RBU_JR_LIS_V23_2021-FULL_TEXT-E-Copy

RBU Journal of library & Information Science, V. 23, 2021
Rural Knowledge Centres (RKC) has been emerged
through which villagers can ensue towards poverty
improvement by increasing their household income. RKC
is information and communication technology (ICT) based
services centre in the integral parts of the country where
the services or facilities computer education, internet, e-
mail, mobile phone having internet connection, laminating
and photocopy facilities etc are available. The rural
knowledge centre provides resource materials for the
community, including educational posters, journals, books
etc (https://bnnrc.net/rural-knowledge-centre).
Union Digital Centres (UDCs) are one-stop service centre
has set up in Bangladesh with a view to providing all sorts
of government digital services and ICT facilities to the
doorsteps of every citizen at the rural area of the country.
These are a hallmark achievement of the government’s
Digital Bangladesh vision, which envisages using them to
provide all public and private services to rural people. The
most popular public services in UDCs are birth
registration, health related information, agriculture
oriented information, examination results, citizen
certificates, online university admission, e-government
service, registration for migrant workers etc. The UDCs
also are providing private services such as mobile financial
services, insurance, computer, vocational training etc. This
programme started in 2010, at present a total of 4554 onestop
service units is covering 4554 Union of Bangladesh
(www.a2i.gov.bd/publication/union-digital-centres).
The problems of providing Community
Information Centre in Bangladesh
As communities change, so do the information needs of
the people. A Community Information Centre can’t
continue to be a focus for users without tailoring
information and resources to meet the needs of the
community.
I. Gap between services and information needs of
users
II. Lack of understanding
III. Information not reach user
IV. Lack of organizational structure
V. Lack of community information literacy
VI. Lack of reading culture
Role of Professional Association
The Professional Associations (PA) is closely associated
with the growth of librarianship as a profession. According
to Mujumder & Roy Choudhury (2015) study, the Library
and Information Science Professional Associations have
the responsibility to play a vital role in fulfilling the goals
of providing community information services. The
professional association of Bangladesh is working as a
bargaining agent for the improvement of community
centres or information centres. The Professional
Association (PA) may give some steps:
1. At present CIS services are offered in the rural
areas at public and private level but many people
don’t have any idea about the CISs. So PA can
arrange advocacy campaign programme to
promote awareness of CIC.
2. PA may take a leading role in the present
situation. Libraries/ information centres now need
to make a paradigm shift from their existing
strategy of acquiring of knowledge to a strategy
of access of knowledge.
3. PA may think try to create information helping
cadre consisting of educated peoples including
students for the improvement of socio economic
conditions of rural people.
4. PA can arrange a meeting along with government
high officials, decision makers, and NGO
representative for the establishment and
importance of CIC.
5. PA can help the library professionals in locating
acquiring analyzing and linking information.
6. PA can arrange user education or training
programme according to the need of the users
seeking CIS
7. PA can motivate the librarians/ library
professionals of the community Information
Centre to change their attitudes, to maintain in
their values and ethics.
8. PA can the help library professional in keeping
peace with constantly changing technology and
organize seminars, conference, workshops for
training//refresher courses professionals and staff
about upgraded services.
9. PA can take an initiative to establish a network.
All community libraries or information centre
will be covered by this network.
10. Those working in these centres are not educated
in library and Information Science. So LIS
professional can be involved in all these centres. In
this case PA can request the concerned department
and regulatory body so that they have employment
opportunities.
Suggestion
I. PA should arrange to prepare a manual of CIS
incorporating therein a list of all the possible
types and verities of information qualities and
II.
III.
IV.
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services which can be offered to the users.
PA should take a leading role of ensure better
community services to the users and also
improved professional performances.
PA can play a vital role in the framing of a code
of conduct for LIS professional which is essential
needed in the current situation.
PA should organize a planned and continuous
capacity and skill development training
programme for librarian or library personnel
engaged in public libraries and community
information centres for users and administrators
at all level. The importance of networking and
access to other information sources should be
included in the training programmes.