Monday, January 24, 2022

Day 6 of Techनींव@75: Day 6 of Techneev@75 : Testimony of Science and Technology Empowerment of Community | 25 January at 2 PM


INVITATION

Day 4 Techनींव@75

Tuesday, December 21st, 2021 at 02.00 PM IST

Duration: 3 hours

Register Now

Sessions:

1. Community Feedback and Experience Sharing

a. Napak Tangkana Women's Group, Meghalaya
b. Prajapati Community Group, Gujarat
c. Vivekanand Madhu Utpadak Sawalambi Sahkarita Samittee, Ranchi


2. Societal Changemakers' Conclave

a. Mr Kemfort M. Sangma, Meghalaya
b. Mr Pankajbhai Manjibhai Dharodia (Prajapati), Gujarat
c. Mr Pahlu Bedia, Ranchi, Jharkhand

3. Roundtable Discussion to Nurture and Strengthen Local Innovation

a. Padma Shri Smt. Lakhimi Baruah, Founder, Konoklata Mahila Urban Cooperative Bank for Women, Jorhat, Assam
b. Swami Bhaveshananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Ranchi
c. Dr Parag M. Solanki, Scientist in Charge, Naroda Centre, CSIR-CGCRI
d. Dr Augustus Suting, State Council of Science, Technology & Environment, Meghalaya
e. Mr Kemfort M. Sangma, Meghalaya

Watch Live


Watch the Previous Sessions

About Techनींव@75:

On the special occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Science and Technology (Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Bio-Technology (DBT) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in collaboration with the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) plan to highlight the impact of Science, Technology, and Innovation in creating social equity and inclusion by organizing a virtual programme "TechNeev@75". The programme aims to display the STI capacity at the societal foundation level, that is, community.

The programme is implemented by Vigyan Prasar (An Autonomous Organization for Science Communication, Popularisation and Extension) and hosted at the India Science, Technology & Innovation (ISTI) Portal.

Read more
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Thursday, January 20, 2022

Journal of Scientometric Research, New Issue Now Online | with Special Issue on Science, Technology, Innovation and Development in Africa


Journal of Scientometric Research, Vol 10, Issue 3, 2021

Table of Contents
Journal of Scientometric Research, 2021, 10(3) Issue 
Special Issue on Science, Technology, Innovation and Development in Africa

Research Articles
Perspective Paper
Special Issue on Science, Technology, Innovation and Development in Africa 

Editorial
Research Articles

--
Prof. 
Sujit Bhattacharya
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Scientometric Research 
www.jscires.org
[
Indexed with SCOPUS, Emerging Sources Citation Index (WoS)]
Professor AcSIR| Academy of Scientific Research & Innovation
Chief Scientist (CSIR-NIScPR)
Dr. K.S. Krishnan Marg, Pusa Campus, 
New Delhi-110012, INDIA
Email: editor@jscires.org
Twitter: @JSCIRES http://twitter.com/JSCIRES
Website: 
www.jscires.org
Online manuscript submission: http://www.journalonweb.com/jscires/

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Rare coral reef discovered near Tahiti by a UNESCO mission

UNESCO Press Release No. 2022-005

Rare coral reef discovered near Tahiti by a UNESCO mission

Paris, 20 January – A scientific research mission supported by UNESCO has discovered one of the largest coral reefs in the world off the coast of Tahiti. The pristine condition of, and extensive area covered by, the rose-shaped corals make this a highly valuable discovery.

"To date, we know the surface of the moon better than the deep ocean. Only 20% of the entire seabed has been mapped. This remarkable discovery in Tahiti demonstrates the incredible work of scientists who, with the support of UNESCO, further the extent of our knowledge about what lies beneath" - Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO.

Highly unusual discovery

The reef is located at depths of between 30 and 65 metres. It is approximately 3km in length and between 30m and 60/65m wide, which makes it one of the most extensive healthy coral reefs on record. The giant rose-shaped corals are up to 2 metres in diameter.

This is highly unusual because, up to now, the vast majority of the world's known coral reefs sit at depths of up to 25m. So this discovery suggests that there are many more large reefs out there, at depths of more than 30 metres, in what is known as the ocean's 'twilight zone', which we simply do not know about. 

