Three School Librarians at the Seychelles Ministry of Education were selected to follow a fully sponsored training programme of study in India under the ITEC programme. The programme of study which lasted for two weeks took place at the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research based in Chennai.
The School Librarians followed a Certificate Course on Total Solution for Integrated Library System aimed at improving library services in schools. The programme had been instrumental in empowering them to develop a wide range of ideas on library processes and activities while optimizing resource utilization to deliver services of high quality to library users. It also focused on the development of appropriate competencies and skills of Library and Information Sciences in the digital era, hence enabling School Librarians to manage and develop website, including traditional resource collections, services and facilities.
Furthermore, School Librarians have broadened their understanding on the development of library services worldwide, organization techniques and new communication skills, and knowledge in the context of library practice.
They will now be able to apply these newly acquired competencies and knowledge that are essential for providing, managing, and designing information services in different information environments using open source tools for LMS and Digital Library; articulate the need for information and to identify the various types and formats of potential information sources. The school librarians will also be able to manipulate a variety of information retrieval methods and system, through online or in person, using the Internet facility for information access, retrieval, storage and communication; and to maintain the web resources for effective use.
It is expected that the School Librarians will be able to delve into the e-learning system to better encourage learners to conduct research using appropriate online research tools, such as various databases to access the most accurate, relevant and updated information to support learning in school libraries.
At a personal level, the programme of study will help the School Librarians to develop their professional attitudes, hone their leadership skills as well as their interpersonal, intrapersonal and interdisciplinary skills to communicate effectively to users and to collaborate with colleagues and information users.
It is to be noted that the School Librarians followed the most recent and updated programme being used worldwide in school libraries such as:
- Integrated Library Management System (ILMS) using Open Source Software – Ubuntu Basics – ILMS – KOHA – features, installation, configuration and customization – Integration RFID (Demo). –
- Digital libraries – digital initiatives – types of digital collections – digital library software (D Space) rules of cooperation in building and using digital collections – intuitional repository – digital preservation – economic, legal and management issues related to digital libraries. Copyright and IPR issues –
- OER Basics – Open Licenses and OER Repositories – OER Tools for Librarians – Explore various OER initiatives. Locate and evaluate OER –
- Basics of Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights – Literary and artistic works – Copyright Law – plagiarism/types of plagiarism – Predatory Journals – UGC Regulations 2018 – Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions – Value of Creative Commons – Create a proper attribution for a creative work that uses Creative Commons licensing
The Ministry of Education would like to express its sincere thanks to the Indian High Commission for supporting the development of School Librarians by offering opportunities to follow educational programmes in India.