From Quiet Shelves to a Living Library
My second library job was in a hospital library. In the early 1990s. And I miss it even today!
In the 3.5 years I spent there, I had the privilege of transforming a minimally used space into one that buzzed with activity from the moment it opened until closing time. Empty reading tables gradually gave way to ones filled with books and journals in constant use. The library had come alive.
Building Momentum: More Than Just Books
When I joined, one of my biggest challenges was increasing the utilization of the library. Over time, that changed dramatically—thanks to a series of persistent efforts:
- Securing an increased budget
- Establishing a system for regularly acquiring new books
- Introducing computers and MEDLINE (on CD, in those days!)
- Teaching users how to search MEDLINE effectively
- Ensuring readers had access to the exact materials they needed, when they needed them
Each of these steps played a role. But more importantly, they reinforced something I deeply believe in even today: access is not enough—people need to know how to use information well.
The Invisible Work Behind the Scenes
As usage increased, so did a practical challenge.
Tables began to pile up with books and journals. If not cleared regularly, the space quickly became cluttered and uninviting. Even worse, materials that should have been neatly organized on shelves ended up scattered “somewhere on a table.”
This brought me face-to-face with an issue I hadn’t anticipated.
The “Fight” for What a Library Needs
When I joined, I assumed the library would have a full-time attendant. Every library I had known did—because behind the calm exterior of a reading space lies constant, essential work: reshelving, dusting, organizing, maintaining order.
But here, the reality was different.
There was an attendant—but only briefly in the morning. He would shelve some materials, do a bit of cleaning, and then move on to another department. Occasionally, we might see him again during the day—but often, not at all.
I began pressing—repeatedly—for a full-time attendant, or at least fixed hours of support.
The response was always the same:
“That is not possible.”
At one point, I was even told:
“Ask people to put books back.”
I had to explain—firmly—that no library encourages that. Readers, understandably, are not trained in classification systems. A wrongly shelved book is, effectively, a lost book. And that is every librarian’s nightmare.
Persistence Pays Off (Eventually)
I kept at it.
Not loudly, not dramatically—but persistently. Making the case. Explaining the impact. Connecting the dots between increased usage and operational needs.
And finally—just as I was about to leave—we got approval for a full-time attendant. Initially on a three-month trial. Later, it became a permanent position. I remember feeling genuinely happy.
For my successor. And for the library.
Then and Now: The Same Kind of Persistence
Looking back, what stands out is not just the transformation of the library—but the persistence it required.
That same persistence continues to shape my work today with QMed.
Today, the “attendant” I find myself advocating for is different—but just as essential. It is the need for right searching.
Searching is often seen as something one simply “does” or “has to do”. But it is not intuitive. It is a skill—one that needs to be learned, practiced, and done in a structured manner. Without that, searching remains superficial, and much of what one needs stays undiscovered.
Just as before, the response is sometimes:
“That’s not possible.”
“People will manage.”
And just as before, I find myself explaining—again and again—why this matters.
Because when information is not used well, it might as well not exist.
Persistence That Doesn’t End
Some efforts don’t end—they stay with you.
That library did not just teach me that change takes time. It shaped in me a determination to keep going until something shifts. To stay with what matters—not briefly, not occasionally—but consistently, and for as long as it takes.
- This time, it is not about securing a single human resource for a library. It is about enabling a shift in mindset—recognizing that literature searching is not just a task to be carried out, but an absolutely essential foundation of research!
- It is about understanding that searching must be done right, in a structured manner—and that this is a skill to be learned. Even in an age of AI, this foundation matters. Because better searching skills leads to better use of AI, not the other way around.
- It is about ensuring that these skills and methods find a place in curricula—so that they are not optional, but integral.
- It is about strengthening the foundations of research itself—so that publications emerging from India are built on rigor, depth, and well-searched evidence.
And yes, it is also about aspiration. Why should India not stand high on the global map of health research publications?
That is the direction I intend to keep working towards—for as long as it takes.
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