity between Library professionals and to know the activities of these Associations.

Thimmappa N. MLISc, PGDHL Bengaluru +91 94488 69387 thimmappa03@yahoo.com;softeyest@gmail.com Read an eBook, Save a Tree; Buy an eBook Reader, Save a Forest Wanted a job, where there is no print, only E

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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-- Thanks with regards

K. R. Mulla, Librarian, HKBK College of Engineering, # 22/1, Nagawara, Bangalore - 560 045. Karnataka, India. Tel. +91-80-25441722, 25443744 Ext 152

................................................................................................. Engg-Lib-Forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Engg-Lib-Forum/ Home Page: http://krmulla.googlepages.com/ Library: http://203.90.120.126:8081/

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