1. NACLIN-2017
Quality Assurance and Building Professional Competency in LIS Education and Training: Issues and Concerns in Digital Environment
Prof. Pravakar Rath

2. Understanding the Facts
Leading towards Knowledge Society and Knowledge economy
Infinite Digital Universe and Digital Resource
Challenging National and Global Job Market
Capacity Building and Up skilling of LIS Workforce
Providing Quality LIS education at Par with International Standards

3. Quality Assurance and Adoption of Standards
To full fill customer’s satisfaction
morale satisfaction of the employees
improve credibility, prestige, status
enhances image and visibility of the institution within and outside the country.

4. Some Quality Indicators:
Internationalization of LIS Education
Need Based Curriculum
Competent Faculty
Instructional Technology Support
Collaboration and Partnership
Need for National Accreditation Agency

5. Capacity Building (Skills and Competencies)
ICT Skills:
Dedicated and dynamic library website
Automatic Check-in and Check-out
Digital Library System and Services
Application of RFID and Barcode Technology
Open Source and Open Access Initiatives
Institutional/Knowledge Repositories
Application of Web 2.0/3.0 Technologies-Social networking features and services
Library Portals and Gateways

6. E-Resources: Sources and Services (Access and Sharing)
Virtual Reference Desk/ Ask a Librarian service to response to active reference service
Mobile Alerting Services
E-Publishing
Design and Delivery of digital content on Library Portal
Using Mobile App , Remote Desktops to view and avail library service
Provision of E-book Readers for Library Users

7. Personality Development Skills
Attitude, Appearance, Time and Stress Management Skill
Professional Communication Skills (Verbal, Non-Verbal,& Written)
Communication –Understanding the Audience, Presentation, Body Language,Interpersonal Skills and ability to listening Skill
Marketing Skills & Public Relations (Marketing Planning and Strategy, Publicity and promotion, Public Relations and Liasoning with Library Authority and Patrons

8. Leadership and Vision (Organizational Ability, Team Leadership and Problem Solving, Project Management, Annual Plan, Five-Year & Perspective Plan, Disaster Management, Conflict and Crisis Management
Visionary and Futuristic Approach, Preparation of Vision Document, Negotiation Skills & Strategies

9. Management Skills: Vision- “Looking ahead
Leadership- To build and lead a team with foresightness and ability to transform
Innovations and Best Practices-“Think outside the Box” and set example by adopting healthy practices
Public Relation and Marketing

10. Project Management
Problem Solving
Resource Generation and Mobilisation
Collaboration and Partnership
Appreciation /Tolerance
Comfort and Humour

11. Quality Assurance in LIS Education and Training: Issues and Concerns
Academic and Professional Issues
A proper balance and coordination among the educators, practitioners and researchers can resolve most of the academic and professional issues aiming at quality in library and information services.

12. Technological Issues
Adoption and applications of technological tools and techniques as compulsory component of LIS education and training allows professional competency building and capacity development of LIS learners which contribute to proper functioning of libraries and professionals should not hesitate in adopting these technologies in their work places even for their own professional development. The open source and open access initiatives are a great boon to the library professionals to develop technologically and professionally.

13. Management Issues
A transition from traditional to modern digital library system
A challenges in managing the libraries with due approval from authorities.
A shift from licensed software to open source software, traditional printed books to e-resources, priced publications to open access publications are always issues before the library authorities in which library professionals need to convince the pros and cons of the changed policies in the greater interest of the institutions and users at large.

14. Formulate a National Policy on Library and Information System
A clear vision for the development of Libraries, LIS education and research as national policy to provide a direction to the future librarianship which in turn could supplement socio-educational and cultural development and nation building as well.

15. To Sum Up
Quality of Library and Information Services depends on Quality of Manpower
In other words, the quality of library and information science education determines to a large extent the quality of library and information services available to customers
LIS education must be revamped, redesigned by adopting innovative methods and techniques to meet the needs of knowledge based society

16. The field of library and information science education is a dynamic one (Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary)
Therefore Quality Assurance in LIS Education and Building Professional Competency are Issues and Concerns in the Digital Environment

17. Thank You Very Much Prof. Pravakar Rath
Department of Library and Information Science
Mizoram University
(A Central University)
Aizawl