Dr Maneesh Bajpai: A Law Librarian with a Poetic Rhythm



Interviewer: Dr. Preeti Sharda

"उसी शहर में हूँ फिर,जहाँ शबनम घास में लिपटी रहती थी,

और सुबह मुलाक़ात के बहाने देती थी,
तरोताज़ा तो मैं वैसे भी हो जाता था,
जब जब तू रुख़सार से निकलती थी।"....... Dr Bajpai



Dr. Maneesh Bajpai is a dynamic, hardworking and a true LIS professional. He has a mission to take the LIS profession to greater heights and works very hard. His motto towards the profession is to facilitate a large national network which is a valued presence and meeting space for information, ideas, imagination and culture in every town and village in the country. The motto for his library service in RMLNLU is “Quick response and user first” and he really strives to ensure that everyone has a good experience when they visit RMLNLU library. He loves to play with IT and always keen to learn about the new advancement in the application in LIS field. He doesn’t mix his personal and professional life at all. He is a reliable and trustworthy friend for his friend ready to do anything for them. He is a poet by heart and a soldier by actions. 

Dr. Maneesh Kumar Bajpai is working with Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow as Deputy Librarian - Librarian in-charge since 2006. He is the man behind a state-of-art ultra-modern library known as Madhu Limaye Library of RMLNLU. He has experience of over 13 years in the LIS field. He has done Ph.D. (LIS), UGC-NET (LIS) and PGDCA. He is a life member of ILA, IASLIC, UPLA, Online LIS Professional Reference Service, and RRC. He is Assistant Programme In-charge of IGNOU programmes at RMLNLU Center, Lucknow. He has been nominated as a member of several committees of BBAU, SGPGI, UPBSN, SMNRU, etc. He has contributed as an external examiner/subject expert for several universities/institutes viz. IGNOU, CSJMU, UPRTOU, MGAHV, UPBTE, Nagpur University, etc. He is active in the LIS profession. He has been energetically involved in various LIS activities. 

Before the interview of Dr. Bajpai let me introduce the poet "Manu". He has written beautiful poems that too in a simple and understandable manner. 

थोड़ा रुखा सा हूँ, 

पर दिल आईने सा साफ़ रखता हूँ,

लोग चेहरे यूँ ही पढ़ते रहे,

पर आईने में साफ़ साफ़ दिखता हूँ।

चाँद कभी इस पार है तो कभी उस पार,

मैं आसमान सा सबका सफर रखता हूँ।

हिसाब किताब का कमजोर हूँ,

खातों को बंद रखता हूँ,

महफिलों में भले ही अकेला रहूँ,

पर सबकी ख़बर रखता हूँ।

बूँद को शिकवा है बादल से फिर,

बादल को आसमां से,

कितना कौन बरषा क्या पता,

मनु तो अपने हिस्से का सैलाब रखता है।।

***मनु*** 23.11.2016

बर्फ पिघले या, फिर टूट जाये,

अगर टूट कर बिखरना है,

और बिखर कर पिघलना हैं,

बेकार का क्या तमाशा,

वजूद’ को तो पानी में बहना है ||

ये जिंदगी का सफर है यारों,

तोल मोल कर पिघलो, वरना,

ज़माना बना दे गा ‘जिंदगी’ पानी,

ज़वानी तो बस रह जाये गी ‘बेमानी’ ||.

***मनु***15.11.2012





Interview

Dr. Preeti Sharda: You have studied in various places. Any specific reason for studying at so many places or it happened by chance. What kind of social change did you notice while studying in different places? Also, tell something about your background.

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: I did BSc. from my native place Kanpur (U.P.) and took admission in C.A. course, but because of a serious illness, I was hospitalized and had to drop the course in between. One of my relatives suggested me to join BLIS Course. I was so desperate to join the course to use the time and when I saw the admission notice of Bundelkhand University; I applied. I qualified for the entrance and joined the course and I completed my MLIS from there only. During my MLIS course, I qualified UGC-NET examination. Probably, I was the first student of that department who qualified UGC-NET in the II semester of MLIS itself. I got a chance to work with SSPL, DRDO, DELHI as a Library Intern.  RMLNLU did not allow me to join full-time Ph.D. course. So I opted for open mode and completed Ph.D. from the Open University, Bhopal. The interest in ICT compelled me to join the PGDCA course, and I completed it from distance learning mode from Kurukshetra University.

I witnessed the wonderful cultural heritage and exchanged with various people.  It helped me to build strong relationships and have a better understanding of society. I noticed that society is more or less almost the same everywhere. Only cultural difference is of language, food and dressing style.   

