Re-Evaluation and Restructuring of Library Associations in India

[Ashis Biswas]

In the month of April I posted about the initiative of AIFUCTO to raise the several problematic issues like service condition, status ....etc. Some thought provoking discussion went on for three days in this forum regarding the issue. Some proposed why we would go with AIFUCTO to raise our issues ............

In reply I mentioned some points. Among them one is lack of true representation of LIS professionals in national level.

In connection with that matter an article was published in International Journal of Library and Information Science (http://www.iaeme.com/Journalcureentissue.asp) (IJLIS), vol.3, no.1, p.82-89

The article attached (Open with Adobe Reader)

[Sri Abhijit Chatterjee]

There is need to have more focused conversation in this regard....

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Sri Biswas,

Thank you so much for your post and the article you have published.
Indeed it is an well thought of issue which we have felt since long but hardly taken sincere effort to put our thoughts in black & white in the form of a full fledged paper in a journal.. You are certainly praiseworthy for this Endeavour!

I had, sort of mixed feelings ongoing through your article and I am providing my views:

Multiplicity of Associations & Merger of Associations:

I have gone through your article and I specifically refer to the point #5 where you have discussed about problems confronting Library Associations. What you have proposed is virtually merger of National level Associations as you have opined that multiplicity of associations stands to be a major problem perplexing LIS & as such, a Librarian in India has to become member of at least three professional associations; (a ) Profession Specific Association, (b) State Level Association and (c) National Level Association. However, I have doubt whether unification of associations will serve any better. It is a bare fact that the WBCLA has been the most proactive association to make many positive things relating to pay scales & status for College Librarians in West Bengal. The National level Association or State level Association had never been so active like WBCLA on that issue. It may sound bitter yet true that if such Profession Specific Associations can coordinate at state level, they can achieve more for their members. Because being a homogenous group, the goals of all its members are same.

Serving Condition, Status, Long Pending Vacancies,
Creation of more job opportunities & running the Associations through contribution of motivated members etc.

You have mentioned about representation of Library professionals regarding Serving Condition, status, long pending vacancies, creation of more job opportunities etc.
I must add here that we, the members of an association are mostly interested about our own issues. Hardly we seriously do about our commitments and if any association ever initiates serious effort to establish such issues, I have every doubt how many of its members will renew their membership for the next year!! I have read an appeal from the part of WBCLA for financial contribution in the LIS Links a couple of months ago. It reminded me an old proverb when danger is gone, God is forgotten. You have mentioned about running associations through contributions from motivated members that is why I raised the issue. Besides, the employment scenario is so pathetic because of huge number of pass-outs every year. Unless, this is drastically restricted, in near future we shall see Ph.D holders as Library Attendants. I am already seeing a Masters+ M.Lib.Sc. as Library Attendant in my own institute!!

Infringement of Politics and Autonomy of Associations:

Your statement about infringement of political power in the functioning of Library Associations and their potential drawbacks is absolutely correct. I accept it whole heartedly!! But the question is if the big shots of the associations indulge into such activities to become members of various govt. bodies, how can one expect that the associations will retain their own autonomy? Never-the-less, there are ample evidence of tacit infiltration of political members in associations!!

Accreditation by LIS Associations:
This proposal of yours is certainly well thought of & quite acceptable. In advanced countries professionals associations provide accreditations and they are acceptable to the Government and employers. Never-the-less, the viability of Professional Associations becomes more pronounced for such purposes.

Restructuring & Evaluation of Association activities is a felt necessity. But the associations should be legally empowered to undertake certain activities. Like, say, for instance, the certificate course of Library Science conducted by the BLA is approved by W.B. Government for employment in town/rural Libraries. The National Medical Library conducts a crash course on Health Sciences Librarianship for practicing Medical Librarians. This course is regarded as a desired qualification for appointment of library professionals in higher grade in Medical Colleges/Research Institutes in India. At the same time the Associations should also be empowered to provide “charter” to professionals for a definite period of time (you have mentioned the same thing as accreditation) which should be renewed after the specific period and it should be made mandatory. The Associations should also be empowered to conduct CEP (Continuing Education Programme) to validate the qualification over years in the context of changes in technology application. I have done M. Lib Sc. more than three decades ago when punched cards were used to operate computers!! We were introduced more to the preliminaries of the theory and no hands on practical applications at all! I must confess that knowledge we acquired on computer is virtually obscure in handling computers as everyday routine job for all practical purpose. Most of our generation are thus either self-taught or had to undergo specialized trainings or course works to retain ourselves in profession or to rise in professional hierarchy!! However, as there was no dictum of any standardized course work, we had the liberty to choose the easiest course work/ training and continue our job hassle free!!

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta