ROLE OF COLLEGE LIBRARIES

Role of College Libraries in the context of National Knowledge Commission Report

 Dr Dilip Kumar Dey

Swami Vivekananda said more than a century ago ''Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain as information, then Libraries are the greatest sages in the world and encyclopedias are the Rishi.''

           It is universally true that the Libraries are the gateways to knowledge. That is why, library has a recognized social function in making knowledge publicly available to all. They serve as local centres of information and learning and are local gateways to national and global knowledge. Rabindranath Thakur evaluated library as "In the library, we stand on a crossroad, as it were, where hundred of paths converge. Somepaths tend to the endless seas; some paths reachout to the high picks and some penetrate the innermost province of the human heart. Move any direction, as you like, there shall be no obstacle."

            At the dawn of new century, the prospect of which evokes both anguish and hope, is that all people with sense of responsibility turn their attention to both the aims and means of education, it is the view of the N.K. Commission that education is an ongoing process of improving knowledge and skills, more so it is perhaps primarily an exceptional means of bringing about personal development, building relationship among individuals, groups and the nation at large.

           Prof. V.S. Prasad, Director of NAAC remembered , "The objective of the librarian should always be 'total user satisfaction'. For a learner a librarian can be the best friend on an educational campus."

           The seminal objective of NAAC is to assess and accredit institution of higher learning with a view to helping them to work continuously to improve the quality of education. assessment is a performance evolution of an institution and /or units and is accomplished through a process based on self-study and peer review using defined criteria. Accreditation refers to the certification given by NAAC which is valid for a period of five years. The process of Assessment followed by NAAC is in accordance with internationally accepted practice but, with certain modifications to suit the Indian context. The application of assessment and accreditation as a quality enhancement mechanism has yielded appreciable results all over the world and has shown similar favorable indications in India also.

           In this emerging scenario of higher education libraries in India need to make a paradigm shift from their present strategy of collection on acquisition of knowledge to a strategy of knowledge access. Libraries and librarians have to recognize their social functions and their critical role in creating a knowledge society. The library and information sector are committed to support the creation of a knowledge society by providing equitable, high quality, cost-effective access to information and knowledge resources and services to meet the informational, educational, recreational and culture needs of the community through a range of national, institutional and public libraries.

           NKC has also suggested creating models for community college that would provide general education programmers as well as employment oriented programmes creating the flexibility for students to proper higher education later in life, NKC believes that all deserving students should have access to higher education, irrespective of their socio-economic background. easy access to knowledge, creation and preservation of knowledge systems. As per NKC report of 2006. Recognizing the importance of private and personal collection in the creation of knowledge and dissemination process, and the fact that there are several rich and valuable private and personal collection in existence in the country which need to be preserved for posterity, there should be an effort to include in the LIS sector. For this purpose, the National Mission/ Commission may set up a committee under the chairmanship of an eminent scholar. 

           It is well known to all that library is not a stack room of books. It is a store house of knowledge and source of information and ideas, a place for learning and inquiry, and for the generating of thought and the creation of new knowledge. Academic libraries like college libraries should have skilled & trained staff to meet the changing role of libraries, say, library and information handling skills, service orientation, ICT knowledge skills, communication and training skills, marketing and presentation skills, understanding of cultural activities, knowledge, mapping skills.

           National Knowledge Commission (NKC) Report under the chairmanship of Shyam Pitroda, 2006 inspired a great hope in educational sector, in the field of Library Administration, staff and readers community.  

           College Library has importance of its own. Like the colleges and the libraries are of integrated characters. The requirements & problems of the college libraries are also different. Though NKC working group on libraries did not throw the light separately on college library, as on public library, yet all related to college libraries are expecting that there will also be a reform in terms of collection, management, staffing and above all, service. But the picture in not so clear to as how & to what extent, it is possible. So, this is the hightime for the preparation, to absorb all the opportunities and challenges coming on the way in near future, which is not possible in isolation. The changing role of libraries includes library and information handling skills, service orientation, ICT knowledge skills, communication and training skills, marketing and presentation skills, understanding of cultural diversity knowledge mapping skills.

           As per report of NKC Academic library, college librarians keeping in view with the changing scenario of library staff in schools, colleges and university libraries should be reviewed and modified wherever required to meet the new challenges. The enlisting designation may also be reviewed by the national mission.

           The proper implementation of NKC's recommendations requires that teachers, schools, librarians should work hand-in-hand and look forward to a new digital era that includes e-book, e-journal etc. The present development in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) and changing scenario of Indian Academic Librarian will encourage the importance of software, staff patterns, collection development and management in a college library.

           All present performance as Scenario system of college library is being assessed & accredited by NAAC as quality enhancement necessary. As a result a college librarian has to perform various types of work like as, collection building, technical processing, circulation of reading materials and preservation services & information service related to carrier guidance course which includes classification & cataloging of documents for the performance measurement of college .

          Moreover, the ability to cater information from this library depends on up gradation & stands classification, cataloging, database streeting and exchanged formants. After all we can infer, in the light of NAAC visit of college library that the situation started to change in rendering library service to reader & scholars also in developing infrastructure of college library.

          Today we can't ignore that knowledge has become the driving force of social development and people's demand for more information and knowledge and it is increasing day by day. Therefore in knowledge based society college library has become a treasure house of human knowledge and participation in knowledge innovation and become an important link in the knowledge innovation chain. In the digital world, libraries are emerging as means of creation and dissemination of knowledge

          Out of my experience as a college librarian for long 33 years, it can be concluded that without proper well trained staff and proper staff pattern and the proper initiative of the Governing Bodies of respective colleges and total co-operation of teachers' council the mission of N.K. Commission will not be fulfilled.

Reference : 1. Souvenir – National Seminar of International academic libraries with the National Library. 2.  Higher Education in West Bengal and NAAC ed. By Dr. Tapati Basu. 3. NAAC news, quarterly newsletter, vol- V issue –III July- 2005. 4. University Education Vol- I, issue –IV March 2007, A Magazine on Higher Education. 5. NKC report 2006. 6. Rabindra Rachanabali Vol- VIII.

Dr Dilip Kr. Dey, Librarian, Tufanganj Mahavidyalaya.

=======================

When you signup for PayPal, you can start accepting credit card payments instantly. As the world's number one online payment service, PayPal is the fastest way to open your doors to over 150 million member accounts worldwide. Best of all, it's completely free to sign up! To sign up or learn more, click here:
https://www.paypal.com/in/mrb/pal=B2U6Q5C83VUTS