I come from a decent family which is not economically sound. I have an elder sister and two younger brothers. My father worked at a junior position at Uttar Pradesh Police and used to get transferred from one place to another. Finally, we permanently shifted to Kanpur. Being the elder brother, I used to take care of my brothers and sister. It helped me to be responsible and work as a team too. I used to take tuitions to bear the expenses of my studies. I also worked at many places and also as a medical representative in a reputed pharma company for 03 months.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Please tell something about your present job.

Dr Maneesh Bajpai: I joined this institution in August 2006 and it was in a nascent stage. The university was inaugurated on 5^th August 2006 by then Chief Minister and Chief Justice of India. It will surprise you that I joined the university on the same day. You can say that I joined as a founder member of the university. The black dog squad welcomed me first, and Administration told me to get ready for the visit of CM and CJI (within one hour). It was quite an amazing experience too. The library building was under construction.  The library started from a 'one-room library' with no other staff member except me. There was no university's website at that time but I developed a LAN based library website and also an automated library with MS-ACCESS. I uploaded the first result of the university on the library website only and I was given the responsibility to work with NIC to develop the university website.

I got the possession of the present Library building at the end of 2007 and the library shifted to the new place in 2008. Keeping in view the requirements of the tech-savvy students and the motto of the library ‘User First and Instant Response’, I tried to develop an ultra-modern library system with a fully Wi-Fi environment. I automated the library with LIBSYS 4.0 LMS with web-OPAC and, a Client-server based digital lab of 50 thin clients which saved a lot of money too. I developed a video conferencing facility in the library with the latest sensing technologies in 2007 for organizing lectures, etc. We introduced a complete RFID system in 2010. We migrated to Web-Centric LIBSYS 7 and upgraded the RFID system with 'Self-designed 'Self-Check-in/Check-out' system in 2017. Web-OPAC Kiosk was installed in 2012 and another was added in 2017.  Remote Access Facility and Plagiarism Check service were also introduced in the Library. Online resources were introduced by the library in 2006 itself under a static IP environment. We have developed a world-class library with the updated and latest collection. We are used to organize various library orientation and other programmes for university members at regular intervals.

I am a member of the website management committee, cyber cell committee, Annual Report Committee, Convocation Organizing Committee, NAAC, and various other committees. Online Common Law Admission Test first introduced by RMLNLU in 2015 and I was given an opportunity to work as a core member of the ‘CLAT Online-2015 Organizing Committee’. I tried to make the RMLNLU journal streamline as Managing editor. I am happy to inform you that now it is up-to-date in publication and also indexed with Indian Citation Index in 2017.

I was the Coordinator for the 04 days capacity building programme for Public Prosecutors of 50 participants of each batch. We gave training to such 485 officers APO, PO, SPO, JDs of Prosecution Directorate of Uttar Pradesh in the first leg in 2017-18. It was the first experiment where a pre-loaded bundle of 50 e-books, statutes, judgments, etc in a 3G Tablet device been given to each participant as a resource kit. Because they do not have access to the library at their workplace and without the library, they cannot perform. Keeping in view their requirements, we planned 'Library in the Pocket' for them. In the Second leg in 2019, we again trained 441 officers of APO and PO level in 05 days programmes in nine batches. It was a great experience to train such officers on Open Access Resources which they never know.

Dr Preeti Sharda: Please tell what changes you brought as SPARC.

Dr Maneesh Bajpai: In October 2018 only, I have been nominated as SPARC Coordinator. Legal Research is quite a different area from pure sciences and science and technology particularly. I am trying to encourage faculty members to participate in the centrally funded research proposals. Keeping in view the fact that 75% of faculty members are very young and dynamic, I am trying to organize a workshop with the help of SPARC to sensitize the faculty members for the research.  

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Being the publishing managing of your institutes' journal what will be your efforts to publish a good quality journal, and may be included in SCOPUS and Web of Science?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: As for as the concern with the indexing with Web of Science and Scopus, they are purely based on the foreign language based commercial indexing databases. It may not suit every subject field. In the Indian scenario, an indexing system should be evolved which may entertain journals which are publishing in other than the English language too.  Being the managing editor of the University Journal, I ensured timely publication with blind peer review.  The articles submitted by the internal faculty members are been sent to the experts other than the RMLNLU.  To get global exposure and legal editorial expertise, we signed an MoU with a very renowned publisher M/s Eastern Book Co. Pvt. Ltd. They are known for the standard and quality publishing of Law Journals and Case Law reporters. They put the full text of RMLNLU journal under SCC online database.

