Dear Professionals, I agree with Dr. Moorthy that be a member and to organise new associations is not enough. We should make associations more bold and responsive. Regards, On Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 3:39 PM, Aragonda L Moorthy wrote:

Dear Friends, I have been following the LIS Forum mails on FEDERATION OF KARNATAKA LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION (FEKLA). The Federation is, I understand as the name suggests, for only Karnataka. I read with interest the points raised by Dr IRN Gouder, and by Dr HS Siddamallaiah on the Status of LIS Professionals, which is the basis for the FEKLA. The rejoinder by Dr LJ Haravu amply makes it clear that RESPECT IS TO BE EARNED/COMMANDED AND NOT DEMANDED. I fully agree with him--Hum Kisee se Kam Nahi--LIS Professionals are not lesser forms of life than other professionals. The formation of FEDERATION OF KARNATAKA LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION (FEKLA) is another grouping, may be for those who wanted limelight, and felt slighted. In recent times I saw at least 4 to 5 professional Associations created in Delhi alone; Special Libraries, Information Professionals, News Papers/News Media, and so on. I do not feel this is healthy. Library professionals have the largest number of Associations--Local, Regional (state level), National, School, College, University, by Subject (Agriculture, Management, Medical, Law, and what not) and so on. Every one strives to have lime light by holding a "National" or "International" Conference and bend to Book Sellers, Publishers etc for funds who in turn dictate and hike subscription prices. The POOR LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS CAN NOT ATTEND ALL CONFERENCES; MAY BE ONE OR TWO. The so called National Associations do not get more than 200 (or 250) registrations (compare with a few thousands attending IFLA, FID, ASIS, SLA, LA, etc). Although many (50 to 100) are received (some are recycled, cut-paste or lift and fit technology generated), our editors publish them. Even after sending mandatory registration fee, the authors do not come and present the papers. Recently less than 20 (out of 55) papers were presented in a National Conference of a National Association!!! That is the spirit of our LIS Professional authors (they want to publish papers to fulfil UGC requirements). And I know the Astronomical Requirements of Office Bearers of the National Associations (those who visit with families including children) with respect to all sorts of amenities. In this light, I firmly believe we should discourage NEW ASSOCIATIONS or FEDERATIONS. What is needed is to have limited number and discuss problems and issues.

Dr AL Moorthy, Former Director-DESIDOC & Chief Consultant (Inf Sci), BrahMos Aerospace, Hyderabad Centre, Adj: DRDL Rear Gate, Kanchanbagh PO, Hyderabad-500058 Ph: (O) 040-24087058; Mob: 09951212000

On Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 11:30 AM, Vasanth wrote:

...

Dear Sir/Madam,

This question is lingering in my mind after I had seen the governing members of recently formed FEKLA (Federation of Karnataka Librarians Association). Many of the members featured in the governing council have also been there in the KSCLA governing body. In fact the current president of the KSCLA Dr. Vijay Kumar is also part of this new association.

How does this new association different from KSCLA? Surprising that previous president of the KSCLA Dr. Kadadevarmath is now heading the FEKLA and also many of the office bearers of KSCLA under his tenure have also part of this association. This raises some disturbing questions. I leave it there.

Why present KSCLA president failed to inform its members about this new association and their role in it? KSCLA has members across the state and has the responsibility to protect the interest of the professionals who have been part of this association. But all of a sudden KSCLA governing body members without any prior discussion in any of the association's forum have hand-in-glove with the new association. Is this putting an end to KSCLA?

KSCLA has collected membership fee from its members, till today we don't know how many librarians have taken the members and the total membership fee they have collected. KSCLA time and again collected struggling fee from many of its members, it is still clueless how it has been utilized in the interest of the profession.

KSCLA has organized many seminars and conferences, with pain it has to be mentioned that many of them have been reduced to provide stage for politicians, swamijis and to do merely felicitations. Academic interests have been put at the back. Again is it time for government college librarians to think for having their own association or work closely with KALA or other national association to protect the interest of the professionals?

Views are personal

------------------------- With best wishes Vasantha Raju N. GFGC-Periyapatna Mysore -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.