[LIS-Forum] FW: Corporate Librarians and special training?

Dear All Last week, I was in an SLA-Asian Chapter conference in Delhi. And one of the sessions was focused on the role of LIS Career and Opportunities. S M Dhawan, former Scientist F, National Physical laboratory, stressed on the three things that would help quality output from the LIS schools in India and one of the key points that he mentioned was lack of 'Best Intake' in this field. He stressed that the profession is still the last career option for many. What is required is that our LIS Schools have to 1) attract best minds in the field and 2) give them best possible training (matching IIT and IIM level). I am sure if these two things are strictly and honestly implemented, the output will be of world class. I have never come across information like LIS departments are training students as corporate librarians. But then yes there is no harm preparing LIS students the way corporations do function. We all know that libraies are always a non-profit institution be it in the corporations. But then nothing is free even in academic libraries. Even if you provide free service to your customer, there is a cost attached to it; for ex: your salary, real estate value, etc. I appreciate what Anita Pujari of DNA has done to the library services by attaching notional value to the information products / service that she provides to her customer. This is the value that she has added for what she does. So, it is the attitude/value/culture that makes corporations better. And I think we must inculcate such values/culture in LIS students. I do agree with what Anand says in terms of skilling the freshers. I WOULD say that there is a big gap in skills we need in the industry [for academic & special libraries and LIS teachers] and the output we get from the LIS schools. Regards, Aman Jha Deputy Director - Library Confederation of Indian Industry 249-F, Sector 18, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV Gurgaon - 122 015, Haryana, INDIA Tel: 91-124-4014060-67 Fax: 91-124-4014080 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------- From: [mailto:lis-forum-bounces@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in] On Behalf Of Byrappa, Ananda (GE, Research) Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 2:30 PM To: lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] Corporate Librarians and special training? (vasanthraj) LIS Schools are thinking about training students for the corporate needs...Is there a big difference between a special library and a corporate library? As many LIS schools offer a specialization in Special Libraries, there may not be a big need for focussing on Corporate Libraries at university level unless ther is a plan for corporate spnoncered/collaboarative effort. Many LIS schools are putting their best efforts in training the students. However, the fact is, there is a big gap in skills we need in the industry and the output we get from the LIS schools. Syllabus is always attractive but often we fail to see the learnings out of it when we interview the students. Many practising LIS professionals know that, we need to teach and train on almost everything to people we recruit. Sometimes, we end up recruiting non LIS people for jobs other than core LIS jobs like classification etc. Majority of the students fail to understand how corporate libraries function. The reasons may be many: - Lack of trained and experienced teachers - Limited/No infrastructure - Lack of cooperation from practicing librarians - Kind of students opting for LIS and - LIS Schools not having enough collaboration with Libraries Its unfortunate that we have this big gap in our profession unlike in other professions - medicine, nursing etc. More open, genuine and collaborative efforts in bridging the gap between theory and practice is required. Teachers and LIS practioners should have more (healthy) debates, discussions and must develop willingness to collaborate for the proposperity of this profession. Regards, Anand Ananda T.Byrappa Manager, Whitney Knowledge Centre GE India Technology Centre 122, EPIP, Phase 2, Whitefield Road, Bangalore - 560066, INDIA Phone: 91-80-25032618 Fax: 91-80-28412114 email: ananda.byrappa@ge.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:12:07 +0530 (IST) From: vasanth raj Subject: [LIS-Forum] Corporate Librarians and special training? To: lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in Dear sir/madam, This is in response to the LIS-Forum member request to suggest on how LIS departments can train Corporate Librarians? Though my response would not offer any suggestion, but contradicts with the postings itself. - How can LIS departments prepare corporate librarians? ?I am deliberating on the issue why there is much fuss about corporate world. ?Library Science and Information Science (Information Studies-Including wide spectrum of behavioral theories, science and technology) Schools have been training LIS professionals to perform their duties irrespective of the organization they aspire to work.? It was not previously discussed so much about academic library or public library. But we have been making our graduates to be a perfect fit to a corporate world. Again these all have been become forefront in the light of globalization. ?Corporate venture have very strong financial back up to train their workers and they have been successful doing that over the years (Infosys global training centre). Today?s need is to prepare our graduates to work for the people from whom they have got benefitted (local tax payers). ? Andhara Pradesh itself is a naxal prone area with so much of economic inequalities, let our graduate take step in reducing the economic barrier and fill the gap of information rich and poor. There we need training and enrich our people. ? Globalization itself has become a halt, because of recent economics meltdown in US. Economists? likes of Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman have propagating the humanistic economic policy with equal opportunity for every one.? Coming back to the topic ? LIS schools have leveraging the technology and new crop of Information schools are in a way modeled to survive in the information rich world. Syllabuses of some of the information schools can throw some lights on how LIS schools can tune their curriculum to prepare their graduates in the 21st century.? Good thing is that library school basics have not changed lot-then why LIS departments prepare corporate librarians. Holistic approach is the need of the hour. ------------------------- With best wishes Vasantha Raju N Govt First Grade College Periyapatna Mysore Dist. DISCLAIMER:The information in this message may be privileged. If you have received it by mistake please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete the message from your system. Any unauthorised use or dissemination of this message in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Any information in this message that does not relate to official business shall be understood to be neither given nor endorsed by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Reach us via our unique Membership Helpline: 00-91-11-435 46244 / 00-99104 46244 (Monday-Saturday: 0900-1700 hrs) -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.