Round the clock librarianship
Devarai, Rajashekhar S. and Kalyane, V. L. (1995) Round the clock librarianship, in Raju, A. A. N. and Ramaiah, L. S. and Laxman Rao, N. and Prafulla Chandra, T. V., Eds. New vistas in library and information science : papers in honour of Professor G.V.S.L. Narasimha Raju, pp. 142-149. Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Abstract :
The concept of Round the Clock Librarianship (ROCLOLIB) is one such opportunity of terminal and critical importance to librarians, which helps people (clients) in general and reassures them about the professional commitment and devotedness of librarians. Although the concept is old, it is an exercise here to analyse its importance for the overall image and status of the practice/occupation. The chapter discusses the proposal of opening Libraries for 24 Hours. It also points out the reasons for the ROCLOLIB like: provision of information as a beginning of solution of an individual/group problem, readership/usership of library resources, identification of the profession among society, librarian as a scholar, residential librarianship, emergency librarianship, accessibility of information as a fundamental right, and overall it is a dream, a slogan, and a movement.
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Professions are providing the required manpower forindusnialisation and development for both the developing andthe developed countries. Industrialising societies areprofessionalising. (Goode, 1960) Professions offer best of services,high level of commitment for public welfare, a high level oftechnical/scientific expertise. Public' s recognition of a profession andits privileges depend on what critical areas/tasks of the society theprofession is involved in. Professionals believe that the more theyshow their efficiency, service mindedness and expertise, the morethey will be recognised by people for higher incomes, rewards andstatus in society.Probably due to some systemic inherent weaknesses and lack ofprofessional commitment to the general public, some occupationsremain as occupations and some as semi-professions. Nevertheless,members of every progressive occupation/craft wish their practice toacquire the coveted title of a profession. It is a struggle amongst theoccupations/crafts/jobs to offer the best of their services to peopleand in turn to attract public attention to acquire more social status,physical facilities and financial rewards.If we view it from this sociological backgroud and context,librarianshipl is one such occupational category which is in thestruggle for attracting more and more public attention for higherK-43Round the Clock Librarianship 143financial rewards and social status. roughly. speaking, based on anoverview of the literature of library science from a sociological pointof view, it appears that librarians in general are not aware as to whatspecifically they should be doing at this juncture and what theyshould not be doing, to raise their occupation/craft to that of aprofession.The concept of Round the Clock Librarianship (ROCLOLIB) isone such opportunity of terminal and critical importance to librarians,which helps people (clients) in general and reassures them about theprofssional commitment and devotedness of librarians. Although theconcept is old, it is an exercise here to analyse its importance for theoverall image and status of the practice/occupation.Why should Libraries be open for 24 HoursReaders/users of libraries in general come from diversebackgrounds, interests and places. Two major difficulties/constraintsof the reader/user in using libraries are time and place. By the time anemployee comes home from office the library (if at all it exists)nearest to his home or office is closed. There are some librarieswhich close during lunch hours-a time when some workers/wardsmay wish to use the library. In general, most of the public librariesthe world over being open during day-time are ideal for all those whowork on a regular basis during night shifts only. Those of thelibrarians who empathise (Kalyane and Devarai, 1993) for public andthose of the librarians who have continued to be readers of libraries(other. than those where they are employed) can comprehend theproblems of distance (home and library ) and time.The present timings of the libraries are suitable for those whocan avail some of their working time towards reading and towardsaccessing information in libraries. The authors are of the firm opinionthat due to inconvenience of time many committed potential users areunable to make use of libraries, either for reading or for accessing aparticualr piece of information. Information is of critical importancein many areas. It has become an essential input for progress anddevelopment. Though information has acquired vital importance inall walks of common man (Devrai and Damodaran, 1993) its practiceis still not very much focussed on the common man and his needs.144 New Vistas in Library and Information Science..Practicing infonnation for the common man whole heartedly meansbringing libraries nearer to his home and work place and keepingthem open round the clock. If the constrain~ of spa.ce (distance) andtime (round the clock) are solved the day is not very far whenlibrarianship will be considered as one of the essential services andthe practice of librarianship will acquire the coveted title of a"fullfledge profession ". .The ROCLOLffi is a very comprehensive phenpmenon havingcrucial implications for the profession. As one of the corollaries itimplies that the librarians are to be on