Chapter of the Year 2020: South Asia Chapter of ASIS&T
Md. Anwarul Islam, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Information Science and Library Management and
Chair of the South Asia Chapter, ASIS&T (2019-2020)
Photo: The writer with the ASIS&T President, Clara M. Chu
My journey with ASIS&T started in 2015 as a PhD student. It was an eye-opening meeting for me to meet famous people under one roof. The various Chapters, SIGs, Committees, the annual meeting and webinars make the association vibrant and useful for an early career researcher like me. For me, it was a matchmaking place of finding great researchers in my research areas. Slowly but surely I got involved with the membership committee, Asia Pacific Chapter, SIG-III, SIG-KM and other volunteering activities.
Over the last five years, I have participated in every annual meeting except 2016. I had served in a variety of panels and presentations, published in ASIS&T publications as author and served as a reviewer.
Open Access Week 2020: Awareness of Open Access in Bangladesh
The School of Business, Bangladesh Open University is hosting an event on the Open Access Week (October 19-25) on its Foundation Day (21st October 2020). The event will be arranged in collaboration and partnership with The Librarian Times, Creative Commons Bangladesh Chapter, and Centre for Open Knowledge to deliver an informative and exciting discussion session on all things Open Access.
The panel members will discuss the current challenges of open access, benefits of open access, OER, open textbook, open license, copyrights law, open access policy in Bangladesh, Plan S and most recent activities of open access worldwide.
The panellist for the discussion session are:
Professor Mostafa Azad Kamal, Dean, The School of Business, Bangladesh Open University
Mr Munir Hasan, Head, Youth Program, Prothom Alo and General Secretary, Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN)
Dr Susmita Das, Centre for Open Knowledge and Ambassador, cOAlition S & Plan S
Prodip Roy AALIA (DCP), Editor in Chief, The Librarian Times, CCGN, Australia
The event will be moderated by M. M. Shoeb (Deputy Director), North South University Central Library.
Vice-Chancellor, Islamic University of Technology visits the library
Photo: Vice-Chancellor, Islamic University Prof. Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Islam along with the library staff
Vice-Chancellor, Islamic University of Technology Prof. Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Islam reiterated the role libraries play in facilitating higher studies, the library vision and mission should inform the users from time to time as he visited the IUT library on 09 September 2020.
On the Vice-Chancellor’s visits Mr Md. Ahasan Habib, Librarian (In-Charge) delivered a presentation on the IUT Library System and Services. In the presentation, he focused on the current institutional repository systems, integrated library management system, Turnitin similarity checking, international connectivity and the library’s future plans. Mr Ahasan also explained how the library is continuing with the special services during the COVID -19 pandemic situation. The presentation session was very much interactive and lively.
Later on, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor looked at the library physical facilities and exchanged views with the users of the library. There he also met with the library staff.
ULAB library arranges a webinar titled transformative role of libraries during the pandemic: Experience sharing from an Australian University
Kamal Hossain, Deputy Librarian
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB)
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) library hosted a webinar titled transformative role of libraries during the pandemic: Experience sharing from an Australian University on 20 September 2020. The purpose of this session was to share the experience of how the Australian Universities have been impacted by the pandemic. The presenter discussed a brief overview of how this impact relates to the academic library services. The session highlighted on a university library service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020. The presentation focused on the library’s challenges and response during the crisis that the pandemic has posed to its new service model. In addition to this, the discussion outlined about how the library has modified some existing services including creating COVID- 19 subject guide, purchase requests, click and post model and adopted new technologies in the library.
Free webinar on higher education, LIS research and employment opportunities in the USA
This free webinar will discuss two areas in the USA perspectives including a broad overview of higher education, and a specific look at the LIS research and employment opportunities. Two speakers, with strong relevant backgrounds, will highlight their individual and professional experiences. The first speaker is doing PhD here in the USA will discuss higher education opportunities, including preparation, admission and funding. The focus will be given on the areas of social sciences specially LIS and closely related fields. The second speaker is Assistant Professor in the USA, with a background in information science research, will emphasise various LIS research opportunities that are available for international students in the USA. It will follow a discussion on employment prospects for international LIS researchers after the successful completion of graduate education. The discussions will draw questions from the attendees. Attendees will benefit from the expertise of the two speakers and will be able to identify steps required for effective higher education and employment plans in the USA, especially, in the areas of LIS and closely related fields.
