SCERT Jammu hosts 3-day Capacity Building Programme for School librarians.
JAMMU, OCTOBER 15(PTK): The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Jammu and Kashmir, Divisional Office Jammu, under the mentorship of Dr. Naseem Javaid Chowdhary, Director, SCERT J&K and the able guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Sindhu Kapoor, Joint Director, SCERT J&K, Divisional Office Jammu, today inaugurated a three-day capacity building programme on “Changing Landscape of School Libraries: Learning Hubs as Envisioned by NEP 2020” for 50 secondary school librarians of Jammu Division.
The programme, being organised by the Department of Library and Documentation of Academic Unit-I, aims to strengthen the professional competencies of school librarians and reposition school libraries as vibrant, inclusive and resource-rich centres that facilitate meaningful learning, independent inquiry and holistic student development.
Prof. Sangita Gupta, Dean, Planning & Development and Head, Department of Library & Information Science, University of Jammu, was the Chief Guest.
The inaugural session commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, symbolising knowledge and enlightenment. A cordial welcome address was presented by Dr. Sandeep Sharma, Associate Coordinator, followed by presentation of the concept note by Bikram Singh, Coordinator, who outlined the aims, objectives and expected outcomes of the programme.
Addressing the participants, Prof. (Dr.) Sindhu Kapoor emphasised the need to reimagine school libraries in keeping with the transformative vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. She highlighted the crucial role of librarians in cultivating a vibrant reading culture, facilitating access to diverse learning resources and supporting classroom teaching through innovative, learner-centric library practices.
In her address, Prof. Sangita Gupta, highlighted the evolving significance of school libraries in nurturing intellectual curiosity, independent thinking and lifelong learning among students. She emphasised that a modern school library must transcend its traditional role as a repository of books and emerge as an active learning environment that promotes reading habits, information and digital literacy, critical thinking and informed engagement with knowledge.
The Training Manual for the programme was also released at the inaugural session. The manual is intended to serve as a valuable resource in guiding participants towards strengthening school libraries as dynamic, technology-enabled learning hubs in consonance with the vision of NEP 2020.
The programme features expert deliberations on significant themes, including “Information and Media Literacy in the Age of AI: The School Library as the First Line of Defence against Misinformation,” “Changing Landscape of School Libraries,” “Shaping Little Minds for the Future,” and “E-Granthalaya 4.0.” The sessions are intended to equip librarians with contemporary perspectives and practical strategies for fostering responsible information use and strengthening library management systems.
The resource persons include Dr. Pramod Kumar Singh, Associate Professor, University of Jammu, Ashwin Kumar Kushwaha, Assistant Professor, University of Jammu, Vidya Lal, Librarian, Government Degree College, Jindrah, Dr. Arun Gupta, Librarian, Government Degree College, Chenani, Sakshi Gandotra, Librarian, Army Public School, Ratnuchack, Suresh Kumar Gouria, Dr. Bhuvi and Dr. Sandeep Sharma, faculty from SCERT Jammu. Their expertise is expected to enrich the training through academic insights, practical experiences and innovative approaches to contemporary school librarianship.
As part of the broader educational initiatives undertaken by SCERT J&K, a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Programme is also being conducted to highlight the importance of promoting safe water, sanitation and hygiene practices to ensure a healthy, safe and child-friendly school environment.
The smooth conduct of the event was ensured through the meticulous supervision of Tara Chand, Head AU-I, supported by the organising team, including Anuradha Singh, Assistant Professor, Rakesh Chobber and Arsh Kour as Technical Coordinators, Rukhsana Gulbadan and Pratibha Jamwal. The session concluded with a formal vote of thanks presented by Balbir Sudan, Associate Professor, Head, Department of Library and Documentation, who expressed gratitude to the chief guest, SCERT leadership, resource persons, participants and the organising team for their valuable contributions to the programme.(PTK)
