Bachelor of Library and Information Science, Masters of Library Information and Science, Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications, Ph.D. in Library and Information Sciences, and Masters in Computer Applications. Just some of the studies and degrees our June librarian spotlight interviewee holds over his vast career in libraries. Read on to meet and get to know a bit more about Dr. VIjay Raghav Tiwari of IISER – Kolkata.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you get into the field of librarianship?
To be very honest, When I was doing my Post Graduation in Commerce, I never thought of this profession at all. After doing M.Com. I came to know about this profession and I got admitted to B.L.I.Sc course due to its job proximities and got through it with 2nd position in my batch so I got admission in MLISc as the seats were only 3 for freshers. During the time of the BLISc course, my Study Tour of Delhi libraries gave me real inspiration to become a library professional. After MLISc I got a job in a Govt College in MP as an assistant librarian. After six months I got a better job in a Defense College, and after that, I moved to an NIT. I became an Information Scientist/Assistant Librarian in 1999. In 2003 I joined a DAE Institute, HRI, Allahabad as Scientific D and the E subsequently. I left HRI in 2015 and joined IISER Kolkata as Librarian. This is my journey to date.
What are your day-to-day responsibilities as a librarian?
Basically, the librarian position is such that it is not meant for day-to-day responsibilities, but for looking at the overall development of the library. Of course, the day-to-day works are there, which are performed every day, such as checking and responding to emails, instructing staff for their work, assessing their performance, addressing users’ requests and complaints, if any, and administrative jobs, etc.
But a Librarian is supposed to look forward to the planning of library development within the framework of our institution’s growth and users requirements. These activities can be different in different libraries at different times. But basically looking for increasing users’ satisfaction level in terms of collection development, better furniture, better facilities for reading, ambiance ( space, connectivity, changes in library services as per technological developments, and many more..)
The library resources and users have changed during my time from print to electronic , storage has gone up, in comparison to cost. The internet has evolved; smartphones and connectivity have reached such a high level that everyone is carrying it.
The collection level and format have changed in a big way, retrieval methods have changed, catalogs have come up from print cards to OPACs. RFID and check gates, self-check-in check-out units have changed the scenario. There are different libraries that are in different states of condition, so the librarian has to take these up to the mark where users can feel their smoothness.
What were some of the major challenges you faced at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Well COVID has given us and touched us in a big way in all spheres of life including the library services. The solution lies in print to electronic content. We in our library have been a little fortunate that being a comparatively newer institution we have always preferred the E-content over print. So the accessibility goes higher. But yes, when the lockdown stage came we were struggling to provide the services online from outside/remote access. However, we tried to reach them through our own open-source software through VPN access but it was limited to the senior students and faculty only. We explored the commercial software which was extended to us as a trial version for four to five months. It helped our users in a big way. Later on, we finalized with MyLOFT for providing remote access facilities to our users for library materials. It has been quite smooth and user-friendly and has been extremely helpful to us.
How have you been able to overcome or adjust to the challenges faced?
Certainly this time we have had to change our library services in a big way. The physical library services were closed to users. All our library team started helping the users through other platforms i.e. messengers, emails, official and personal mails, WhatsApp chats, and sending the required material through emails and other modes. The library timings have no limits, the queries were answered even in odd hours and on weekends to keep our users satisfied.
What subject, topic, or issue has piqued your interest recently? What are you doing to further your learning as a librarian?
We are information professionals, so we need to provide in different modes. The library services are changing at the same pace with technology developments. The technology gives us the solution and we implement it in our library services. Now for instance these days most of the users come to the library to get a better ambiance for reading, so our goal is to provide a better ambiance for the same.
We are planning to provide the users with a presentation room for practicing presentations; Skype room facilities, discussion rooms for discussing facilities, Mobile taking zones etc.
I am still learning to create a cohesive unit for library services. In the process, I want to learn all new technologies introduced in the field of library management. I have been constantly upgrading my knowledge. After doing BLISc and MLISc (1985), I did UGC NET (1996), PGDCA (1999) PhD in library and information science (2006), and finally MCA (2010). Even after getting degrees, one learns every day from its environment so I am.
What would you consider the most rewarding parts of your job?
The most rewarding part of my professional career is to get users’ satisfaction at whatever level I get. I am still extending my services to other institutions, where I served earlier with my fellow colleagues working in different libraries. I feel more satisfied doing so. There are a few users whom I had never seen in my life but they get information/required academic material from me.
Can you share one aspect of librarianship that is particular to your country or geographic region?
There are many anomalies in the library services in different parts of India and its stats due to the financial crunches but they offer the same degrees. I feel that in this electronic era we are still lacking in our resource-sharing practices. I had worked in quite reputable institutes but there are many nearby which can’t afford such costly resources, but resource sharing can help them in a big way. In the current scenario, we can share our content with anyone in the world in just a flick of a button through emails, and larger sizes too with drive sharing, etc.
I still feel it is important to our profession.
Tell us something more about yourself, what do you do in your spare time?
You might have seen in my earlier paragraphs that I acquired many degrees related to my professional development. But my hobby is to keep myself updated with the latest information in whatever field it may be. Personally, I am a sports lover and watch almost any sport in my leisure time Cricket, especially even if India is not there on the field. I like music too, listening to songs.
If you could take a trip right now to visit any library in the world, which would it be and why?
If I get a chance to visit the Library of America, I would try to read about its services and development from history to today’s activities and its reach to society as a whole.
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