Celebration of National Librarian’s Day 2024, jointly organized by the DLIS, CUTN and IASLIC, Kolkata (South Zone)

Dear All,

The library community in India observes National Librarian’s Day on August 12, 2024, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Padmashri Dr. S. R. Ranganathan. This year also marks the centenary of Prof. S. R. Ranganathan’s entry into the LIS profession. The Department of Library & Information Science at Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN), Thiruvarur, in association with the Indian Association of Special Libraries & Information Centers (IASLIC, Kolkata, South Zone), jointly organized National Librarian’s Day 2024 on August 14, 2024, at 3:00 PM to celebrate the 132nd birthday of Padmashri Dr. S. R. Ranganathan. 

On this occasion, the DLIS, CUTN, invited Prof. B. Ramesh Babu, Commonwealth Fellow (Loughborough University) and former Professor in the Department of Library & Information Science at the University of Madras, as the special guest to deliver a keynote address on “Dr. Ranganathan’s Legacy in the Indian LIS Profession.”

The program began with a welcome address by Dr. Taddi Murali, Head of DLIS, CUTN, followed by an introduction by Dr. K. G. Sudhier, Assistant Professor, DLIS, CUTN, and Vice President of IASLIC, Kolkata. Dr. Sudhier provided an overview of Prof. B. Ramesh Babu, a distinguished figure in Library & Information Science in India. Prof. Ramesh Babu interacted with students, research scholars, faculty, and senior professionals nationwide through a Google Meet session organized by the department. He delivered an insightful talk about Dr. S. R. Ranganathan and his transformative impact on the field of librarianship in India. Prof. Ramesh Babu elaborated on Dr. Ranganathan’s teachings, such as the 'Five Laws of Library Science' and the 'Colon Classification' system, highlighting their continued relevance in today’s LIS profession and their role in fostering new research ideas. He also noted that the decline in the quality of the LIS profession in India is partly due to the insufficient implementation of Dr. Ranganathan’s principles and recommendations. Prof. Ramesh Babu emphasized the obligation of library professionals to uphold Dr. Ranganathan’s legacy and advance the field by embracing his values.

The glimpses of the program are given below:

Dr. V. K. Dhanyasree, Assistant Professor, DLIS, CUTN, delivered the concluding remarks, summarizing the guest speaker’s address. Dr. Anila Sulochana, Assistant Professor, DLIS, CUTN, offered a vote of thanks to the dignitaries and participants. Dr. K. G. Sudhier, Vice President of IASLIC, expressed gratitude to all who attended the celebration, particularly the students, research scholars, and LIS professionals across the country. Over 50 LIS professionals participated in the online event.

Thanks.