Dear Francis, It has been an incredible journey, and your contributions have helped train Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in the application of ICT to libraries and information services. I was fortunate to learn about you and meet, quite early in my career through friends who were undergoing training at NCSI. You have been a pillar of the LIS-Forum community, dedicating yourself to its moderation and continued growth despite numerous challenges, including server issues and the transition of the service from NCSI to the Library following NCSI's closure. Your commitment has ensured the survival and relevance of LIS-Forum even in today's era of social media. Although you are retiring from your official responsibilities, I sincerely hope you will continue to share your knowledge, wisdom, and guidance with the LIS professionals. Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and fulfilling retirement! I also wish Mr. Pradeep Kavi every success in carrying forward the legacy of LIS-Forum. Regards, Shamprasad M. Pujar, PhD Chief Librarian Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research Gen Vaidya Marg, Goregaon (East) MUMBAI-400 065, India Phone: ++91-22-6909 6528 E-mail: pujar@igidr.ac.in ========================== On Fri, Jul 31, 2026 at 6:02 PM Umesh Reddy via LIS-Forum <lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in> wrote:
Dear LIS Forum Members,
Greetings from the JRD Tata Memorial Library!
Dr. Francis Jayakanth has exemplified the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and dedication throughout his career. At the JRD Tata Memorial Library, IISc, he played a key role in strengthening the library's digital ecosystem, advancing scholarly communication, mentoring students through the erstwhile National Center for Science Information (NCSI), and championing the Open Access movement. Following the closure/merger of the NCSI, he took responsibility for nurturing the LIS Forum into one of India's most respected professional discussion platforms for library and information science professionals.
Even in today’s rapidly evolving social media landscape, the LIS Forum has remained a trusted, professionally moderated, text-based platform for over three decades. It continues to foster meaningful discussions, facilitate knowledge sharing, strengthen professional networking, and disseminate authentic and reliable information. Its enduring relevance is a testament to the unwavering dedication of moderators like Dr. Francis and the active engagement and support of its members.
On behalf of the entire LIS Forum community, we express our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Francis Jayakanth for his distinguished service and invaluable contributions. We wish him good health, happiness, and a fulfilling new chapter, and thank him for the enduring legacy he leaves behind.
We extend our best wishes to our colleague, Mr. Pradeep Kavi, as he assumes responsibility for moderating the Forum. We are confident that, with the continued support of members, he will carry forward the Forum’s legacy and uphold its values and traditions.
We look forward to your continued support and active participation as we work together to strengthen the Forum and uphold its tradition of professional excellence.
Warm Regards
Umesh
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Umeshareddy Kacherki Ph.D
Librarian, Indian Institute of Science
Bengaluru - 560012, Karnataka, India.
On Fri, Jul 31, 2026 at 3:52 PM Francis Jayakanth via LIS-Forum <lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in> wrote:
Dear LIS-Forum Members, Greetings.
After nearly three decades of moderating and administering the LIS-Forum, the time has come for me to step down from this responsibility as I retire from the Indian Institute of Science on 31 July 2026 upon attaining superannuation.
It has been a privilege to serve the library and information science community through this forum. Over the years, LIS-Forum has grown into a vibrant platform for sharing professional knowledge, announcements, discussions, and opportunities. I sincerely thank all the members for your active participation, valuable contributions, and support, which have made the forum a meaningful resource for our profession.
I am pleased to inform you that, effective August 1, 2026, the administration and moderation of LIS-Forum will be assumed by Mr Pradeep Kavi, my colleague at J.R.D. Tata Memorial Library, Indian Institute of Science.
I request all members to extend the same encouragement, support, and cooperation to Mr. Pradeep Kavi that you have generously extended to me over the years.
With my sincere thanks and best wishes to all.
Warm regards, Francis
Francis Jayakanth Moderator, LIS-Forum J.R.D. Tata Memorial Library Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru _______________________________________________ LIS-Forum mailing list -- lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in To unsubscribe send an email to lis-forum-leave@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
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