Special Lecture on Open Access Week 2025@DLIS, CUTN

Dear All, 

This is to inform you that Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu has organized a special online lecture as part of the International Open Access Week 2025 on 22nd October 2025 (Wednesday) through Google Meet. Mr. Mohamed Baessa, Interim Library Manager, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and Manager of Research Output & Preservation Services was invited as the speaker, and he delivered the talk on “Open Access: Institutional Pathways Toward Knowledge Ownership”.

The program commenced with a welcome address given by Prof. S. Thanuskodi, Head, Department of Library and Information Science, CUTN, Thiruvarur followed by a brief introduction of the resource person by Dr. Anila Sulochana, Assistant Professor at Department of Library and Information Science, CUTN. 

Mr. Mohamed Baessa, who serves as Interim Manager of the Library at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Manager of Research Output & Preservation Services, delivered a comprehensive talk. He began with an overview of KAUST and the global Open Access (OA) movement, offering a clear definition of “Open Access” and tracing its key institutionalization milestones. He then outlined the three main OA routes—Green OA (self-archiving in institutional repositories), Gold OA (publishing openly in journals), and Hybrid OA (subscription-based journals offering open-access options)—followed by an overview of the KAUST Library, established in 2009.

He elaborated on the library’s services and the university’s faculty-driven Open Access policy, highlighting the Institutional Research Tracking System (IRTS), a proactive mechanism that mandates the submission of manuscript versions of all university research outputs. He further noted that, from 2017 onward, KAUST implemented a Faculty Annual Review System and an Institutional Research Evaluation System, detailing how the library monitors and supports these internal processes.

Mr. Baessa also discussed the achievements and challenges encountered during policy implementation and concluded by sharing key takeaways from the KAUST experience. The program featured a lively Q&A session, with participants raising insightful questions on issues such as tracking institutional research outputs, ensuring faculty compliance with OA policies, and addressing incomplete metadata in repositories (e.g., missing titles or author names).

The lecture was coordinated by Dr. Anila Sulochana, Assistant Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, and attended by more than 50 participants from India and abroad. The session concluded with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Prof. Akhandanand Shukla. Ms. Anjali V., an MLIS second-year student, served as the rapporteur for the program.

The glimpses of the program are given below:

The Department extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended the program and generously shared their valuable time with us.

Celebrating International Open Access Week 2025@DLIS CUTN

Dear All,

This is to inform you that the Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, has scheduled a celebration of International Open Access Week 2025. 

Mr. Mohamed Baessa, Interim Library Manager, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and Manager of Research Output & Preservation Services, will be the invited speaker to deliver a talk on “Open Access: Institutional Pathways Toward Knowledge Ownership” on October 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM (IST) through Google Meet.

Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/bwu-eunf-upz

Date & Time: 22nd October 2025, 02:00 PM (IST)

Abstract of the Program

Since the Budapest Open Access Declaration in 2001, the institutional Open Access (OA) movement has continued to reshape scholarly communication by making research outputs freely available online to anyone, anywhere, with minimal restrictions on use. The overarching goal has been to increase the visibility, usage, and impact of research, while addressing the central question behind this year’s Open Access Week theme: “Who owns our knowledge?”

Over the years, universities have adopted various approaches to answer this question through multiple OA pathways—primarily Green OA, which enables self-archiving through institutional repositories, and Gold OA, which provides immediate access via publishers. More recently, Transformative Agreements have emerged, converting subscription spending into support for open publishing. Each pathway offers distinct advantages; however, institutions often adopt a blend of these approaches to meet the diverse needs of disciplines and financial contexts.

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a graduate research university established in 2009 in Saudi Arabia, brings together faculty and students from over 120 nationalities to conduct cutting-edge research in key areas such as water, energy, environment, and food. KAUST has been at the forefront of advancing Open Access—establishing its institutional repository in 2011, adopting a Green OA policy in 2014, and signing its first Transformative Agreement in 2019. Today, KAUST maintains one of the highest Open Access compliance rates globally, exceeding 80% over the past five years through a combination of Green OA, Gold OA publishing, and transformative agreements with major STEM publishers.

These achievements underscore the University’s strong commitment to Open Access and faculty engagement, demonstrating how coordinated institutional strategies can enhance research visibility and foster knowledge ownership within and beyond the academic community.