duty round the clock. In everysuccessful profession the professional status and standing is achievedby sheer hard work, devotion and sac...ifice on the part of thepractitioner, the best example being that of a doctor. If at all alibrarian is interested in his professional development he shouldcontinue to be a librarian round-the-clock. He cannot cease to be alibrarian the moment he comes out of his office library. According toLancaster (1978), "The future of the librarian ~ies outside the library,closer to the community to be served. Modern communicationtechnology makes the de-instutionalised librarians an inGreasinglyfeasible proposition. " If time demands, he should be able todischarge his duties anywhere and everywhere. Librarians round-theclockmeans:-Infonnativeness of the librarians out of their libraries, office;~ Practice of residentiallibrarianship after office hours.-Eagerness to help clients making emergency calls. by cuttingshon ones resting time (sleep);Emergence of private library homes by enterprisinglibrarians in the model of nursing homes;Emergence of emergency wards/counters in big public,private and research libraries for priorotising among thelibrary /infonnation services;-Emergence of librarian as an information resourceconsultant;Emergence of librarians as freelancepractitioners off the libraries.informationRound the Clock Librarianship 145All these hypothetical derivations will come true in the year2001 if librarians pledge to practice their profession as a way of life.Librarianship in the near future will become their way of lifeprovided they decide to study the professional model and understandthe process of emergence of a new profession so that they can do theneedful for their practice to achieve professional status. (Devarai andDamodaran,1993)Provision of Information as a beginning of solution ofan individual/group problemAccording to sociologists society is a web of social relationships.When we derive further social relationships may be explained interms of stimuli and responses resulting in varied interactions.By keen analysis one can find out that the information resourceforms the very base of human interactions resulting in varied socialrelationships. Lack of sufficient information may result in unhealthy,incomplete and lopsided social relationships. Provision of rightinformation at a right moment help to solve many an individual andgroup problems. The problem rarely realised is the recognition of theexpert information from a professional for the solution of individualand social problems. It is not that the society does not recognise theimportance of information in human relationships, the problem is, ithas not yet recognised a professional expert to offer this service.Though libraries and librarians do exist, they are far and wide. Tasknumber one is to bring libraries to every city, colony, village, clanand tribe and the task number two is to enhance the working hours,the best arrangement being to open round-the-clock. This eventuallyleads towards proliferation of de-institutionalised freelance informationspecialists located far and wide in society-reaching theunreached. This ideal situation of freelance practice of infonnation ispossible only when libraries are open round-the-clock. This helpspeople to be more informative and help librarians to be moreequipped to answer information queries.Bernard Barber (1963) defined professional behilviour in tennsof four essential attributes, "a high degree of generalised andsystematic knowledge; primary orientation to the community interest146 N ew Vistas in Library and I nformation Sciencerather than to individual self-interest; a high degree of self control ofbehaviour through codes of ethics intemalised in the process of worksocialisation and through voluntary associations organised andoperated by the work specialists themselves; and a system of rewards(monetary and honorary) that is primarily a set of symbols of workachievement and thus ends in themselves, not means to some end ofindividual self interest". In a nutshell, the success of the ROCLOLIBdepends on professional behaviour of the practitioners and thepriority to information given by public in their day to'day lives.There is no class/segment of the population which will not bebenefited by the ROCLOLIB. As indicated earlier, infor:mation formsthe very base of human interaction. The ROCLOLIB enhancesgeneral readeTship/usership in society leading towards progress,prosperity and development. The ROCLOLIB helps students,teachers, people engaged in agriculture, industry, housewives~professi-onals, etc. It opens a new chapter in the professional historyof librarianship. Invariably librarians become user-friendly and stantaking active interest in developmental activities. Iuespective ofclass, caste, creed, profession, level of education. the ROCLOLIBwill benefit both librarians and society immea-surably.IdentificationThe practice of the ROCLOLIB. brings forth issues and problemsof practical importance. When librarians work round-the-clock theyneed to be recognised in the mob. They need to be recognised asprofessionals in the library (office) and home library. Above all, deinstitutionalisedlibrarians need to be recognised, identified. Hencethe need of a specific dress and badge for the librarian (be hestationed or f~eelance). Again libraries everywhere are to beidentified and noticed by the adoption of a symbol and a light (foridentification at nights). By this a needy individual locates a librarywith least effort and fulfills his information needs without wastingmuch time. This