Future Avenues for Research

Abstract

Today's library and information professionals are confronted with a broad range of challenges and opportunities to improve the effectiveness of their organizations, to respond better to the information needs of their communities, and to provide leadership in the information environment. Innovative, original and scientific research in library and information science not only increases the quality of services but solves the practical problems of library and information profession. The emerging areas of research in an electronic and digital environment have posed serious challenges to library and information profession paving a way to entirely transform and meet the challenges. More number of Research Fellowship need to be awarded by UGC, CSIR, DRDO, ICSSR. Some of the well established LIS departments having required infrastructure may be recognized as Advance Research Center. Library and Information Science being an established discipline of study has not only focused library and information science education at undergraduate and post-graduate, it has gone beyond this level by offering M.Phil and Ph.D programme. Already the researchers have been carried out on the different areas of library education and library services but the growth, development and popularity of ICT in general and internet technology in particular has widened the scope of research. Many researchers around the world including India are engaged in evaluating internet/web resources, web mining, library website development, website usability, content creation, development and management of digital resources including its preservation, evaluation of search engines, information literacy, e-learning, virtual reference, copyright and Intellectual Property Right (IPR) etc. These researches already carried out or research in progress has scientifically brought innovative solutions to the practical problems of librarianship. Research under progress shall also contribute a lot in bringing innovative and original ideas for qualitative improvement of library and information science education in India and abroad. This research topic undertaken by me paved the way to come across many academic and professional issues confronted by library and information science education in the country and more specifically in the north east region and in the process I gained experience to contribute to my academic and professional endeavour.