This program will take you through KAUST’s Open Access journey, highlighting key milestones, lessons learned, and strategies that have strengthened research visibility, faculty engagement, and knowledge ownership both within and beyond the University.

All are invited to attend the program.

Special Lecture on Open Access Week 2024@DLIS, CUTN

Dear All,

This is to inform you that the Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, celebrated International Open Access Week 2024 by organizing a seminar on the theme "Open Source Software and Community Development" on 29th October 2024 (Tuesday) at 2:30 PM in the Smart Classroom of the Department. Dr. Thiyagarajan P., Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, CUTN, was invited as the speaker and delivered a lecture on “Open Source Software in Libraries.”

The program commenced with a welcome address by Dr. K. G. Sudhier, Assistant Professor in the Department of Library and Information Science, CUTN, Thiruvarur, who emphasized the significance of open access, followed by a brief introduction of the resource person.

Prof. S. Thanuskodi, Head of the Department of Library and Information Science at CUTN, presented a welcome gift to Dr. P. Thiyagarajan as a special gesture. Dr. Thiyagarajan delivered a lecture on the topic "Open Source Software for Libraries," where he emphasized the importance of open-source software and community development in fostering collaboration and promoting digital inclusivity. He discussed popular open-source software alternatives, highlighting their benefits and applications, particularly in the field of library science. Dr. Thiyagarajan also presented real-world examples of successful open-source projects, including Linux.

The lecture was coordinated by Dr. K.G. Sudhier, Assistant Professor in the Department of Library and Information Science at the Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, and was attended by first- and third-semester PG students, research scholars, and LIS faculty members. The session concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Ananya Boruah, a third-semester MLIS student.

Below are some glimpses of the program:

Department thanks to all who attended the program and shared their valuable time with us.

Celebrating Open Access Week 2024@DLIS CUTN

Dear All, 

This is to inform you that the Department of Library & Information Science at Central University of Tamil Nadu is organizing a seminar to celebrate International Open Access Week 2024. Dr. Thiagarajan P., Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at CUTN, will be invited as the speaker to deliver a talk on "Open-Source Software and Community Development" on October 29, 2024, at 2:30 PM in the Smart Classroom of the Department of Library & Information Science, CUTN.

All are invited to attend the program and enhance their knowledge about open-source software and its role in community development.

Special Lecture on Open Access Week 2023@DLIS CUTN

Dear All,

This is to inform you that Department of Library & Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu celebrated International Open Access Week on 31^st October, 2023. On the occasion, Dr. A. Chandrashekaran, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur delivered the talk on “Open Access Aids for Education”.

Department thanks to all who attended the program and shared their valuable time with us.

Thanks.

Special Lecture on Open Access Week 2022@DLIS CUTN

Dear All,

This is to inform you that Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu has organized a special online lecture as part of the International Open Access Week 2022 on 26th October, 2022 (Wednesday) through Google Meet. Dr. Anup Kumar Das, Documentation Officer, Centre for Studies in Science Policy, JNU New Delhi was invited as the speaker and he delivered the lecture on “Open for Climate Justice: A Brief Overview of Digital Library on Green Mobility (DLGM)”. The program commenced with a welcome address given by Dr. Akhandanand Shukla, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Library and Information Science, CUTN, Thiruvarur followed by a brief introduction of the resource person by Dr. S. Ravi, Professor at Department of Library and Information Science, CUTN.

Dr. Anup Kumar Das started the lecture by giving some introductory ideas about climate change and its effects on people and society. He informed that the obvious solution for this crisis is to reduce Carbon emissions and to achieve that, an urgent call for transforming the present transportation system is needed. The present status of E-mobility in India was discussed in this context, and it explicitly indicates that India stands at the cusp of a groundbreaking revolution in electric mobility. Government initiatives in this area were also pointed out by the resource person. The first initiative was the content of the Digital Library on Green Mobility (DLGM). It is a portal for getting E-vehicle information and other Government policies related to E-mobility. The purpose, features and resources of a similar kind of portal, E-Amrit, launched by NITI Ayog, were also mentioned. Shoonya, the zero pollution mobility campaign with its different tools kits, the establishment of an EV charging station in different parts of the country, and adapting EVs in the Indian army sector had also become the topic of discussion. Some state initiatives on the same were also included in the lecture session. An active Q&A session took place thereafter where Scholars and Faculties exchanged ideas and cleared their doubts on certain issues.

