Library 2.0

It is funny to put version numbers and make existing concepts sound different. Though there exists the concept of understanding a user and practical pain points, we have never been serious in making things happen for the user.

We have been championing various fads in business and talking of the same thing. The concepts and tools of knowledge management, data mining, long tail, etc basically talk of delivering value to the user. Library 2.0 also talks of the same concepts. In fact Dr. S R Ranganathan's laws of library science have more relevance now for librarianship now than they were when introduced to library professionals.

Probably Library 2.0 is the Munnabhai's way of introducing or remaking Dr. SRR's philosophy to the new generation.

Freedom from text books!

It is ironical that today libraries are lamenting on under utilisation of its resources. The reasons stem from our learning-teaching processes that do not promote global exposure. Even at the post graduate level of education we have prescribed text books. This stunts the growth of the learner and narrows the scope of intellectual pursuit. Forcing learners to read and refer as many authors and works as possible gives ample exposure to various points of view and enriches the learning process.

Getting away from evaluation based class room delivery to learner driven class room interaction will enhance the quality of education at all levels. The dependency of text books should reduce as we go up the ladder of education. Freedom from text book based education to thinking based learning is what we need.

Education: A telling tale...

Professional institutes producing graduates in large numbers who are unemployable by the industry, industry recruiting students who are 'not yet ready', teachers who need tons of training and exposure to deliver the quality that is desired, etc .....

What are we upto? How can we do this? Disturbing yet true. We need some immediate and concrete action points to address this issue. Quality in education doesnot mean only content but encompasses design, delivery and pedagogy. It also means administering the education in terms of learning and teaching beyond the classroom. Probably sensitization to the fact that learning doesnot happen only in the classroom and in fact it happens more outside the classroom is very important. Taking undue credit for the high learning potential of a student by the teacher or faculty is undesirable.

It is a common place phrase that 'I was born intelligent and educaiton ruined me' that can be seen on many young peoples t-shirts. It is a telling tale.

Where is the National Knowledge Commission?

I am amazed at the things that are being talked about and of course concretely suggested by the knowledge commission on one of their focus areas - Libraries.

I think it was quite commendable for the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) to consider libraries as one of their focus areas and quite rightly so, considering their role in creating a knowledge society. The initial enthusiasm when the NKC was constituted seems to be missing and with elections round the corner, judicial activism on the fore, Indian cricket, etc the media is also contributing to the memory loss as far as NKC is concerned.

It is sad that a initiative like NKC is being ignored and it seems like the death of NKC in the making. The sadness is more pronounced as it was an excellent conceptual framework to begin with. Though a country like India needs much more than just the limited NKC brains to think of the future, especially the Knowledge centric India.

Sam did a wonderful job on the constitution of various working groups but to take this further much more is required!

Anil