📚 College Librarians’ Meet 2025 – A Step Toward Innovation and Collaboration in Library Sciences*
The Jayakar Knowledge Resource Centre (JKRC) of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) successfully organized the College Librarians’ Meet on 4th September 2025 at the *Geology Department, SPPU. The event was a significant initiative aimed at strengthening the academic library ecosystem and enhancing collaboration among college librarians. It witnessed the active participation of *210 librarians from various affiliated colleges across the region.
🏛️ Inauguration and Welcome
The event began punctually at *10:00 AM, hosted by **Dr. Rajani Meshram, and opened with a **welcome address by Dr. Sanjay Desale, Director of Jayakar Knowledge Resource Centre. In his address, Dr. Desale emphasized the role of librarians as key contributors in implementing the goals of the *National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the importance of continuous professional development in the field of library science.
🎤 Keynote Address by Dr. Rajendra Kumbhar
The keynote speaker, *Dr. Rajendra Kumbhar, Former Senior Professor, delivered an enlightening session on *“Top 10 Mantras to Inculcate Reading Habits Among Children and Students.”* He shared practical strategies for encouraging reading across different age groups and offered *tips for parents, teachers, and librarians to foster a reading culture. Furthermore, Dr. Kumbhar proposed a variety of research topics for librarians, encouraging them to undertake experimental research and contribute scholarly papers to the field.
📘 Presentation on Information Literacy and Credit Courses
The next session featured *Prof. Dr. Charudatta Gandhe, Librarian at Adarsh Education Society’s College of Education, Pune. He presented on *Information Literacy and provided an innovative outlook on how college libraries can introduce 2-credit or 4-credit courses on information literacy. These courses, once approved by SPPU, would align with the academic credit structure under NEP 2020, thereby supporting undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
🤖 AI in Libraries – Modernization through Technology
In the post-lunch session, *Mr. Yogesh Mate, Librarian at St. Vincent College of Commerce, Pune, delivered an informative lecture on the *“Use of Artificial Intelligence in Libraries.”* He showcased how leading libraries worldwide have adopted AI technologies for resource management, user services, and information retrieval. His session highlighted the *potential of AI to transform traditional library functions into smarter, user-centric services.
📚 Book Review Portal & Networking of Libraries – A Vision for the Future
The final segment of the event was led by *Mr. Pradeep Bachhav, Librarian at Agasti Arts, Commerce, and Dadasaheb Rupwate Science College, Akole. He is also the head of the committee for *“Training and Support, Book Review Portal.”**
He presented an overview of the “Book Review: A Collaborative Project” under the initiative ‘Vachan Sankalp Maharashtracha’, spearheaded by JKRC. In his second presentation, he proposed a comprehensive framework for the “Networking of Libraries”, which included:
- An executive summary
- Defined objectives
- Vision and mission statements
- Governance structure
- Policy recommendations for sustainable operation
This initiative envisions an interconnected network of college libraries that fosters resource sharing, collaborative research, and community engagement.
💬 Interactive Session & Closing Remarks
An interactive session followed where participants enthusiastically shared insights, feedback, and suggestions, contributing to a vibrant exchange of ideas. The event concluded with a *formal vote of thanks by Dr. Sanjay Desale, who expressed gratitude to all attendees, resource persons, JKRC staff, and colleagues whose dedicated efforts ensured the *success of the event.
✅ Conclusion
The College Librarians’ Meet 2025 proved to be a *valuable platform for knowledge sharing, innovation, and collaboration. It reinforced the evolving role of librarians in the academic ecosystem and provided practical roadmaps to align library functions with the vision of *NEP 2020. JKRC continues to lead in organizing such impactful initiatives that empower the librarian community and support academic excellence
