Dear Professional colleagues and friends, During the SALIS 2006 National Conference on Initiatives in Library and Information Centres in the Digital Eraâ held between 8th-9th June 2006 at Karuna Deemed University, Coimbatore, the following recommendations were made by the experts and delegates. These recommendations were sent to the appropriate authority for their consideration and implementation. I. To the Director, NAAC A group of senior members from SALIS met the Director, NAAC and personally handed over the following requests to the Director, NAAC for his favourable consideration. The following points are brought to your kind attention for favourable consideration: 1. As the nodal agency at national level. NAAC plays a vital role in ensuring quality in higher education. This mission is highly visible at national level. To be precise, it is commendable. In this regard, SALIS would like to bring to your kind notice that it is imperative to associate practicing Librarians from institutions of repute like IITs. NITs, IIMs, Universities and other R&D institutions like DAE. CSIR. DRDO and ISRO as part of the NAAC Peer Committee for accreditation. This process would result in to evaluate availability of real quality in that library with respect to facilities and services. 2. To ensure effective and efficient library service to the user community, it is highly desirable and essential to appoint qualified professionals as Library Assistants in academic institutions. The recruitment of Library Professionals should be commensurate as well as directly proportional to the collection strength and user population. 3. Any quality initiative is a continuum. In consonance with this endeavour, it is utmost essential to have a Continuous Professional Development (CDP) programme for the library professionals as in vogue in R&D institutions such as CSIR. DRDO. ISRO etc., It is requested that NAAC should insist CDP for Library Professionals. II. To the Chairman, UGC 1. It appeals to UGC to allocate exclusive budget head for ICT infrastructure to Library and Information Centres. 2. It appeals to UGC to introduce a paper on âLibrary Science Educationâ in the curriculum of UG courses. This move will convert the teacher-centred learning into student-centered learning. 3. The nomenclature of Library should be changed in to âDepartment of Library and Information Servicesâ 4. It also states that in order to impart quality education in LIS curriculum, courses such as B.L.I.Sc and M.L.I.Sc shall be accredited either by AICTE or National Council for Teacher Education. ------- --------------- III . To the Chairman, AICTE, New Delhi 1. It appeals AICTE to promote research in the area of Library and Information Science by allocating funds to projects submitted by University/College Libraries and Information Centres. 2. It appeals to AICET to introduce a paper on Library Science Education in the curriculum of UG courses. This move will convert the teacher-centred learning into student-centered learning. 3. The nomenclature of Library should be changed in to âDepartment of Library and Information Servicesâ. 4. It also states that in order to impart quality education in LIS curriculum, courses such as B.L.I.Sc and M.L.I.Sc shall be accredited either by AICTE or National Council for Teacher Education. 5. It is requested that AICTE should insist on: (a) strength of the qualified Library professionals in Libraries of Engineering Institutions should be directly proportional to the collection and user population and; (b) Training for continuous Professional Development for Library professionals. ------------ IV. To the Govt of Tamilnadu 1. It appeals to the Govt. of Tamilnadu to fill-up the vacant posts of Librarians in the Universities, Govt. Colleges, Polytechnics and Public Libraries immediately. 2. It also appeals to the Govt. of Tamilnadu to appoint Professionally Qualified Librarians in all the Higher Secondary Schools in Tamil Nadu on par with Central Schools(Kendriya Vidyalaya). 3. It also appeals to the Govt. of Tamilnadu to introduce library hours compulsory for all the classes __________ A.Hariharan SALIS __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com