What is in the name? A rose is a rose is a rose. The word science contains both transcendental content, and methodology of the subject. But LIS is not a hard science. Similarly, management is only one part of the professional turf. Need of the hour is to have a discourse on the content, context, conduit, competence, and the format of the LIS domain. It is high time that we bring equity, diversity, quality, flexibility, and consistency in the LIS turf with the job-market. There is need to shift from rote learning to resource-based student-centred learning. We must follow both bottom-up and top-down approach. There is no place for absolute thinking, if we are really looking beyond post-modernism. To me, "Library and Information Studies" or "Library and Knowledge Studies" can be more appropriate umbrella nomenclature. Jagtar Singh, Punjabi University, Patiala On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 1:16 PM, pramod mangla wrote:

Dear Professsionals, For quite some time I have been debating with people in the LIS that it is high time that we give a fesh look to the nomenclature of our professional degrees. I now strongly hold the view that the word Science in our qualifications has lost its utility or charm and the professional degree should henceforth be called B./M.degree in Library & information Management.This is the need of the hour and our courses should be revised accordingly.The name Lib.& Inf.Sc. has today become a misnomer. I would like to have the view of the professionals through this Forum and then we should possibly plan a strategy to bring about the desired cahnge. Best wishes, Prof.P.B.Mangla

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Dear Prof. Mangla It is good to hear your opinion. But it would be inappropriate to call Library and information science' discipline 'library and information management' because the former has lost its charm or attractiveness. We are aware that academic institutions till today are offering MSc. in Management Science and MBA (some simultaneously) and there are good reasons to maintain this difference in degree names. Once you call it management it narrows down the focus and tend to concentrate on managerial aspect of the service, e.g. customer serive, sales, brand management, financial administration, so on and so forth. It would be concentrated on the physical management aspect of information provision in a phyical and digital library environment. This creates enormous problems for those who would like to strengthen the research and academics aspects of library and information science. Those are still taught in the classrooms, but are not practiced in the real world by the LIS professionals. What would be recommended at this point of time to change the designation of posts of librarians in academia and non-academic settings, allowing the professionals to go for more specialisations. You have devoted as academician for decades, please undertake appropriate advocacy with UGC in this direction. Regards Atanu Garai 2008/8/22 pramod mangla :

Dear Professsionals, For quite some time I have been debating with people in the LIS that it is high time that we give a fesh look to the nomenclature of our professional degrees. I now strongly hold the view that the word Science in our qualifications has lost its utility or charm and the professional degree should henceforth be called B./M.degree in Library & information Management.This is the need of the hour and our courses should be revised accordingly.The name Lib.& Inf.Sc. has today become a misnomer. I would like to have the view of the professionals through this Forum and then we should possibly plan a strategy to bring about the desired cahnge. Best wishes, Prof.P.B.Mangla

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