Save the date: 23rd August, Sunday, 2020 (8:00 pm, Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Cost: Free
Registration is not required
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/thelibrariantimes/
Join the webinar via the zoom link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85985177216
Announcing Creative Commons’ New CEO, Catherine Stihler
TLT
Photo by David Iliff (CC BY-SA)
CC headquarter announced it’s new CEO name in the last month. Catherine Stihler has been selected the Creatives Commons next CEO officially will effect on August 17, 2020.
Catherine has been a champion for openness as both a legislator and practitioner for more than 20 years. She currently serves as CEO of the Open Knowledge Foundation, an organization whose work is fully aligned with the values and mission of Creative Commons. During her tenure, she has successfully redefined OKF’s vision and mission reengaged its global chapters and increased its international profile.
TLT hosts a Live Talk Show: How Bangladeshi and overseas Bangladeshi library professionals are responding to the COVID-19 situation?
TLT, August 17, 2020
The Librarian Times hosted a live talk show titled how Bangladeshi and overseas Bangladeshi library professionals are responding to the COVID-19 situation on August 8 2020. The talk show focused on how the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has a global impact which affects libraries over the world. The guest speakers addressed about how the libraries across the globe have been facing difficulties on which programs to deliver and how ranging from limited constraints to total closure. Besides, the speakers’ talked about the libraries initiatives to overcome the challenges of managing remote working effectively. The objective of the talk show was to identify how Bangladeshi and overseas Bangladeshi LIS professionals are involved in delivering library services, especially in Australia, Singapore and India at the time of COVID-19.
The special guests who attended the live talk show were Nargis Sultana, Wyndham City Council, Australia; Razina Akhter, Bangladesh Shishu (Children) Academy, Md. Anwarul Islam, PhD, Library Association of Bangladesh; Abdullah al-Modabber, South Asian University, India and A N M Sabbir, Charles Sturt University NSW, Australia. The event was moderated by Syeda Mukta Begum, Singapore.
Promotion news: Md. Ahasan Habib has been promoted to Library In-Charge (Head of Library) at IUT
TLT
July 25, 2020
Md Ahasan Habib
Md. Ahasan Habib has been promoted to Library In-Charge (Head of the library) of the university library for Islamic University of Technology, Gazipur (Bangladesh) effective on July 15, 2020.
The Islamic University of Technology or IUT is an educational and research institution in Bangladesh run and funded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The university is considered as one of the leading and prestigious PhD granting engineering universities in the country.
COVID-19 – A list of temporarily free resources
Syeda Mukta Begum
April 26, 2020
While the coronavirus pandemic continues to endanger and interrupt lives, publishers in all industries are working hard to make sure readers of all ages have a smooth transition experience.
There are special free and extended resources available from various platforms and vendors during the current Pandemic in the world. On behalf of TLT, Syeda Mukta Begum has collected all the free resources links to share with LIS professionals, researchers, doctors and others for the remote learning and access in the lockdown period. Below is a list of industry actions, which we will continue to update for all.
ACS Publications
Here are enclosed a collection of free to read online teaching chemistry teaching resources from the Journal of Chemical Education and the ACS Division of Chemical Education. There are also virtual issues of all articles related to Covid-19 from ACS Publications: Chemistry in Coronavirus Research: A Free to Read Collection from the American Chemical Society. This regularly updated collection includes journal articles, video resources, distance learning modules, etc.
IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2020 Cancelled
The IFLA Governing Board and Irish National Committee have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 World Library and Information Congress (WLIC). Dublin will instead welcome the 2022 Congress, following confirmation that the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland – the previously planned venue – is unlikely to be ready on time.