Media Release

Udupi, Feb 5: SEARCH -The Health Sciences Library and Department of Library and Information Science, MAHE, Manipal organized the fifth NACML Conference from February 3 to 4. The primary objective of the conference was to provide platform for LIS professionals to share their experience in providing user-centric resources and services in their respective libraries through paper presentations and to discuss the planning and designing of user-centric systems and services in various types of libraries to meet the future requirement of users.

The conference saw enthusiastic and active participation of LIS professionals from across the country. The keynote address was presented by Dr Shantanu Ganguly, professor and director, School of Management, NIMS University, Jaipur. The conference featured eight Invited Talks, three product demonstrations and four technical sessions on different themes.

The guest speakers at the conference were Dr K P Vijayakumar, former head, DLISc, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Dr Satish Kanamadi, librarian, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Dr G Rathinasabapathy, University Librarian, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Dr Rupesh Kumar, assistant professor, DLISc, Tumkur University, Dr S Padmamma professor, DLISc, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, Dr K Surendra Babu, professor, DLISc, Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati, Dr Roby Methew Gev, manager – India (S & E) & SAARC EBSCO, India, Dr J Vivekavardhana, professor and librarian, Central University of Kerala, Dr Mohamed Haneefa, K, professor and head, DLISc, University of Calicut, Calicut, Dr Nagappa Bakkannavar, head, Information Resource Centre, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Bengaluru, Dr Neetinakumar Patil, associate professor, Centre for Integrative Medicine, and Research (CIMR) – Yoga, MAHE, Manipal.

In the inaugural session, Dr K Shivananda Bhat, conference convener, indicated and enlisted the objectives and the purpose of holding 5th NACML at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal. Dr Gururaj S Hadagali, conference director, briefed about the conference, papers to be presented, product demonstrations, division of technical sessions and number of invited talks during the two days of the conference. Dr Sharath Kumar Rao, pro vice chancellor – Health Sciences, MAHE, Manipal and guest of honour, in his speech, remembered the contribution of Dr S R Ranganathan (Father of library movement in India) and his five laws of Library Science. He said that change is constant, and it is inevitable that one should update their knowledge from time to time to cope with the technological developments.

Further, he briefed about the facilities and infrastructure available at MAHE. Library is considered as the temple of knowledge, said, Dr H S Ballal, pro chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal in his chief guest address. He said that learning is a continuous process. To create knowledge, library is important and, in the AI powered society they are becoming idea centres, he added. He believes that library helps to update the knowledge of the users. Dr Mahabaleshwar Rao, conference coordinator and deputy chief librarian and associate professor, Department of Library, and Information Science, proposed a vote of thanks. Dr Rekha D Pai, chief librarian, Manipal Institute of Technology and associate professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal, was the master of ceremony.