National Librarian’s Day 2026 Celebrated at DLIS, Central University of Tamil Nadu

Dear All,

We are delighted to inform you that the Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN), celebrated National Librarian’s Day 2026 on 12 August 2026 at the Choza Central Library Hall, CUTN, with great enthusiasm and academic fervour. The programme commenced at 10:30 AM and was attended by faculty members, students, invited dignitaries, and members of the university library community. The programme began with a formal welcome to the distinguished guests. The gathering was honoured by the presence of Prof. E. M. Shankar, Dean of Research, CUTN, and Prof. B. Radha, Dean, School of Communication, CUTN, as the Guests of Honour. Respected faculty members, Dr. K. G. Sudhier, Departmental Programme Coordinator, and students were also present on the occasion.

The Welcome Address was delivered by Dr. S. Ravi Kumar, Associate Professor, CUTN, who warmly welcomed the dignitaries, faculty members, students, and the entire gathering. This was followed by the Presidential Address by Prof. S. Thanuskodi, Head, Department of Library and Information Science. In his address, he highlighted the significant role of libraries and librarians in supporting education and research, facilitating knowledge creation and dissemination, and contributing to the intellectual development of society. The programme then proceeded with the Librarian’s Day Special Talk, delivered by Dr. R. Parameswaran, Librarian, Choza Central Library, CUTN. The Guests of Honour, Prof. E. M. Shankar and Prof. B. Radha, subsequently addressed the gathering and shared their valuable thoughts on the importance of libraries and librarianship, as well as the role of learning and knowledge dissemination in contemporary society. Their insightful messages added academic significance to the celebration. 

One of the most memorable moments of the programme was the release of the Department Newsletter, Bibliophile, Volume 8, Issue 1, June 2026. The newsletter was released in the presence of the distinguished guests and faculty members. The occasion was particularly significant with the participation of the Guests of Honour, Faculty Editor Dr. K. G. Sudhier, and Student Editor Anugu Tejaswini. The release marked another important contribution to the academic and creative activities of the Department of Library and Information Science. The celebration was followed by the Prize Distribution Ceremony. As part of the National Librarian’s Day celebrations, the Department had organised competitions for students, including an Essay Writing Competition on the theme “Beyond the Bookshelves: What a Library Means to Me” and a Poster Making Competition on the theme “Library 2030.” The winners of the competitions were felicitated and presented with their prizes by the Guests of Honour. The ceremony provided an encouraging and memorable experience for the participating students and recognised their creativity and engagement with the theme of librarianship. The programme concluded with the Vote of Thanks delivered by Hari Krishnan S. N., Department Representative, Second Year MLIS. He expressed sincere gratitude to the dignitaries, Head of the Department, faculty members, programme coordinators, students, and all those who contributed to the successful organisation of the celebration.

The National Librarian’s Day 2026 celebration was a meaningful and memorable occasion that brought together the academic community of the Department of Library and Information Science to recognise and celebrate the invaluable role of libraries and librarians. The programme concluded on a positive and celebratory note, leaving the participants with a renewed appreciation for the enduring significance of libraries in fostering knowledge, learning, research, and the intellectual development of society.

Padma Shri Dr. S. R. Ranganathan's 134th Birth Anniversary Celebration on 15th August 2026

Dear All, 

We are delighted to inform you that the Department of Library & Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur and South Zone of Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centers (IASLIC), Kolkata have jointly organized National Librarians' Day Celebration on the occasion of Padma Shri Dr. S. R. Ranganathan's 134th birth anniversary on 15th August 2026 at 04:00 PM through Google Meet. 

On this occasion, Department has invited Prof. N. Laxman Rao, UGC Emeritus Fellow & Former Head, Department of Library & Information Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad as a special guest to deliver the theme talk "Library and Information Science Education in India at the Cross Roads."

LIS professionals are requested to join the program using the meeting link provided below.

Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/ekt-nfyq-rno

Successful Completion of Open Ph.D. Viva-Voce of Ms. Rima Hazarika, Ph.D. Scholar

Dear All,

We are pleased to inform you that Ms. Rima Hazarika, Ph.D. scholar in the Department, successfully defended her Open Ph.D. Viva-Voce Examination held in the Smart Classroom on 5th August 2026, at 11:00 AM. Her doctoral thesis was titled "Mapping the Open Access Landscape of State and Central Universities in North-East India: Insights from OpenAlex".

She presented her research work in brief and satisfactorily answered the queries raised during the Open Ph.D. Viva-Voce Examination. Prof. Sadanand Y. Bansode, Senior Professor & Dean, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, served as the External Examiner. Open Ph.D. defence was attended by 85 attendees, including 55 participants in person and 30 participants online. Dr. K. G. Sudhier, Assistant Professor and Research Supervisor, served as the Convener of the Open Ph.D. Viva-Voce Examination. The RAC Members Prof. Akhandanand Shukla, DLIS, CUTN and Prof. T. J. Abraham, Head, Dept. of English Studies, CUTN were also present during the Open Ph.D. Viva-Voce.

The Department congratulates Ms. Rima Hazarika on the successful completion of her Open Ph.D. Viva-Voce Examination and wishes success in her future academic and professional endeavours.

Librarians' Day Celebration with Essay Writing and Poster Making Competitions

Dear All,

We are delighted to share that the Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, is celebrating Librarians' Day on 12 August 2026 by organizing two student competitions—an Essay Writing Competition and a Poster Making Competition—to encourage creativity, critical thinking, and awareness of the evolving role of libraries and librarians.

The Essay Writing Competition is based on the theme "Beyond the Bookshelves: What a Library Means to Me." Participants are invited to submit an original essay in English (800–1,200 words) reflecting their personal experiences, observations, or perspectives on libraries and their role in learning, research, creativity, community engagement, and personal growth. The competition is open to all undergraduate, postgraduate, and research scholars of the University.

The Poster Making Competition will focus on the theme "Library 2030." Participants are invited to creatively illustrate their vision of future libraries by highlighting innovation, technology, sustainability, accessibility, lifelong learning, community engagement, and the evolving role of libraries and librarians. Both digital and hand-made posters are accepted, provided they are original and comply with the prescribed guidelines.

Entries for both competitions must be submitted on or before 10 August 2026. Essay submissions should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format, while digital posters should be submitted in PDF, PNG, or JPEG format. Hand-made posters (A3 size) may be submitted directly to the Department.

The winners of both competitions will receive Certificates and Mementos during the Librarians' Day celebration on 12 August 2026. In addition, the winning essay will be published in the next issue of Bibliophile, the departmental newsletter, and all poster entries will be displayed during the celebration.

The Department cordially invites all eligible students of CUTN to participate in these competitions and celebrate the spirit of libraries, knowledge, and lifelong learning through these engaging academic and creative activities.

For further information, participants may contact the student coordinators or write to librariansdaydlis2026@gmail.com.

Employment Achievement of Ms. Jeevitha S.

Dear All, 

We are delighted to inform you that Ms. Jeevitha S., a graduate of the MLIS program (2024-2026 batch) and an alumna of the Department of Library & Information Science at Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, has been appointed as Library Trainee at the Resource Centre of National Institute of Fashion Technology, Chennai for one year.

The Department extends its heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Jeevitha S. on this accomplishment and wishes her continued success in her future endeavors.