Many of the international publishers have opened free access to many of their publications. We are still waiting similar efforts from Indian publishing industry.
During this crises time, all Library, Governing Bodies, Government and Public Information Industry need to sit together and develop a national digital policy about access to Libraries and other online contents.
Most of the students and faculty depend upon Library subscribed e-resources.
However, most of Libraries are not equipped themselves with remote access and web-scale discovery tools without which it is not possible to get access to the subscribed resources off the campus.
Prof. Gaur mentioned that most of our users are not very well aware of the authenticated open access resources like Internet archives, Hathi Trust, Khan Academy world digital library, global digital library and national digital library of India Etc.
Even information regarding various text books and other literature concerning school children is not very well organized. We are in the knowledge based society and moving in a new age where lifelong learning is going to be reality So most of the suggestions given by Prof. Gaur in his Talk was in favour of creation of more and more digital repositories by various institutions and organization and that all Indian publishers should create e-book platforms so people can download ebooks in such situations.
Institutions like National Library of India should have a national level digital programme for preservation of, and access to all Indian publications, University Libraries, College Libraries, Research Libraries, Public Libraries should use remote access and digital tools like web-scale discoveries to provide Google Like, Anytime Anywhere access to its Collections.
Besides, efforts should be made to popularize open access of in-house publications by different institutions and open access policy just like Plan S of European Union’s should be implemented in India.
This may be one of the situations. However, future belongs to digital tools and technologies. So we may be prepared to provide anywhere anytime access to our users. To conclude, Prof. Gaur shared his experiences in transformation of JNU Library during his tenure there between 2011-18.
He said Libraries are not internet. The internet cannot replace Libraries. So, proper focus and attention should be given in strengthening all kinds of Libraries starting from school library to public library. Without Library, no academic and research activities are possible. Libraries are tools for lifelong learning.
Prof. Ramesh C. Gaur
Presently working as Dean & Director (Library & Information) & Head-Kala Nidhi Division at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. During the period October 2011-January 2018 he was the University Librarian, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, India. His past assignments includes; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research(TIFR), CRRI-CSIR, RIS, New Delhi, Management Development Institute(MDI), and IMT Ghaziabad etc. A Fulbright Scholar (VT, USA), Dr. Gaur has visited 24 countries. Dr Gaur has been honoured / received 12 awards in recognition to his exemplary work.
Dr Gaur is the first Indian nominated as Member- International Advisory Committee (IAC) UNESCO Memory of the World (MoW) Programme. He is also member of Expert Consultation Committee for setting up of International Centre on Documentary Heritage (ICDH) in South Korea. He is the member of many other important national and international professional bodies.
Prof. Gaur’s important affiliations includes; Member-Governing Council-INFLIBNET, Member of Research Council (RC) for CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR), New Delhi( formerly INSDOC) Member-International Consultative Committee on Digital Dunhuang, China, NDLTD Board of Directors, Member of UGC National Committee for Implementation of Submission and Access to Electronic Theses and Dissertations in Universities in India, Member Governing Council-INFLIBNET, MemberNational Advisory Board-E-Shodh Sindhu National Consortia, Member of various Committees of International Federations of Library Associations (IFLA), Member Databib Advisory Board, USA.