The Odisha Library Academy (OLA), celebrated librarian’s day as well as its 6th annual day followed by a webinar on ‘User Equity and Inclusion: Role of Libraries in Education & Research during Pandemic’ on Tursday. Prof Govind Chakrapani, Vice-Chancellor, Berhampur University, who was chief guest, said anopportunity has come to open a Department of Library and Information Science at the Berhampur University to boost LIS education in south Odisha. The quality of an institute depends on its library. So, development of libraries and librarians is important for the education system.
OLA president Dr Banamber Sahoo, organising secretary Dr Nrusingh Kumar Dash. general secretary Dr Basudev Mohanty set the context of the event. Dr Sahoo emphasised that the library professionals working in colleges and universities are deprived of the proper UGC pay scale.
Prof Pravakar Rath, Mizoram Central University, and Prof Saroj Kanta Misra, Director, Silicon Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar, joined as guests while Dr Shankar Venugopal, Vice-President, Mahindra & Mahindra, Chennai, gave the keynote address. Dr Venugopal cited various Eureka moments and placed various models for planning future libraries.
The OLA also celebrated the 129th birth anniversary of Padma Shri Dr SR Ranganathan, the Father of Library Science, Information Science and Documentation. He was also honoured with a title of "National Research Professor”. Every year his birthday August 12 is celebrated as the National Librarian’s Day. in Indiawho had spearheaded library development in India.