Can you share some glimpses of your background and journey towards librarianship?
Its bit interesting!
As my first PG degree (Development planning & Mgt) failed to get me quick jobs, I was looking at another course. I was helping a friend in translating L&IS course materials from English to local language and that familiarity made me pick Library Science for my second PG degree !
What would you consider the most rewarding parts of your job?
To be amongst books & literature, meeting interesting people and the sense of fulfilment looking at managers, students & faculty succeeding in their lives.
Many libraries are embracing technology and innovative services these days, can you share about any recent technological implementations or digital initiatives your library has undertaken?
Technology is a continual process. We recently added QR code based new user registration, digital display on our services/ resources, digital curation of select documents, self-check in systems, etc.. Federated search system and Library research desk are on the anvil.
How do you stay updated on the latest trends and advancements in library science and how do you incorporate these insights in our daily work?
Regular interactions with L&IS and IT professionals, participating in seminars & events, reading relavant literatures & visiting modern libraries help me keep updated. Discuss with team to review its suitability, feasibility, and ROI and then incorporate after making local changes.
What are the few challenges a librarian face in the career and how have you overcome those?
- Keeping updated with latest tools, technologies & platforms.
- Learning from the experiences / best practices of others and deploying the same.
- Keeping an eye on ROI and VOI (value on investments) to keep the mgt happy and excited.
If you could take a trip right now to visit any library in the world, which would it be and why?
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) in Egypt.
Its something similar to our Nalanda library in Bihar which was ruined by the earlier rulers. But the beauty with BA is it was rebuilt and today its one of the largest library and cultural center in the world, standing on the shore of the Mediterranean sea.
How about your Hobbies or what would you like to do apart from official work?
I don’t have any hobbies as such. But my leisure interests are travelling, watching TV, playing table tennis, etc.
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