CIRDAP has organized a national seminar highlighting the importance of library in the age of internet in collaboration with the Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID) on Saturday, 23 February 2019 at 2:30 pm at the CIRDAP International Conference Centre (CICC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Marking the “National Library Day” as declared by the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the seminar explored how internet can be best utilized in library management and information dissemination. The seminar was attended by librarians, information scientists, and documentalists, researchers, scholars and professional in relevant fields from across Bangladesh.

Hon’ble Minister of Ministry of Science and Technology, the Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Architect Yeafesh Osman will attend as the Chief guests, while Dr. Omar Jah, Vice-Chancellor, IUT and Mr. Abdullah Al Hasan Chowdhury, Additional Secretary, GoB attended the seminar as Special Guests. Director General of CIRDAP Mr. Tevita G. Boseiwaqa Taginavulau chaired the meeting.

Mr. M. Monirul Islam Kanok, Librarian, PM Office and Dr. Md. Nazim Uddin, Senior Manager and Head, icddr,b Library will present papers on the theme. Prof. Dr. Kazi Mostak Gausul Hoq, Chairman, Dept. of ISLM, DU. Dr. M. Moniruzzaman, National Information Offcier, UNIC & Mr. Golam Mustafa, CEO, Hakkani Publication, Dhaka will attend as discussants.

Members of BALID including the Chairman Dr. Mirza Mohd Rezaul Islam will also attend the meeting.

It is expected that this seminar will help in capacity building of librarians, information scientists, documentalists and others so that libraries can contribute to knowledge drive social development in Bangladesh.

The programme started with welcome speech by Dr. Mirza Mohd Rezaul Islam, Chairman, BALID followed by remarks by Dr. Usharani Boruah (Librarian, CIRDAP) who made a presentation on CIRDAP Highlighting the importance of E-library.

Dr. Md. Nazim Uddin (Senior Manager and Head, icddr,b Library) presented a keynote presentation on History and chronological development of library from manual  to Digital/e-library format. Mr. M. Monirul Islam Kanok (Librarian, PM Office) gave an excellent presentation on “why library is important though we have internet” with some real examples. After keynote presentation there was a question & answer session.

Afterword, as discussants Prof. Dr. Kazi Mostak Gausul Hoq (Chairman, Dept. of ISLM, DU) delivered  speech on the importance of E-library and spreading out E-library system everywhere. Mr. Abdullah Al Hasan Chowdhury (Add. Secretary, Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Division, Ministry of Educaiton, Bangladesh) & Mr. Muhammad Hossam Haider Chowdhury (Librarian, Independent University Library, Bangladesh) also discussed on the issue.

Then, as Chief guests Dr. Omar Jah, Vice-Chancellor, IUT gave speech. He said about authenticity of information and danger of corrupted knowledge with some examples.

Finally, the chair of the meeting Mr. Tevita G. Boseiwaqa Taginavulau, DG, CIRDAP delivered his speech where he explored how library and Internet interacts, complement each other. He stressed the importance of library in the age of internet.

The programme concluded with vote of thanks by Mr. Md. Humayun Kabir the Deputy Librarian, Independent University Library.