Interviewer: Dr Preeti Sharda
Dr P Venkata Rao, Fellow (Knowledge Management) and Course Director at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab (MGSIPA), Chandigarh and has over two decades of experience in different types of libraries in Chandigarh. Dr Rao’s areas of interest include Library Management, IT Applications in Libraries, Digital Library Software (Greenstone), Training Technologies, and Web Technologies. He has been associated with organizing training programmes on IT Applications for library professionals and Management Development Programmes for senior officers of Punjab Government. Dr Rao is also Senior Vice-President, Chandigarh Librarians’ Association (CLA), Chandigarh. He is an outstanding, highly reliable and motivated librarian. He exhibits great competence and timeliness in the performance of his job. He not only executes his duties efficiently and with grace, but also he routinely takes initiative to research for the most appropriate methods to accomplish his tasks. Indeed, he is not afraid to tackle the most complex and arcane issues. He offers technical support and expert services as a professional consultant to the librarians of the region. Dr Rao is an inspiring example to other librarians for his dedication, the commitment he shows to his personal development and to the promotion of the profession. He has answered some of the questions about his library career and the skills he uses in his current role.
Dr P Venkata Rao, Fellow (Knowledge Management) and Course Director at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab (MGSIPA), Chandigarh and has over two decades of experience in different types of libraries in Chandigarh. Dr Rao’s areas of interest include Library Management, IT Applications in Libraries, Digital Library Software (Greenstone), Training Technologies, and Web Technologies. He has been associated with organizing training programmes on IT Applications for library professionals and Management Development Programmes for senior officers of Punjab Government. Dr Rao is also Senior Vice-President, Chandigarh Librarians’ Association (CLA), Chandigarh. He is an outstanding, highly reliable and motivated librarian. He exhibits great competence and timeliness in the performance of his job. He not only executes his duties efficiently and with grace, but also he routinely takes initiative to research for the most appropriate methods to accomplish his tasks. Indeed, he is not afraid to tackle the most complex and arcane issues. He offers technical support and expert services as a professional consultant to the librarians of the region. Dr Rao is an inspiring example to other librarians for his dedication, the commitment he shows to his personal development and to the promotion of the profession. He has answered some of the questions about his library career and the skills he uses in his current role.
Dr Preeti Sharda: South meets North. It seems that you have an Interesting background. Please tell something about it.
Dr P Venkata Rao: Family circumstances made me land in Chandigarh 31 years ago and since then no looking back. I completed BA, MLIS and PhD from PU, Chandigarh. I was a topper in University at MLIS exam. I had the opportunity to start my career from IMTECH, followed by NIPER and CII. The short time associated with these organizations helped me know what I am good at - Library Technology, though I do not have any formal degree or diploma in ICT. A great amount of time was spent on experimenting, experiencing and exploring on library technology and applications during my stay at DAV College, Chandigarh and is being followed at my current location at MGSIPA, Chandigarh. Happy that I was able to contribute to my organisations develop the libraries technologically empowered. I am happy to acknowledge the encouragement from Mr I B Verma and Dr JaspalKaur, College Librarians.
I was always interested in the libraries since my school days. Unfortunately, there was no library in my school, but a few newspapers. I was interested in reading news on happenings at different places. It was only after school pass out that I realised the importance of information and knowledge. On many occasions, I used to travel eight kms to visit District Library to read an English newspaper as in our village we did not have access to. When I passed out of College, I got admission in MScStatistics. I spent about a month and not satisfied and thought of what interested me –a one year course in Library Science as I also wanted to go back to where I belong to, Andhra Pradesh, again due to family circumstances. As luck would have it, I did very well at my BLIS and as family issues stabilized, continued my studies and emerged as the topper in MLI S.
PS: You mentioned that you worked at libraries of institutions like IMTECH, NIPER and CII. Please provide us with brief information about the work you did there and the skills you acquired in due course of time (working in these institutions). Also, highlight some of the challenges and accomplishments during the stay in those institutes.
PVR: During my short stay of three months at IMTECH, I had my first experience of working with computers and CDS/ISIS software. At NIPER, it was about developing a library system …started a serial section. My stay was just for two months. I was the first library professional having worked with NIPER.
At CII, it was altogether different. Producing exhibition catalogues, providing information services to the corporate section. All these organisations helped me acquiring new skills, specifically IT skills.
PS: Previously, you were associated with DAVC – 10 also. Please tell us a bit about your role and the skills you gained from your role within the college?
PVR: DAVC-10 was again a unique situation…the challenges include managing people, leadership, technical skills and digitization of manuscripts. It was indeed wonderful and satisfying working in an academic set up and at the same time working with a specialized and rare collection of manuscripts and technology applications. Happy to share that it was the first academic library in Chandigarh to automate in Chandigarh. Even the Panjab University library was not automated in 1996.
PS: Can you highlight the key points of your journey from a Librarian to Fellow (Knowledge Management)?
PVR: All the four libraries that I worked earlier tremendously helped me learning new techniques and skills. They also helped me know what I am good at and that paved me to go beyond librarianship. All these skills, learning attitude and knowing and contributing towards the development of the Institute, that I have been associated for the last 18 years helped me reach where I am today.MGSIPA also gave me opportunities to grow beyond librarianship and venture into organising programmes not only for library professionals but also other officials and officers of the Government of Punjab. Training Technology, Documentation, Knowledge management, etc. are the areas that I am into besides librarianship.
