Workshop to train library professionals in latest software

As many as 20 library professionals from across the country would be attending a three-day ‘mobile workshop’ as they travel from Greater Noida to Mathura learning new trends in the trade.

As many as 20 library professionals from across the country would be attending a three-day ‘mobile workshop’ as they travel from Greater Noida to Mathura learning new trends in the trade. To understand the challenges libraries face in the digitalised world, the participants would be trained in the latest software to manage “hybrid libraries”.

To understand the challenges libraries face in the digitalised world, the participants would be trained in the latest software to manage “hybrid libraries”. (Picture for representation)

The library professionals from different institutes across India will hop on a bus, equipped with computers and trainers and travel from Greater Noida to Mathura and Agra from March 2. The workshop is organised jointly by BIMTECH College and Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, an institute supported by Union Ministry of Culture.

“We have senior library professionals and librarians from institutes such as IIM Sirmaur, NIFT, NIT Rourkela, Assam University, BIMTECH College, Sharda University, Galgotia University, etc , who will attend the workshop,” said Dr Rishi Tiwari, chief executive officer, BIMTECH foundation.

The library professionals will be trained on ‘Koha’ software, a high-end interface used to manage library inventories “Usually, the software costs between ₹10- ₹12 lakh. In the workshop participants can learn to use it for free and then use it in their libraries at their respective institutes,” added Dr Tiwari.

According to Tiwari, the mobile workshop, will provide an opportunity to the library professionals to interact with their counterparts in Mathura and Agra and also make them understand nuances of hybrid libraries and challenges digitalisation poses. “Today, hybrid libraries include digital content, print content and preserved content and the world of libraries is fast evolving” said Dr Tiwari.