[IFLA-L] International Essay Competition on S R Ranganathan
Prof. Dinesh K. Gupta
Dear Sir/ Madam
Central University of Haryana (India) in association with CSIR-NIScPR (New Delhi, India), DRTC (Bengaluru, India), SRELS , ISKO, IFLA Education and Training Section and Kelaniya University (Sri Lanka)
Invites Submissions from LIS Students
for
International Essay Competition
on
Relevance of Ranganathan's Approaches to the Modern-Day Information World
About Dr.S.R.Ranganathan
Dr S R Ranganathan, one of the greatest librarians and library scientist is recognized globally for his contributions to library science. He is also considered the Father of Library Science in India. His birthday (12th August) is observed in India as "Librarian's Day". His seminal contributions to LIS have been recognized and even carried forward by library ad information scientists around the world. His Five Laws of Library Science clearly define the goals and objectives of libraries and information systems. He is also the creator of the first major faceted classification scheme - the Colon Classification. A recipient Padma Shri award from the Government of India in 1957, Ranganathan was also awarded D.Litt. (Honorius Causa) by the University of Delhi in 1948 and the University of Pittsburg (USA) in 1964. The Government of India awarded him with the National Research Professorship in Library Science in 1965. Ranganathan received several other awards including Fellow of Library Association (UK), Honorary Vice President of Library Association (UK), Margaret Mann Citation (American Library Association), to mention a few.
Remembering SRR
The year 2022 marks 50 years since Dr. Ranganathan passed away. There is hardly any aspect of librarianship, information work and service that Ranganathan has not touched upon. Even nearly a hundred years after publication, his Five Laws of Library Science continue to be relevant and inspire LIS professionals, going by the several interpretations and reformulations that the laws have attracted in recent years. His facet-analytic approach has been seen as a universal method of subdivision that enhances its claim to be a useful design principle for information retrieval classifications in any field. His legacy can be seen in libraries and academic institutions all over India and elsewhere. Ranganathan and his ideas continue to attract attention as his tools and techniques continue to be relevant and find application even in the digital environment. To quote David Weinberger in an article he wrote in Forrester, “It’s as if Ranganathan designed Colon Classification in 1933 specifically for the kind of instant reshuffling that computers made feasible decades later”. The Five Laws of Library Science and the ‘analytico-synthetic’ approach to classification are among the most significant contributions to the theoretical underpinnings of librarianship that the 20th Century witnessed.
Yearlong Activities
The Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Haryana, is commemorating 50 years of the passing of Padma Shri Dr. S.R. Ranganathan. As a part of this a series of programmes were organized by the department beginning with a webinar on LIS Education after Dr. S.R. Ranganathan on 27 September 2021. The following activities in collaboration with organizations including IFLA Education and Training Section; IFLA Section on Library Theory and Research; SRELS, ISKO (Italy Chapter); and Ranganathan Research Circle were organized:
27 September 2021: Insights from working with Dr. S.R. Ranganathan: Lessons for the students
25 October 2021: Ranganathan’s Approach to Knowledge Organization: From Learners’ Perspective
27 November 2021: LIS Education and Research: During Ranganathan' s time and there after
27 December 2021: The spirit of Geometry and the spirit of Finesse : Some reflections on S.R Ranganathan’s Epistemology and its implications for knowledge organization
27 January 2022: Wikidata and Libraries: Faceted Classification, Bibliographic data and Authority Data
23 February 2022: What is living and what is dead in Ranganathan’s Contributions
28 March 2022: Redefining the Five Laws of Library Science: Participatory librarianship and digital presence
27 April 2022: Ranganathan's Approach to Library Training and Modern-Day Requirements
Guidelines for Participation in the Competition
At the culmination of the year-long activities to commemorate Dr S. R. Ranganathan, this international essay competition for students of LIS is being organized. Students of LIS are invited to participate in the essay competition.
- Essays can be submitted by any student of LIS school anywhere in the world
- Only one entry per entrant will be permitted
- Word limit: 1250-2000.
- Language: English
- File format: doc, docx
- Citation and referencing style: APA 7th edition
- File name: "candidatename_city_country_LISSchool"
- The decision of the judges will be final.
· Make sure you own the copyright to the submitted essay
- The Organizers of the competition can use/publish the submission and related data
Selection Process
An International Jury comprising of 5-7 Members from India and abroad will select the top 10 proposals.
Distribution of prize
The top 10 submissions will be selected by the jury, and winners will receive certificate from the organizers/sponsors. However, the first three runner-ups will get gift/cash prizes
Application submission process
The entrants are supposed to submit the entry with a Bona fide Certificate of Studentship from the Library School/Department. Link for submission of applications. The submission of the entries will be open between 01 June 2022 to 27 July 2022 at the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/141bIs-L9COOJzK_igFiMz9gqxfJVk7C_Wmh4viSw3kw/edit?usp=sharing
Link: Please visit the International Essay Competition page at the following link:
https://cuh.ac.in/international-essay-competition.aspx
Contact us:
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