Restoring Library Spaces: Experience of an Academic Library in India
The talk is based on the recent experience of restoring and upgrading the Vikram Sarabhai Library (VSL), Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA). The VSL, named after the great physicist, institution builder and founding Director of IIMA, was set up in 1962. VSL is one of the leading academic libraries in India, with over 250,000 physical items and subscribes to over 100 databases. The restoration of the VSL building was important as it is a part of the heritage campus of IIM Ahmedabad, designed by the renowned architect, Louis Kahn.
Dr. Anil Kumar, heads the VSL and will share his experience, in terms of the objectives, planning, coordinating, monitoring and implementation of the entire project that started in 2014 and ended in 2018. The talk will highlight interesting insights into the project, as the VSL had to be shifted and function from a different premise and then shifted back to the restored library after the restoration was completed.
Learning Objectives
1. The audience will be able to understand and prepare for the process and challenges involved in restoration of a library in a heritage building.
2. Information Professionals will be able to incorporate modern technologies in restoration projects and the technical challenges of the project will give an insight into administration of a project executed over a span of 4 years.
2. The talk will be immense value to the library community interested in library space design, library restoration, technology up gradation, and project management.
Presenters
Dr. H. Anil Kumar
Dr. H. Anil Kumar has a doctoral degree in Library and Information Science from the M.S. University of Baroda, India and the Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science from Bangalore University. He secured gold medals in both Master’s and Bachelor’s programmes of Library and Information Science.
He has nearly three decades of professional experience at renowned academic institutions like National Law School of India University Bangalore, The British Library, Entrepreneurship Institute of India and Nirma University. He is one of the founding team members of the International Centre for Technology Entrepreneurship, Ahmedabad and is mentoring a few technology startups.
Dr. Anil Kumar has been the recipient of the Life Time Achievement Award 2019 from Royal Society of Chemistry, Best Librarian Award 2014 by Taylor and Francis, Outstanding Librarian Award 2012 by AIMS (Association of Indian Management Scholars), Asian Professional Award (2011) by Special Libraries Association (SLA), USA and Best Librarian Award (2008) by Management and Libraries Network (MANLIBNET), India. He was invited under the prestigious International Visitor Programme of the Department of State, United States of America in June 2001. He has nine papers in peer reviewed journals, six books, two IIMA case studies and several papers in books and conferences to his credit.
He is a Member of the Asia Pacific Business School Librarians Group, Member of Association for Information Science and Technology, USA, Life member of Indian Library Association, Life Member of MANLIBNET (Management Library Network) and Life Member of ADINET (Ahmedabad Library Network). His areas of professional interest are: Emerging Technology and Management Trends in Librarianship.