Honesty is the best policy. I ensured transparency and review and publication of the journal. This is the reason, now it is indexed with Indian Citation Index too. I am also planning to implement the Open Journal System (OJS) or any other technology to make our journal fully online from submission to review to recommendations for editing and publishing. I am sure it will encourage more transparency and publishing ethics.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Please elaborate on "lab for the visually impaired person".

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai:  Till 2014 RMLNLU library didn’t have any service for visually impaired because there was no such member in the library. But in 2014, one student enrolled in B.A.LL.B. programme. After an interaction with him, I got to know that he didn't require Braille books. That’s why we thought about software technology. Immediately we purchased a JAWS, PEARL and other OCR software and also a recording machine. With these software packages, we introduced a "Lab for the Visually Impaired Person".  As till now, he is the only student, we have issued ‘Portable Recording Machine’ to him by which he may record the lecturers and listen and study. We also helped him to get a laptop for study from the University.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Since you have been part of many LIS activities in various capacities, please share some of your good and bad experiences.

 





Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: It is always being a great honor and pleasure when you get a chance to quench your academic passion by delivering lectures on the basis of your research and experience. You rightly said the quality is a great concern. Each academic program has great potential to deliver academic acumen. We meet some very dynamic and prolific researchers in such programmes. Recently, at IIHMR, I met a very humble young and an experienced scholar which enhanced my skills.

I think if we would like to make such activities fruitful then one should ignore formalities of long opening and closing ceremonies.  We should give proper time to presenters. Some Guidelines should be issued to the presenter while selecting the paper for the event. It is always very disheartening to see that presenter has only 2-3 minutes to present his research. We should select limited papers for presentation which are innovative in nature.

In 2012, In an International Conference, I was called to present a paper and when I started, the chair said “you have only 2 minutes” and suggested me to deliver conclusion part only. I said thank you and humbly left the podium. In a national conference, I was invited speaker and organizers were requesting to cut down from 15 minutes to 05 minutes. The Chair said no “Dr. Bajpai you please take your time. We all are here for academic purpose. Whosoever needs Lunch, please go an enjoy lunch and who are for the session please be here”. I took exactly the allotted time and the session was full of new academic experiences. Fine tune is the only panacea. The priorities are changed nowadays. Therefore, serious efforts are required to be done to achieve the goals of such academic activities.

चलो कोई मुझे हराने के लिए ही आ जाए,

तन्हा किससे लड़ूँ, कोई लड़ने के बहाने ही साथ निभाने चला आये।.........Dr Bajpai

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Did you actually receive your ballot paper for ILA elections 2019 or not? Does ILA perform is performing its duty well? If not how should it work and how can you contribute towards the strengthening of the activities of the association?

Dr Maneesh Bajpai: First I would like to congratulate to you for your great research done on me. I tried my best to get my Ballot Paper and inform through email to the then president and the Election officer 2019. But, I  have not received it till date. You will be surprised that ILA has only 6000 members from across the country. It is quite shocking to know that the addresses are not correct or fake too. Conference/ seminar organization support role is quite an outdated idea of ILA, it should come out from such curtains.

If I would have a chance to work with ILA, first I will ensure that addresses of the members are verified with the legal address proof viz. the voter ID card, Aadhar Card, Electricity Bill, Passport, Ration Card, Driving License, etc. It will help to check the membership too. The web portal shall be upgraded where online membership and address proof may be uploaded. Regular meetings with UGC, MHRD and other bodies should be organized where issues pertaining to LIS professionals’ may be addressed. Such meetings details shall be uploaded on the website. The LIS professionals shall be encouraged to join the ILA. More than 02 Lakh LIS professionals are there across the country and only 6000 of them are members of ILA. It should be made at par AIFUCTTA. It has been observed that some people are contesting election every time with altering positions in ILA since 2002. It should be stopped. A person should not be allowed to be an office-bearer more than two tenures in any of the position in ILA. It will give a chance to new professionals. There should be a mandatory election every three years. There should not be unopposed like situation. The ILA should be very transparent in nature and action. Only then, ILA will achieve glory and may be able to provide justice to LIS professionals.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Do you think social media and another web 2.0 technologies can help LIS professionals to market and promote their services?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: Yah, Sometimes. I feel that we may use social media to empower the LIS services. The youngsters, as well as the matured persons, are very frequently using social media. We first try to understand the exact need of the users and the role of social media to address their requirements. Then only, we may make use of social media for marketing and promotion of library services. I believe personalized services may be given to users through social media. Because the group system under social media creates a problem and may become boring to the users. The Library professionals should have to apply their mind that which information to be given to which user. Otherwise, it simply misuses of social media by giving each information to all. The groups in social media are like ‘ज्यादा जोगी मठ उजाड़’.... हा हा हाहा.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Your recent publication “Measuring Impact of Open Source Software Training Programme and Workshop on LIS Professionals: A Study of DSpace Software” talks about the training programmes OSS. Please elaborate.

