Dr. T.B. Rajashekar – 18th Memorial Lecture 2023 on: “The Changing Role of Librarians in Higher Education” by Mr. Raja Visvanathan (Date & Time : Friday, 23 June 2023 at 3:00 pm)
Title: The Changing Role of Librarians in Higher Education
Speaker : Mr Raja Visvanathan, Scientist – C, INFLIBNET Centre.
Date: Friday, 23 June 2023
Time: 3 p.m. IST
Abstract of the talk:
In the dynamic landscape of higher education, the role of librarians has evolved far beyond being mere custodians of books. They have emerged as critical contributors to academic excellence, information literacy, and research support within educational institutions.
During the talk, I will examine the librarian’s role in the digital era and how Librarians have to transform from traditional to digital by enabling various online services and helping institutions with their accreditation and ranking process by providing innovative services.
Furthermore, the talk will highlight librarians’ crucial support in the research process. From assisting in literature reviews and research methodologies to helping scholars access relevant databases and resources, librarians play a vital role in enhancing the quality and impact of research endeavours.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of library services, including the integration of technology, digital repositories, and open-access initiatives. We will explore how librarians are at the forefront of embracing emerging technologies, curating digital collections, and fostering innovative approaches to knowledge dissemination.
About the speaker:
Mr Raja Visvanathan is currently working as a Scientist-C (Computer Science) at INFLIBNET Centre, An IUC of the University Grant Commission (UGC), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, since September 2015.
He is a Physics graduate and pursued his Master’s in Computer Applications. He has more than 13 years of academic and research experience in various institutes.
Before Joining INFLIBNET Centre, he worked for the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru and the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Currently, he is a part of the Software, Research and Development group at the Centre. He is working on various projects, which include “National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), INFED (INDIAN Access Management Federation), eNBA, Study In India, National Testing Agency (Web Portal), ARIIA (Atal Ranking of Institutions for Innovation Achievement), PNMMTT etc.,
He was selected as a Distinguished Engineer by Research and Education Federations, Netherlands and gave a presentation and visited Estonia, Europe, in June 2019.
He has been invited with a full scholarship and attended many meetings of the Asia Pacific Advanced Networking Group (APAN) in New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Nepal, respectively.
Areas of expertise:
Cloud Computing
Ranking Methodologies
Remote Campus Access tools
Server Administration
Institutional Repositories
He has delivered over 80 invited talks/lectures at various conferences/workshops.
The talk will be chaired by Dr M. Krishnamurthy, Professor and Head, DRTC, ISI Bangalore Chapter.
We look forward to seeing you at the event.