Dear Colleagues, Government of Kerala is introducing a new program called "Grow up by Reading". Please read the news at Hindu online http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/10/stories/2005111011320100.htm (News pasted below for your convenience) As library professionals this movement should be welcomed by us. Kerala Library Association (KLA) and Kerala Library Science Degree Holders Association (KLDA) alongwith lots of academics have been insisting and forcing government to uplift School libraries and appoint School Librarians. Introduction of 'Library periods' and more funding (fund raising) initiatives will definitly improve the School libraries in the state. At the same time, as library professionals, we should be concerned about the decision of "giving responsibilities of school libraries to teachers, after training them in librarianship". Read the last, but second paragraph of the news. This decision should be condemned by us. I don't know who is going to train the teachers in librarianship. Please be reminded that, any professionals or LIS teachers engaging in training school teachers in librarianship, are acting against to the interest of our own profession. As a result of movements of KLA and KLDA, a post of School Librarian was included in Kerala Education Rules (KER) several years ago, especially in Higher Secondary Schools. So far none of these posts are filled, when several hunderds of BLIS holders are waiting for a job in the state. Now Government is trying to put teachers as librarians, and as a result, our own colleagues will not have any chances for jobs. I request all professionals in the country to protest against this initiative. All Library associations and LIS Teachers also should raise their concerns, this may happen to all states, later. Your protest may be e-mailed to the minister at minister-education@kerala.gov.in Fax: 0471-2327130 We also think about, why Library Professionals are not getting chances in "Right Information Related Posts"? UN and other International agencies consider LIS degree holders in posts related to public information. Thanks, J K Vijayakumar ------------------------------------------- New library movement in the making Special Correspondent THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Education Department has charted out a task programme called `Vayanayilude Valaruka' (Grow up by Reading) for encouraging reading habit among schoolchildren. At a press conference here on Wednesday, Education Minister E.T. Mohammed Basheer said libraries in all government schools and government-aided schools in the State would be modernised and strengthened under the programme. And a `library period' will be added to school timetable shortly. The formal inauguration of the programme is scheduled to be held at a function at St. Teresa's School in Ernakulam on Thursday. Mr. Basheer said 2,393 high schools and 2,827 upper primary schools would get better library facilities during the first phase of the programme by the first week of January 2006. Lower primary schools will get the facility subsequently. The idea is to implement the programme with the participation of local bodies, non-governmental organisations, local clubs, financial institutions, school parent-teacher associations, Grandhasala Sanghom, cooperative societies, public sector institutions and media houses. Help will definitely flow in from all corners for such a programme, Mr. Basheer said. He said the Education Department would provide the architectural plan of a compact library building to the schools to help them set up well-planned library facilities. The Government proposes to permit local bodies to use their Plan funds to help the schools in the programme. Mr. Basheer said he had called a meeting of the programme's steering committee on Monday. Several leading book publishers and banks too had sent their representatives to the meeting. The book publishers promised special discounts on books for the school libraries. And the banks promised their patronage. "Reading habit needs to be nourished, especially at this time when children have other distractions such as the television. A teacher from each school will be put through a special orientation course to double as a librarian to guide the students through the world of books. The services of protected teachers too can be used to run the school libraries. Or, youngsters who have passed the librarian's course can be taken on an ad hoc basis with the support of the parent-teacher associations to look after the libraries," Mr. Basheer said. He said popular committees at the school, panchayat, block and district levels would be set up before November 19 for implementing the programme --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. Dear Colleagues, Government of Kerala is introducing a new program called "Grow up by Reading". Please read the news at Hindu online http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/10/stories/2005111011320100.htm http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/10/stories/2005111011320100.htm (News pasted below for your convenience) As library professionals this movement should be welcomed by us. Kerala Library Association (KLA) and Kerala Library Science Degree Holders Association (KLDA) alongwith lots of academics have been insisting and forcing government to uplift School libraries and appoint School Librarians. Introduction of 'Library periods' and more funding (fund raising) initiatives will definitly improve the School libraries in the state. At the same time, as library professionals, we should be concerned about the decision of "giving responsibilities of school libraries to teachers, after training them in librarianship". Read the last, but second paragraph of the news. This decision should be condemned by us. I don't know who is going to train the teachers in librarianship. Please be reminded that, any professionals or LIS teachers engaging in training school teachers in librarianship, are acting against to the interest of our own profession. As a result of movements of KLA and KLDA, a post of School Librarian was included in Kerala Education Rules (KER) several years ago, especially in Higher Secondary Schools. So far none of these posts are filled, when several hunderds of BLIS holders are waiting for a job in the state. Now Government is trying to put teachers as librarians, and as a result, our own colleagues will not have any chances for jobs. I request all professionals in the country to protest against this initiative. All Library associations and LIS Teachers also should raise their concerns, this may happen to all states, later. Your protest may be e-mailed to the minister at mailto:minister-education@kerala.gov.in minister-education@kerala.gov.in Fax: 0471-2327130 We also think about, why Library Professionals are not getting chances in "Right Information Related Posts"? UN and other International agencies consider LIS degree holders in posts related to public information. Thanks, J K Vijayakumar ------------------------------------------- New library movement in the making Special Correspondent THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Education Department has charted out a task programme called `Vayanayilude Valaruka' (Grow up by Reading) for encouraging reading habit among schoolchildren. At a press conference here on Wednesday, Education Minister E.T. Mohammed Basheer said libraries in all government schools and government-aided schools in the State would be modernised and strengthened under the programme. And a `library period' will be added to school timetable shortly. The formal inauguration of the programme is scheduled to be held at a function at St. Teresa's School in Ernakulam on Thursday. Mr. Basheer said 2,393 high schools and 2,827 upper primary schools would get better library facilities during the first phase of the programme by the first week of January 2006. Lower primary schools will get the facility subsequently. The idea is to implement the programme with the participation of local bodies, non-governmental organisations, local clubs, financial institutions, school parent-teacher associations, Grandhasala Sanghom, cooperative societies, public sector institutions and media houses. Help will definitely flow in from all corners for such a programme, Mr. Basheer said. He said the Education Department would provide the architectural plan of a compact library building to the schools to help them set up well-planned library facilities. The Government proposes to permit local bodies to use their Plan funds to help the schools in the programme. Mr. Basheer said he had called a meeting of the programme's steering committee on Monday. Several leading book publishers and banks too had sent their representatives to the meeting. The book publishers promised special discounts on books for the school libraries. And the banks promised their patronage. "Reading habit needs to be nourished, especially at this time when children have other distractions such as the television. A teacher from each school will be put through a special orientation course to double as a librarian to guide the students through the world of books. The services of protected teachers too can be used to run the school libraries. Or, youngsters who have passed the librarian's course can be taken on an ad hoc basis with the support of the parent-teacher associations to look after the libraries," Mr. Basheer said. He said popular committees at the school, panchayat, block and district levels would be set up before November 19 for implementing the programme http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylc=X3oDMTFqODRtdXQ4BF9TAzMyOTc1MDIEX3MDOTY2ODgxNjk... Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.