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: Open Source Software are still a challenge to LIS professionals. The simple reason is-- they are not properly trained with ICT,  computer & software technology. I am sorry but, it is true.  Most of such workshops are evolved as to fulfill the criteria of organizing such events. Training to whom and how it has to be given is not a concern to most of the organizers. OSS movement only will be successful, if we first train the LIS professionals from basics of Computer and software technology and then OSS. e.g. very few know about LINUX or UBUNTU but we are giving them training of KOHA and DSpace through DEMO CD or with pre-loaded machines. Imagine when they will go back to their institutions, how they will do in their workplace.

According to the research till April 2019, almost 20,000 LIS professionals are being trained on KOHA and DSpace on various platforms. You will be surprised to know that out of these 20000 participants, only 2000 have implemented and using KOHA/DSpace.  Therefore, proper planning and meticulous objectives are needed to be applied for such OSS training programs otherwise it is just a mockery.   

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Please tell something about the library Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow.

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: Preeti Ji, I earlier told that the motto of the library is ‘USer First and Instant Response’. In view of that, we developed a fully digital and Automated Library System. Even, we do not have print catalog cards. Law students used to sit in groups for their study because their needs are quite different from students of other disciplines. We created user’s space in 2010, where at one hall they are allowed to sit in a pair, in another hall, they may prepare in a group and in another hall, a single sitting is allowed. This actually changed a lot in study pattern of the students at RMLNLU too.

A research scholar was working on Honour Killing. She came to me and said sir how to access newspapers and use them. Immediately I gave a demonstration on online search of news items. I also trained her on citing methods and also shown her ‘How to use the print version of the newspapers too’.Students used to visit us with Turnitin similarity index issues. We always helped them in the understanding of bibliography, references, and citations. We do not make repositories of their papers because we would like to give them every opportunity to improve as many times as they need and allowed to check plagiarism. It develops research skills and reading habits in them.  A team of students was working on an International Moot Court Competition. They needed a book, but it was not feasible to purchase the book at that point of time. I searched it and found it was with one of the NLU. I requested the book to the respective NLU and assistance was given to the students. Luckily, that team won the competition. To help the scholars we, the Madhu Limaye Library team make every possible effort.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: What have you most enjoyed about being a librarian and a law librarian in particular?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: The contribution to the research activities, is most satisfying feeling being as a librarian. Only the Librarian may understand the academic research requirement of the young minds and teachers and to bridge the gap, is the most valuable effort of the Librarian. Law Librarian is quite a specialized librarianship. Sometimes, students face some problems in understanding the case laws published in various case law reporters, at this stage a Law Librarian may be useful in a great way. I feel happy and satisfied when young law teachers and students take my help in drafting proposals, understanding plagiarism related issues and UGC regulations, etc. They look forward to the library for any help, not only for assistance in searching and finding the desired information but they also look forward to us for organizing various academic programs. I extend my services to the Law Department of other Universities in developing Law Libraries which gives me immense pleasure too.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: What aspects of library work have you found most challenging?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: To replicate the image of the library among Administrators and teachers that 'the Library is a working day and night' is the most challenging task. They have to understand that the LIS profession is beyond issue/return of books. This is one of the activity only. Library professionals are doing a lot from information management to dissemination and automation and digitization for its patrons' comfort and ease. They have great organizational potential. This is the reason they are organizing academic programmes in large scale.

Dr. Preeti Sharda:  If I am asked about the main cause of why our profession is facing so many problems, I would say the cause lies in roots from where the foundation of the profession made. Do you agree with me?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: Agree with that.

The practical exposure is not given at BLIB and MLIB course. The working librarians should be engaged during classroom teaching. It will help to develop skilled professionals. The syllabi of the courses should be revised every year.  You see in private organizations, most of them only used to bargain for salary and do not take care of qualified and good professionals. Unskilled LIS professionals often agreed to work at any salary package. The associations are not competent enough to address the rights of LIS professionals. Because of inadequate representations of LIS professionals at national level LIS associations. The distance and open mode of courses are also a problem. Because they are not setting the standards. Only IGNOU is doing something good in providing education through distance mode. Therefore, the Distance education system should be taken care of. The Masters' programme of professional courses should be run through the full-time mode or the number of seats should be restricted. If University/College Librarian cadre is allowed to teach practical courses in the departments, this shall be more effective and useful.  

