My two cents: Librarians are on a point where they will need to be aware of newer technologies which can be used to enhance services in a library and that is not an avoidable thing. Older generations may keep themselves away (if they wish) but new blood will need to understand the demand of the changing times. They need to be passionate about the job they are doing and they need to love it rather taking it as a routine job just for salaries. I saw many librarians quite keen and eager to implement new things in their libraries. They took help of experts if they were not able to do by themselves but on the same point some of them keep remaining in the mood of technology resistance. Worst case is when staff of the library starts playing politics of themselves and the posts they are holding. I have an experience of a big library where the most eligible person for digitalization was kept for some other works (kept away) and most incompetent (technologically) was made in-charge to the whole project. He was even not able to solve a single problem when it came to any errors by the software. He just grabbed this opportunity to show off that he has done the digitalization. So, that is the dilemma of our times. Staffing of the librarians should be done totally on their competency and expertise. If a PhD guy is a slow or dumb, he can be put on the counters (no offence to anyone). Coming to PhD: Given the number of LIS Schools it has become quite easy to get PhD. Take a topic which is usually (not always) survey of something like “user behavior during evening time” and take the forms, compile the data. Write State-of-the-art, copy something from here and there and you are done. Gosh, what is happening? Professors who examine such theses should be always asking few fundamental questions which are usually asked if you are doing research in science and technologies and they are (more or less): 1. What is the uniqueness of your work? 2. What is the contribution of your work to the field (LIS) as a whole? 3. Does it solve some specific problem? 4. Does it extend/modify some existing theories? So on. Questions should be based the work in hand. Conclusion: research should be done with a clear vision which lack in many LIS researchers (my pragmatic experience). Regards Anand Anand Kumar Pandey PhD Student, Department of Information Engineering, University of Trento, Italy PS: No offense meant to anyone! On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 7:48 AM, Mailing List Admin < mailman@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in> wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 14:03:14 +0530 From: silent listener

Sir,

You really represent our thoughts. I have seen many Dr.s issuing books and affixing due dates. generally Phd. holders are admired by the public. But people laughing at a Dr.XXX Phd.(LIS).We the professionals have to answer.Besides if the CLISc. program continue, why can't begin certificate programmes in another Science brach also.Let doctor assistants and engineer assistants also may be born. Anyway thankyou once again sir.

Regards

JOSEPH ZACHARIA

+91 9947997767

On 6/30/12, Mailing List Admin wrote:

...

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:26:23 +0800 (SGT) From: Dr. A.T. Francis

Dear Library Professionals,

Let me share few points on the opinion of Mr. Gafoor as DOOMSDAY!!! nearing for our Profession.

1. What are the jobs our fully qualified (MLISc + NET + PhD+PGDCA etc.) library professionals doing in many of the University Libraries in Kerala or other states? 2. Whether we are employing these highly qualified professionals only for counter duty and issue and return of books for several years? 3. If that is happening, after a long period of issue and return only experience, what technical and managerial excellence they can gain?. 4. Whether our Library Schools (other than DRTC) are able to effectively train LIS professionals to manage the e-resources. Whether we can manage an e-resource only library confidently? 5. Whether our Library Science teachers and senior professionals are sincerely looking into our real personnel and professional problems and trying for solution?. It is a grave fact that our professionals are quarreling each other mainly because of system generating issues like appointment, promotion, qualification, etc. 6. The Govt. of Kerala run schools without effective libraries and librarians. Now we are arguing that CLISc holders are best suit to be posted as School Librarins 7. Then why not we recommend/try Nurses in place of Doctors; Diploma holders in place of Engineers, Degree holders as Asst. Professors?

So, this is high time to re-structure our system. Otherwise it will be a huge loss to the society (Not to the LIS Community)

Dr. A.T. FRANCIS, MCom, MLISc, PhD HEAD, LIBRARY & IT NODAL OFFICER College of Horticulture Kerala Agricultural University Thrissur - 680 656, India, 91-9496839409 (m) francisaloor@yahoo.com

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