Page 175 - DLIS401_METHODOLOGY_OF_RESEARCH_AND_STATISTICAL_TECHNIQUES

Methodology of Research and Statistical Techniques

Notes

Task Write a report on Research in LIS in India.

13.5 The Beginning of Research in Library and Information Science

The roots of research in our profession are not very deep. Research in library science is a
twentieth century occurrence ushered in by the library school of the University of Chicago in
mid-1920s. The visionary efforts of the Chicago School bore abundant fruit and offered leadership
to the world in library science research (Shera 1976, 145). The pace of library research is
picking up everywhere today due to social pressure as well as inspiration. In justifying the
Ph.D. programme in our profession, it has been urged that “if librarianship aspires to become
a profession, it should depend upon research to develop its knowledge base and its theoretical
framework” (Wilkinson 1983, 39).
The Indian Context
In India following British tradition and American precedent as established by Asa Don Dickinson
(1876–1960), Librarian, Panjab University, Lahore, 1915–1916, library schools for advanced
professional education have remained attached to universities. The growth of universities in
Independent India ensured their constant growth. In a university, apart from teaching, a
teacher is expected to do and guide research. The third function of a university, namely
service and consultation, has always remained weak in India despite many newly established
universityindustry linkage programmes. (Mitra 1997, 1–4).
Ranganathan’s Work
The credit for the formal institution of the doctoral degree programme in library science in
India goes undeniably to Dr. S.R. Ranganathan (1892–1972). In 1951, he started one at the
University of Delhi surmounting many difficulties and facing personal ridicule. The University
of Delhi awarded the first de jure degree in library science in 1957 to D.B. Krishan Rao who
worked on a faceted classification for agriculture. Doctoral research remained in the wilderness
when Ranganathan shook the Delhi soil off his feet in 1955.
The Documentation Research and Training Centre (DRTC) in Bangalore, founded by Ranganathan
in 1962, is technically not empowered to award the Ph.D. Therefore, for the rest of his life,
from 1962 to 1972, Ranganathan only advocated solo and team research with stress on quality,
relevance and basics. No big research projects were taken up at DRTC though individual
teachers and students maintained both the quality and the tempo of research. Since the death
of Ranganathan almost the entire DRTC faculty has earned Ph.D.s from other Indian universities
on topics of research relevant to DRTC (Satija 1998, 80–87).

Did u know? The DRTC teachers are approved Ph.D. guides in many Indian universities,
and they have already produced many Ph.D.s.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. Professional higher education in ................... in India, now nine decades old, is centred
in universities.

170 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY