Interaction with Government Agencies

Interaction with Government Agencies

The year – 1996. I was the librarian of HELP – Health Education Library for People. Many in or from India may remember that Internet access became available to the public from August 1995. It was Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) that was the only Internet Service Provider then. (VSNL was a Government of India undertaking). Understandably there was a large waiting list for connections. Our library got its connection sometime in 1996, with what was then called the “Shell” account, (Unix based). A Shell account got us to see a black screen with white characters. No images, graphics, colours. This account…
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Why does the stick work better than the carrot?

Why does the stick work better than the carrot?

On 23rd January Vasumathi Sriganesh delivered a lecture on literature searching at the Ayurved Mahavidyalaya in Mumbai for their Post graduate students. An enthusiastic lot, they scored very well in the small post test that we normally give at the end of such events. But here is something very thought provoking. In the Feedback Section of the form, we asked a question –  “Do you think Literature Searching should be taught in the curriculum”? All of them answered – “Yes” But – for the question –  “Will you register for our courses and complete them” – Only one student said Yes.…
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