Kohima, May 17 (MExN): A one day workshop on ‘Identifying quality indicators in library and information services at higher education institutions’ was held today in the conference hall of the Directorate of Higher Education.
Addressing a gathering of librarians from several institutions of higher education, Kuholi Chishi, Director of Higher Education stated, “Library is the heart of any institution but very often, a forgotten aspect in an institution.” Maintaining that “librarians work very hard to ensure that we are able to get the right books and cater to the needs of the students and the teachers as well,” she said, “while we are very busy with the transaction of knowledge and the teaching-learning process that takes place in the classroom, we often forget how important this place is for the students as well as the teachers.”
In this regard, she pointed out that teachers particularly think libraries are for students who are very poor to afford books for themselves. Dwelling further on the significance of library, she said the workshop was conducted to ensure the quality aspect in library management and library transaction. “NAAC emphasizes so much on quality in terms of library performance,” she added and called upon the librarians to participate enthusiastically.
Session Chair for the inaugural, Menuokholie Kire, Joint Director of Higher Education noted that currently a little more importance is being given to classrooms but emphasized that a time will come when the importance will shift to libraries.
Resource person for the workshop, Dr. T. Temjen, Deputy Librarian, Nagaland University, Lumami highlighted that quality, in the context of a higher education institution, is multi-dimensional wherein the functioning of a library can be said to manifest one such dimension. Pointing out that library is the fulcrum of support for the entire range of academic activities in an educational campus, he stressed on the importance of improving the quality of library and information services. He further deliberated on the topics such as woes of a librarian, management of library and information services, services provided to users, extent of the use of services, best practices in library and information services, collection and services, use of information and communication technology in libraries among others.
Lendina, Librarian of Fazl Ali College, Mokokchung was the chair for the first session, while Dr. Sashilemla, Librarian, SCTE Kohima chaired the second session. Atula B. Aier, OSD (SLQAC), Higher Education gave the concluding remarks. The one-day workshop was organised by the State Level Quality Assurance Cell (SLQAC), Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Department of Higher Education.
