Media Release
Mangaluru, Aug 22: The National Library Day was celebrated at Father Muller Charitable Institutions Library on August 19 in the Decennial Memorial Hall of Father Muller Knowledge Centre. The occasion was to commemorate the 131st Birth anniversary of Padmashri Late Dr S R Ranganathan who is considered as father of library science in India.
To mark this celebration, an inter-medical collegiate undergraduate general knowledge quiz ‘MULLER LIBER – 2023’ was held and six medical colleges in and around the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts participated in this event. Dr Anil Shetty, professor of pediatrics, FMMC was the quiz master. Dr Manjeshwar Sahana Kamath, associate professor, physiotherapy and library committee member welcomed the gathering. Dr Chandini, associate professor, psychiatry and Dr Tanush Shetty, assistant professor, forensic medicine & toxicology moderated the quiz. Dr Padmaja Udaya Kumar, HOD, department of pharmacology, presented the quiz participants with their certificates at the end of the quiz. The library committee chairperson, secretary, faculty and students were present during the quiz.
The following students were the winners of the quiz:
The programme began with the invocation with a prayer song followed by a welcome address by Dr John J S Martis, professor, department of surgery, chairperson of the Central Library Committee. The programme was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by the chief guest Dr Khaisar Muneebulla Khan, professor and HOD department of library & information science, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru along with other dignitaries on the dais namely, Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, director, FMCI, Fr Ajith B Menezes, administrator, FMMC, Dr Antony Sylvan D’Souza, dean, FMMC, Dr John J S Martis, chairperson, Central Library Committee, Dr Janet Dotty Lobo, chief librarian, FMCI and secretary of the Central Library Committee. Fr Ajith B Menezes talked about the origin story of the Reader’s Club the seeds of which were planted when he was getting solace in the unread books from his bookshelf during the pandemic times. He talked about the role of books in enriching personality and helping in the overall growth which is the main motivation behind providing a platform like Reader’s Club for the students. Following this, Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho inaugurated the Reader’s Club.
During their address, the chief guest Prof Khaisar Muneebulla Khan touched on the background of the life of Dr S R Ranganathan and how library science has grown by leaps and bounds with a wide range of evolution in the available resources and nomenclature. He talked in detail about the limited resources they had to face when he was just getting started with his career about four decades ago and there was still so much to learn. The literature and library research work which now takes four to six weeks to complete used to take over six months during the previous times, eating up precious time and effort of the person looking for the said information, he said.
Prof Khan talked about his realization about the presence of good seminar room and other resources were used to attract faculty and students to the library to open their eyes to the vast sea of knowledge that is waiting for their consumption. He congratulated the management of Father Muller Charitable Institutions for the facilities and resources they provide the faculty and students in abundance from the library resources to the infrastructure as well as various opportunities to learn and grow.
Following the address by the chief guest, memento was provided to the chief guest by Dr Antony Sylvan D’Souza, dean, FMMC.
The former chairpersons of the Central Library Committee who served between 1990 - 2022 were honoured and the ones in service, namely Dr Erel A I Diaz, professor, general surgery, Dr Nagesh K R, professor, forensic medicine and toxicology and Dr Venkatesha B M, professor, general medicine were given a token of love and appreciation in the form of mementos from Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, director, FMCI. The quiz master Dr Anil Shetty, professor, pediatrics was also given a memento by the director, FMCI.
During the presidential address, Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, director, FMCI mentioned the wide variety of interests different readers have and while some might love fiction others might like non-fiction more. “The key is to enjoy the books that you like reading while passing on the books that you do not read to the ones who might appreciate it,” he said adding how Reader’s Club will bring together book lovers from all different genres together to appreciate the wide variety of books that would be offered to them.
This was followed by the prize distribution under the different categories and awardees name announced by Dr Janet Dotty Lobo, chief librarian, and the Secretary of the Central Library Committee. The best library user awards were given to the students in 3 categories based on the highest usage of library and borrowings in undergraduate section, postgraduate section and utilization of e-resource in the e-library.
Best Library User Award
Mohammed Mansoor Ahmed – MBBS-2022 Batch – Undergraduate section
Deepika R – MSC MLT-2022 Batch – Postgraduate section
Fleema Crasta- BSc Nursing 2020 Batch – E-library
These users were recognized with certificates and mementos.
BMJ Research to Publication Awardees
BMJ Research to Publication Recognition selection based on those who have completed 52 modules of Research to Publication honoured with mementos are as follows:
Dr John J S Martis, chairperson of the Central Library Committee offered roses to the sponsors as a token of appreciation.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Shubha N Rao, professor of general surgery, FMMC, member of the Central Library Committee, and the programme was meticulously compered by Dr Archana Bhat, associate professor, pathology FMMC and Sandra Jyothi Saldanha, associate professor, nursing education.
The programme was concluded by institutional anthem followed by refreshments.