Dr. Preeti Sharda: You have an inborn quality. According to your friends “बाजपेई सर एक अच्छे वक़्ता के साथ ही साथ एक उम्दाँ कवि भी हैं”, your poems are very simple, understandable but very touching. When did you start and how?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: hahaha.... Thank you for your kind words. You can say. ये तो इत्तिफाक था, ठीक वैसे ही जैसे मुहब्बत होनी हो अगर तो आँखे चार हो ही जाती हैं |  

Not very sure but, I started writing poems during BLIS or MLIS course in 1999-2000. Due to the scarcity of funds, I used to travel through Jhansi-Kanpur Passenger train from Kanpur to Jhansi and vice versa.   During these journeys, one day, I observed something and composed instantly ....

भारत दी ट्रेन में,

‘भारत’ सवार था,

जो खड़े थे,

बैठों को सहयोग का उपदेश देते,

कभी इधर, कभी उधर की गुंजाइश लेते|

अब ट्रेन बीच राह में पहुंची है,

जो खड़े थे अब वो बैठ गए हैं,

कुछ आ कर फिर खड़े हो गए हैं,

यथार्थ-सत्यार्थ कहने वाले,

स्वार्थ में लिप्त हो गए हैं,

सहयोग भूल भ्रष्ट हो गए हैं |

अब उनके लिए कोई जगह नहीं है,

जो अभी आये और खड़े हैं,

क्यूँ कि –

स्वार्थ की मिट्टी में  पनपते हैं,

स्वार्थ को खाते हैं और,

स्वार्थ में पलते हैं, और

निस्वार्थ की बातें करते हैं |

ट्रेन मंजिल पर आ पहुंची है,

पर ‘भारत’ वहीँ स्वार्थ के बीच खड़ा है,

निःस्वार्थ !!!

***मनु***20.08.2001

The journey of composing poems started from there only.

Earlier, I was not planning as such to publish my poems in the form of a book. Now, I have close to 50-60 poems and my friends have suggested me to publish them. Therefore, I may try to publish them.

Planning to bring them under a Blog.... named as LibPOETeeNaama or any...

Other than poems I used to write LIS related articles for API purposes... ha.ha.ha.ha.

I used to sometime narrate stories but not yet penned.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: In 2011 your views were “Be practical rather be emotional”. Is Maneesh Bajpai is still the same? If yes, why is it so? If no, please share the reasons behind the same.

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: oh... I am failing to recall the incident what was the context for which I said this. As we all are human beings, sometimes we mix emotions with our professional life. The law and regulations say something but emotionally it can't be possible. Therefore, my Idea is not to mix both aspects everywhere and every time.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: How is Maneesh in his personal life? What’s something most of the others do not know about him?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: In personal life... Maneesh believes in simplicity and passionate to work. If I can help somebody, I can do that. Friends and family members call me only MANU. Rest they only may say what I am for them. Favorite time pass is sparing time with friends, family, and playing cricket. People around me do not know that I sometimes write poems also.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: For library students and young librarians that might be interested in going into librarianship in a specialized area like law, what advice would you have?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: I believe that fundamental knowledge of the LIS field along with ICT and software skills is an integral part of Librarianship. If they are going to join in law librarianship or another specialized stream of librarianship, they must understand that subject field and basic nomenclature of that subject domain. During their course, they may try to work in some libraries on Sundays or holidays. It will help them to understand the practical functioning of the libraries and to get benefits from the experienced LIS professionals.

Dr. Preeti Sharda: Thank you so much for sparing your valuable time for the Interview. I really appreciate the promptness of the replies.  Anything you want to share from your side?

Dr. Maneesh Bajpai: First of all, I would like to thank you for choosing me for your prestigious blog. I never thought about the same. It was a great experience to interact with such an innovative LIS professional. Meeting with people like you, always boost me to work much harder. I am trying to contribute a little to make a positive image of LIS professionals among other professionals. The ultra-modern library and its quick services are the replicas of the team of dedicated LIS professionals and advisors.

Thank You, again for your kind considerations.  

वक्त जो संवारते रहे तेरे ख्वाब के लिए ए ज़िन्दगी,
जा के अब इल्म हुआ, तमाम वक्त जाया हुआ तेरे ख्वाब में।।
***मनु***08/05/2019

(Disclaimer: I conducted this interview through email. I am Dr. Preeti Sharda working as a Librarian, the Regional Institute of English, Chandigarh. It was an amazing experience. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Bajpai for sparing time from his busy schedule. Since Dr. Bajpai is a poet also, I have taken five lines from his poems in the interview itself. Interacting with professionals like him always make you feel that hard work in the right direction at the right time is the only key to success).