The lecture was coordinated by Dr. Anila Sulochana, Assistant Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur and attended by 28 participants. The lecture session ended with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Anila Sulochana. Mr. Abhijith B., Junior Research Fellow, worked as the rapporteur in the program. The glimpses of the program are given below:

Department thanks to all who attended the program and shared their valuable time with us. 

Thanks.

Special Lecture on Open Access Week 2021@DLIS CUTN

Dear All,

This is to inform you that Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu has organized a special online talk as part of the Open Access Week 2021 on 30th October, 2021 (Saturday) through Google Meet. Dr. Sridhar Gutam, Senior Scientist in ICAR-IIHR and working group member, Open Access India was invited as the speaker and he delivered the talk on “Building Structural Equity with Open Access”. The program commenced with a welcome address given by Dr. Akhandanand Shukla, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Library and Information Science, CUTN, Thiruvarur followed by a brief introduction of the resource person by Dr. S. Ravi, Professor at Department of Library and Information Science, CUTN.

Dr. Sridhar Gutam started his talk with explaining the importance of open access and why science has to be open in this era. He continued with a brief explanation of the current landscape and history of open access and open science. He introduced this year’s International Open Access Week theme “It Matters How We Open Knowledge: Building Structural Equity” which highlights the individual and collective action required in our approach, decisions, actions, and investments in knowledge sharing to ensure that equity is foundational. He talked about their goal of sustainable development force to achieve soon by attaining access to information for everyone. He went on to talk about the data-information and knowledge cycle, how open access is about scholarly communications and librarians’ roles in making scholarly communication happen. He continued explaining how this will only be possible not only through access to information, but also through open innovation, open metrics to find how science is progressing, access to methods, open infrastructure etc. He emphasized on the role of preprints in rapid dissemination, about their characteristics, pros and cons, their status etc. Then he gave us an insight into the free culture work approved licenses. He elaborated on copyright in research and academic publications and their vital role in open access. An active Q& A session took place thereafter where Dr. S. Ravi, Dr. Akhandanand Shukla and Dr. Anila Sulochana also expressed their views and concerns regarding open access.

The lecture was coordinated by Dr. Anila Sulochana, Assistant Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur and attended by 36 participants. The lecture session ended with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Anila Sulochana. Ms. Nayanthara S., Research Scholar, worked as the rapporteur in the program. The glimpses of the program are given below:

Department thanks to all who attended the program successfully and shared their valuable time with us.

Thanks.

Special Lecture on Open Access Week 2020@DLIS CUTN

Dear All,

This is to inform you that, Department of Library & Information Science, School of Communication, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur organised a special lecture program on the occasion of "Open Access Week 2020" on Monday, 19th October, 2020 at 11 AM through Cisco Webex platform. Prof. Sai Baba Magapu, TV Raman Pai Chair Professor, National Institutes of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore has been invited as the resource person (speaker) on the occasion. He delivered very thought provoking and informative talk on the topic "Access to the Information Resources: The Transition in the Digital Era". Dr. Anila Sulochana welcomed everyone in the program; Prof. S. Ravi, Head of Department has introduced about the resource person to the participants. More than 35 participants successfully attended the lecture program. Question-answer session was moderated by Dr. Akhandanand Shukla. Resource person has answered the queries raised by the participants. At the end of the program, a formal vote of thanks has been proposed by Dr. Anila Sulochana, Co-ordinator of the program.

The abstract of the lecture program has been given below: 

Providing access to information resources plays a crucial role in carrying out research, taking the outcomes of the R&D into tangible products and more importantly imparting education. With getting connected in the digital space becoming the new norm, the transition of users seeking information to information becoming available to the users, has happened. More importantly the emergence and dominance of newer non-library information sources. Open science and open access to information resources have been in discussion for some time. Taking cognition of the change in the way information is becoming available, libraries and librarians are making the transition. Traditional Librarians to Information Officers to Knowledge Managers. The talk summarized some of the developments and the need for re-skilling of the information science professionals to adapt to the change and the opportunities it offers.

The glimpse of the program is given here under:

Department thanks to all who attended the program successfully and shared their valuable time with us.

Thanks.