This document discusses innovation in academic libraries from an Indian perspective. It begins by providing context on the state of higher education and libraries in India. Many libraries are old but lack resources like adequate staffing and collections. The document then discusses the need for academic libraries to focus on promoting reading, writing, and learning skills in students. It provides examples of how some libraries are innovating through services like document delivery, makerspaces, and assistive technologies. The document concludes by outlining some innovative programs and services at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad library focused on both digital and print resources as well as student learning and community building.

1. Innovation in academic libraries
an Indian perspective
H Anil Kumar
Librarian, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

2. • Innovation
• Academic
• Library

4. Innovation
• New ways of doing the same things
• Offering new services
• Need not be only technology based
• Need not be digital
• Revisit the five laws Dr. S.R. Ranganathan’s five laws
Books are for use
Every reader his/her book
Every book its reader
Save the time of the reader
The library is a growing organism

5. What is the academic context in India?
• GER – Higher education 24%
• Vacant seats – Engineering, MBA, etc
• Graduates
– Unemployable graduates – Aspiring Minds 2016
– 80% unemployable
– Little curiosity, Lack of questioning skills
– Lack of GK, Poor fundamental knowledge –
concepts
• No application of K

6. Status of academic libraries
NIRF 2018 - Top 50 (Overall)
• 8%>150 yrs; 12%>100, 44%>50; 18%>25
• 72%>25 years; 64%>50 years; 100%>10 years
2017 (Management)
• 60% above 50 years. 92% above 10 years old

7. • 80% - no info on space occupied
• No inf on staff 44%, 34% >10 staff
• 12% > 20 staff
• 20% < than two digit (3-9) staff
• 34% no librarian; 22%- In-charge librarian
• 20% no inf on collection
• 18% < 1lakh; 1 with 16,500 books!
Status of academic libraries
NIRF 2018 - Top 50 (Overall)

8. • 50% have no website
• 24% have Ask-a-librarian
• 80% No discovery service
• 74% No Remote access
• 74% No IR
Status of academic libraries
NIRF 2018 - Top 50 (Overall)

9. • 50% No ILL; 48 % No Reference service
• No inf on services 42%
• 64% have ILMS
• 16 LIBSYS, 9 Koha, 1 SOUL
• 26% no OPAC
• 10% have discussion rooms
Status of academic libraries
NIRF 2018 - Top 50 (Overall)

10. What should be the outcome of
education?
• Jobs?
• Skills?
• Information?
• Knowledge?
• Exams?
• Learning!
We evaluate / rank / accredit
institutions on:
placements, diversity, student /
alumni / businesses perception /
faculty profile, publications /
…student satisfaction ….
But not on student LEARNING!

11. Learning
• We need a learning Society…. For that
you need learning citizens.
• READING AND WRITING
• READING means reading, understanding,
evaluating, interpreting and applying.
• WRITING follows READING

12. Reading
• Slow reading
• Deep reading
• Attention, focus, retention.
• Print vs digital
Our Interfaces Are Killing Our Ability to Think. We are killing
our ability to think. Mobile Touches
dscout’s inaugural study on humans and their tech (June 15, 2016)
Q. How many times a day do users interact with their phone?
A. People tapped, swiped and clicked a whopping 2,617 times
each day, on average.

13. Readings
• Why the brain prefers the paper, Scientific American Nov 2013
• 95 Percent Solution: School is not where most Americans learn most of their
science by John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierking, American Scientist: v. 98 (Nov-Dec),
2010
• Reading linear texts on paper versus computer screen: effects on reading
comprehension by Mangen, Walgermo and Bronnick, International Journal of
Education Research, 58 (2013).
• Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World by Naomi Baron, 2015,
OUP
• Digital Dieting: From Information Obesity to Intellectual Fitness by Tara
Brabazon, 2013, Routledge
• The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time, by David L. Ulin,
2010, Sasquatch Books
• The Shallows - What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicolas Carr, W. W.
Norton & Company, 2011

14. Writing
• Writing skills…Cambridge University is
thinking of doing away from written exams
due to bad hand writing!
• Power point???
• Banned at: Apple, Amazon, GSK, etc and
Copenhagen Business School for Masters in
Philosophy and Management

17. http://www.businessinsider.com/universities-should-ban-powerpoint-it-makes-students-stupid-and-professors-boring-2015-6?IR=T

21. Languages…dying
• Slow death of languages - fb posts in English
• Digital translators
– Pilot Translating Earpiece by Waverly Labs - 15 languages
– Skype Translator (real time)
• voice translator can currently translate conversations in 10
languages.
• text translator is available in more than 60 languages
– Google Pixel Ear buds – 40 languages
• Digital Writers – voice command writers
• Digital Communication – languages are dying ???
• Losing a language also can mean losing crucial knowledge
about the linguistic group’s history, culture, or even
knowledge about their local environment

22. “Education is what remains after one has
forgotten what one has learned in
school...”
- Albert Einstein

23. In this context are libraries innovating….what
are the interesting things happening in the
world of academic libraries …

24. Delivery at your doorstep!

25. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPc3pd89KnL1E9MyKZs0pzprHANWn1opm

30. https://www.library.georgetown.edu/news/maker-hub-innovators-and-creators

37. http://web.library.yale.edu/services-persons-disabilities

39. http://www.ondemandbooks.com/

41. • Lending Earbuds
• Certificate course in LIS for pharma students

44. Other interesting ideas
• Lib Apps
• VR, AR
• Human book
• Earn while you learn
• Impact factor of journal on print issue display
• Lib guides, subject guides

45. IIMA Library
• Print…still in demand
– Recommendations
– Marking, damaged, demand for increase in renewals
– Curated displays (startups, movies, feminism, etc)
– Today’s returns
– Bags
– Book reviews
– Book marks
– Faculty books
– Document Delivery
• Digital
– Discovery & Remote access
– Subject guides
– Print promotion of books and papers
– Digital promotion through user videos / text
– Kindle lending
– Chat

46. IIMA Library
• Services
– Cleanliness
– Know your library Quiz
– Research Assistance
– Survey tool, technology support, reference management tools, etc
– Exploring pan India network of library spaces
– Special sessions for student clubs
– Children section
• Space
– Nurturing entrepreneurship
– Visually disabled
– Discussion, silent study, etc
– Restoration project

63. Thank you
anilkumar@iima.ac.in