I am glad to see that my comment on the above subject had created many positive reactions and replies. However, some faculty members as usual took it as 'politics' and not professionalism. It is true that LIS professional is better than non-LIS person to be made in-charge of a library but, that does not mean that librarian's post is kept vacant forever? There are many university libraries in the country which are without librarians for decades. My argument is not a complaint but a protest, and I would like to know how many of us have protested with the university authorities? why associations like the ILA, IASLIC and IATLIS are keeping quite on this issue? Regarding the role of librarians in teaching departments, I am sure that many of my fellow librarians would agree with me in refuting the claim that 'librarians are invited to teach in departments, and guide research scholars'. Why the selection committee for recruiting librarians always have LIS teachers? Does the opposite ever happened? Librarians can be on the Board of studies, but cannot guide research scholars? There are many other such issues which I do not want to mention here. Finally, I request our LIS fraternity to keep in mind that both teachers and librarians are equally important in any academic institution. We have to bridge this divide by mutual cooperation and support. Collectively we need to rebuild the lost image of our LIS profession rather than criticizing one another and call it professionalism. Dr. M. Koteswara Rao Former Librarian, UoH Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2016 16:30:52 +0530 Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] Congratulations to Dr. Jagtar Singh From: naglaxman@gmail.com To: mk-rao@hotmail.com; nmlis@yahoogroups.com; raviisai@gmail.com; brlib@uohyd.ernet.in; adlurravi@yahoo.co.in; yesyesrao@yahoo.com; manglapb@rediffmail.com; shabahat12@rediffmail.com; hnprasad.bhu@gmail.com; dvs_srcc@rediffmail.com; libtech@yahoogroups.com; sygiri1@yahoo.co.in CC: khushpreet.singh@gmail.com; lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in; india-lis@infoserv.inist.fr; lisert-india@googlegroups.com dear professional friends the issue was raised when a faculty takes charge of the library, can the faculty find time and so on?even vacancies are not filled for years? 1. who can influence the VCs to make recruitment of librarians. we know BHU did not have librarian for three decades. few years back a French professor was made incharge, the library went to non professional hands and was instructing the professionals without knowing the procedures and ideas. Why the central univ librarians did not oppose in spite having the power? 2. is it not better to have a professional faculty as librarians than a non professional faculty? 3, let some retired and present university librarians protest and seek the recruitment of the librarian positions? 4. I A specific case of PGDLAN offered by the Univ of Hyderabad was closed, thanks the professional librarian initiative? It was difficult to reopen / restart the same reputed course. It was UOH started such course for the first time but was closed due to the library administrators? 5. luckily the faculty never closed the libraries. we have wonderful and positive professionals at second level, they should be encouraged for higher positions. but we have seen some of the univ librarians play politics instead of showing professionalism and make the library a centre of politics. 6. we have seen prof Shabahad, prof Prasad, and many more who r the faculty but introduced new and innovative technology in spite of the limitations. many library professionals are teaching in the departments. they got name and fame to the departments. I salute all of them. .it is time for the present and retired librarians and faculty to join hands with associations and fight for the recruitment of the library staff , at least where the posts are sanctioned. it is drive, professionalism, commitment that makes the faculty or librarians who excel and make the library centre of the activity. many of them brought the library to lime light and developed beyond any one expectations. let us not complain on any one, but combined struggle and support to each other is essential for building the image of the profession. I can quote many cases where things gone into wrong hands either the departments or libraries, and the institutions have suffered. Many faculty or librarians may not be great but they know how to fulfil the needs of the clientele. before we criticise, we should know the circumstances under which the libraries / departments work and what we have done during our term of office? let us join to build the status and image and make the institutions to fill up the librarian posts. It is also known how some seniors played negative role in filling up the positions, keeping the positions NFS or giving wrong specifications. It is known fact tht some seniors mentioend we dont need professional qualifications for holding the librarian positions. let us forget negative things and look for future and make our profession a best one thanks laxman rao Prof Laxman Rao, NagubandiPresident, Telangana Library Association Member, Advisory Board, National Library, KolkataUGC-Emeritus Fellow (2009-11) Professor in Library and Information Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad ( super annuated)formerly Director, UGC-Academic Staff College (2006-8)formerly President, Association of British Scholars ( AP Chapter) and Indian Association of Teachers in Library and Information Science. On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 2:53 PM, Koteswara Rao Mamidi <mk-rao@hotmail.com> wrote: Dear friends, Nowadays, we notice that LIS faculty members are taking additional responsibility of heading the library also, which in my opinion is not good for our profession, and it also raises many questions. First, they should know that when there are so many university librarian's posts are vacant, and at the same time many qualified LIS professionals are not getting top jobs, how can someone do this?. Will the LIS faculty allow the librarian/Dy librarian to be the head of the department or guide students for their research? I have come across many cases of such 'isolation' of Library officers from the department although both are equally qualified in the subject domain. Second, the librarian's job is a full-time job and it is doubtful how a faculty member can devote his/her time in the library? can we say that they have enough time to spare after taking classes and guiding research? or they spend very little time in the library administration? For whatever reasons this 'encroachment' of someone Else's domain of work is not healthy; after all both the librarian and the teacher belongs to the same profession. I think even if the faculty member says 'no' to such requests for the VC, heaven will not fall on him/her but, it will enable the university administration to fill up the post soon. I do not mean to hurt anyone but, given the fact that only a very small percentage of LIS professionals engaged in teaching, we should expect that every one should have equal opportunity in our profession. Dr. M. Koteswara Rao Retd. librarian, UoH
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2016 22:43:33 +0530
From: khushpreet.singh@gmail.com
To: LIS-Forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in; india-lis@infoserv.inist.fr; lisert-india@googlegroups.com
Subject: [LIS-Forum] Congratulations to Dr. Jagtar Singh
Respected Sir
Hearty congratulations to Dr. Jagtar Singh, Professor, Department
of Library & Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala for taking
charge as head of University Library. Respected Sir, in your able guidance
the university library will achieve new heights.
Regards
Khushpreet Singh
--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.