PS: Can you describe your current role at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA)? Also, mention the specific skills you use for your current position?
PVR: Currently, I am Fellow (Knowledge Management) and my responsibilities include library management, organising training programmes, and Head of Quality Management System and Environment Management System of MGSIPA, Publications of the Institute, Coordination with State Administrative Training Institutes in the country, etc.
PS: What “keeps you busy” these days in the field of Library and information science? What projects are you working on?
PVR: Though I have experimented and experienced various library technologies in our Institute’s Library, I keep looking for new technology applications in libraries so that the acquired knowledge can be transferred to the fellow professionals by building their capacities through capacity building training programmes. This I have been doing for the last 13 years…but there are some limitations.
I am working on “Experience capitalization” and “Knowledge Management”, besides Blending learning and Online learning.
PS: What accomplishments in the field of librarianship are you proudest of?
PVR: Digitization and capacity building programmes. Adoption of QMS and EMS as per ISO standards.
PS: What did you like best about the profession? What was the hardest/most challenging?
PVR: Being a Librarian, I have always felt that I have access to a world of knowledge. Feeling lucky.
PS: You have coordinated/ organised a number of International and national programmes/courses/workshop. Planning and execution of such programmes don’t happen overnight. It starts by writing a proposal and ends–up by writing the report. As per my knowledge you are a one-man army. Please share how you really make it happen.
PVR: Yes…self-learning and continuous learning and learning to unlearn and unlearn to learn…
PS: Participants of the programmes range from bureaucrats, administrative officers, educationist, library professionals and so on. Please share the kind of difficulties you faced in this regard.
PVR: Adults learn differently…I just have to understand that and I keep reminding it to myself. Every programme is different… You need to prepare accordingly. If you do not understand your participants, you fail to connect.
Same is the case with the library users…you need to understand the users and their interests and their capacities --- in terms of their literacy with respect to technology and information.
PS: You have achieved your target to provide training to more than 5000 Punjab Government employees for ‘Blended Training Programme: “COMMIT” – Comprehensive Online Modified Modules for Induction Training’, Sponsored by Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India. Congratulations on that. Please highlight the key concerns of the programme.
PVR: It was indeed remarkable …When our DG asked me in March 2018, I was not very confident…I had to work hard as I did not have the understanding of working of various Departments of Government of Punjab. In fact, I have been coordinating only with various organisations of the Government of India and I am comfortable with them. Over a period of time, I had my own team, supported by one of my colleagues from our IT Section and consultations with former colleagues in different ATIs helped me to smoothly run the achieve the target of training 5000 employees of Government of Punjab and about 500 employees of Chandigarh Administration by January 2019.
PS: Please specify your role in the implementation of the Environmental Management System (EMS) and ISO 9001:2015 standards at MGSIPA.
PVR: I started as a Management Representative for ISO 9001:2008 in the year 2014 and since then I have been coordinating the implementation of ISO standards for Quality Management System and Environmental Management System, not only the library but for the whole Institute. Being a Librarian, I was quick to adopt and implement these standards in the Institute.
PS: This is a fact that open source software (OSS) is a key option library should consider when implementing strategic technologies. You started advocating the Digital Library software’s like Greenstone and DSpace way back around 2006. You shifted your library from proprietary software to open source software. There is still a general fear of the unknown whereby some librarians are afraid to start working on OSS. Please suggest how does the start.
PVR: There has been some hesitation for some librarians to start and explore new things, particularly OSS with regards to the current trends in modern librarianship. Lack of technical skills, lack of self-motivation and fear of getting burdening themselves are holding them to experiment and experience OSS. Security is also regarded as one of the challenges that is faced by librarians when using open source software. I am fascinated by the Open Source Movement and I have a great interest in making use of OSS for library applications. I had conducted capacity building programmes on adopting OSS between 2005 and 2015 on GSDL, KOHA, etc. I hope to continue promoting OSS applications in libraries through capacity building programmes.
PS: You were chosen for the “Young Librarian Award” by the SATKAL for the year 2006. Did this award make you more motivated to work had in the profession?
PVR: I was happy having recognised my work on digitization of manuscripts by SATKAL. I am grateful to STAKAL for the award. But, that made me more responsible, motivated and committed…
PS: Tell something about your association with Chandigarh Librarians Association.
PVR: My association with CLA for over two decades facilitated a lot many opportunities to broaden my capacities to learn and network. I am ever grateful for the time with CLA.
PS: What are your passions? Interest outside your work.
PVR: So far…the library, the family and a few friends! Getting to places to explore and learn.
If someone needs me sincerely, I am there with commitment.
PS: If you could go back in time and do part of your career or education over again, is there something you would have changed? A class you would have taken? A missed opportunity?
PVR: Communication Skills for Library Professionals and Psychology for Library Professionals …these two always attract me as I have missed during my study.
PS: Thank you very much for sparing your precious time. Time has always been your topic. What tips would you give to aspiring librarians?
PVR: You are fortunate having chosen this profession, by choice or otherwise. So keep it going … Always strive to get counted amongst the library users and library community.
Young librarians should be aware of the needs of the users and they should connect with them…else the users undermine the important roles the libraries and librarians play and you know… they know how to google it …
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