is an ideal situation when a needy individual/groupjust locates librarians (be he on the road, mob or home) with leasteffort and fulfills his/its information needs without wasting time.Round the Clock Librarianship 147ROCLOLIB and Bibliotherapy: J;Jack to ScholarLibrarianBibliotherapy is used in medical practice to a limited extent inthe treatment of m~ntally-retarded patients. The librarians working inhopsitallibraries have joined their hands with doctors in the practiceof bibliotherapy. They have restricted themselves to the task ofprovision of information and reading materials. Can we think of alibrarian who prescribes authoritatively a particular package ofinformation and reading materials to his clients/users? For this thelibrarian needs to be a scholar first. Are we moving towards theconcept of a scholar librarian in this age of electronics and in this ageof libraries as global information centres? If at all it comes. true theROCLOLIB will be a boon to bibliotherapists and the scholarlibrarians who prescribe, reading material to solve individual/socialproblems.Residential LibrarianshipThe concept of the ROCLOLIB to all librarians gives furtherfillip to have their own libraries at their homes. This is the beginningof the emergence of residentiallibrarianship. If librarians along withtheir library associations come out with total commitment andsacrifice this dream may come true. Finance should not be a problemwhen we are all committed workers. This will automatically makeroom for the development of appropriate tools and techniquesrequired.The practice of the ROCLOLIB together with the moderndevelopments in information technologies and computercommunication networks opens up new vistas in informationprovision and individual libraries will emerge as global informationcentres.Librarians need to do research into those areas of human socialwelfare, where their information resources are of critical and tenninalimportance. We have to identify those areas, where a particularpackage of instantaneous information is sine-qua-non for the very148 Ne,w Vistas in Library and Information Sciencesurvival of an individual/group and society. Hence, hypotheticallyspeaking, a band of librarians will emerge who ~e specialised incoping up with high risk emergency calls for packaged and gradedinformation. Hence the genesis of emergency librarianship.Librarians however committed, sincere, and dedicated they are,cannot by themselves create conditions conducive for theROCLOLIB. People should come out and demand library services.They must realise reading/accessing information as one of theirfundamental rights in their own welfare for their own well being.What librarians can do is to perform an educational function ofmaking people aware of the importance of information resources fortheir progress and development. If librarians and people join hands itshould be marked as a "THE DA Y" of mutual benefits whereinpeople get the best of librarians services and wherein librarians willrealise their much-awaited s~tus as a 'fullfledged profession'.ROCLOLIB: Education, Training and SocializationIf the practice of the ROCLOLIB is to be materialised it has tobecome a slogan; it has to become a movement of the whole band oflibrarians allover the world. The concept and idea is to be introducedat different levels in a holistic manner. It should be incorporated ineducational and training programmes from certificate to Ph.D. levels.Through a wide ranging, programme of seminars, symposia andconferences the ide~ should be popularised. We have to make wayfor the process of socialisation to operate. The youngsters and newcomersare to be oriellted about the ROCLOLIB and reassure themthat librarianship is not an occupation/practice/vocation/craft but ameaningful/purposeful ~ ;,!y of life.Towards ROCLOLIB: A Dream, A Slogan, AMovementFor those who live in intellectual boundaries, for those whonever dream impossibles and for thosc who cannot outclasscontemporary thinking, the ROCLOLIB may seem like a far cry!' AnRound the Clock Librarianshipideal situation where/when librarianship beGomes a true way of life,the dream of ROCLOLIB may turn into .a reality, it may take theshape of a slogan and a movement. If we pledge to offer only the bestto the society, if we want to be at the helm of the affairs of thesociety, let us take this as a professional challenge! A day is not farwhen we can acheive this goal and in turn expect only the best ofsocietal benefits, financial rewards and due status in society and leapforward to become a full fledged profession.
References
12.34.5The authors don't believe in the tricotomies of Librarianship/docwnentation/infonnation science. Hence. whereyer the wordlibrarian and librarianship is used in this paper they sh
Bernard Barber, "Some Problems in the Sociology of theProfessions", Daedalus: Journal of the American Academy of Artsand Sciences, 92.4,1963, pp. 669-689.
Rajashekhar S. Devarai and T. Damodaram "Ranganathan and theProfessional Development of Librarians: Study inProfessionology", University News 30.45, 1992, pp. 11-13.
W .J .Goode, "Encroachment, Charlatanism and the EmergingProfession: Psychology, Sociology and MedicLTle", AmericanSociological Review 25, 1960, pp. 902-914.
V .L. Kalyane and Rajashekhar S. Devarai, "Empathy in PublicLibrarianship: A Subjective and Qualitative Analysis", IndianJournal of Information, Library and Society. (Communicated).
F.W. Lancaster, Toward Paperless Information Systems, .~cademicPress, New York, 1978, pp. 153-159.6"!
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