"It was magical to witness giant, beautiful rose corals which stretch for as far as the eye can see. It was like a work of art" - Alexis Rosenfeld, French photographer and founder of the 1 Ocean campaign, who led the diving mission.

A step forward for science

This expedition is part of UNESCO's global approach to mapping the ocean. Coral reefs are an important food source for other organisms so locating them can aid research around biodiversity. The organisms that live on reefs can be important for medicinal research and reefs can also provide protection from coastal erosion and even tsunamis. 

"French Polynesia suffered a significant bleaching event back in 2019 however this reef does not appear to have been significantly affected. The discovery of this reef in such a pristine condition is good news and can inspire future conservation. We think that deeper reefs may be better protected from global warming." - Dr. Laetitia Hedouin from France's National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS) and the environmental research body CRIOBE who was present on the mission.

Until now very few scientists have been able to locate, investigate and study coral reefs at depths of more than 30m. However, technology now means longer dives at these depths are possible. In total the team carried out dives totalling around 200 hours to study the reef and were able to witness the coral spawning. Further dives are planned in the coming months to continue investigations around the reef.

Unesco's action for the ocean

UNESCO is the UN agency in charge of ocean research. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, founded in 1960 and joined by 150 countries, coordinates global programs such as ocean mapping and tsunami alert system, as well as numerous scientific research projects. The agency is also the guardian of unique ocean places, through 232 marine biosphere reserves and 50 marine World Heritage sites of Outstanding Universal Value. UNESCO leads the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, from 2021 to 2030, which this year is reflected in the organization of several major international summits that will amplify the collective mobilization.

"1 Ocean, the anatomy" campaign

This campaign is led by explorer photographer Alexis Rosenfeld, in partnership with UNESCO for the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Each year, until 2030, expeditions will be carried out across the ocean to bear witness to its assets for humanity, the threats it faces, but also the solutions we can provide.

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Monday, January 17, 2022

Vol. 2, No. 1: The Health Issue 🍏

Jan 2022 — Vol. 2, No. 1
View in your browser →

THE HEALTH ISSUE

Welcome to the first IFLA Newsletter of 2022! I wanted therefore to start by wishing you all a very happy, healthy New Year.

Health is of course something we should value highly, especially now. We continue to live with the consequences of a very real health crisis – the COVID-19 pandemic – leaving a trail of suffering, disruption and uncertainty.

While it can hardly be called a positive, the pandemic has at least made it clearer than ever that health is, to a major extent, an information issue. This edition of the newsletter therefore has a focus on health, and work underway to realise the potential of libraries to support health and wellbeing.

Find out more, too, about our plans for WLIC, the Trend Report Update, and Honours and Awards!
Read the full editorial →

Gerald Leitner
IFLA Secretary General

IN THE FIELD

IFLA President Barbara Lison delivered a speech at the 32nd Arab Federation of Libraries and Information Conference, on the subject: Librarian – a Profession with many Challenges. She also offered words of welcome at the Slovenian Library Association's Čop awards for outstanding achievements in the library field.

IFLA's President-elect Tonia Arahova; gave a keynote speech at the Visegrad Group conference on
Impact and Influence: Cultural Innovations during COVID-19, as well as at the International Summit of the Book in Bihac, Bosnia, on the topic Books, Libraries, Internet, IFLA and COVID-19. A Visionary Pragmatic Relationship.

IFLA Secretary-General Gerald Leitner, meanwhile, participated in the Annual General Meeting of Blue Shield International, highlighting the importance of safeguarding documentary heritage, and the commitment of libraries to cooperation across the heritage sector.

POLICY AND ADVOCACY

20 Trends, identified by emerging library leaders

Will we see the importance of virtual services and spaces reinforced, or will there be an analogue backlash? Will we see further political polarisation and undermining of expertise, or will information literacy finally be recognised and valued? Will we see meaningful action in favour of equity and diversity, or just watch as inequalities grow? The 2021 Trend Report Update shares trends suggested by emerging library leaders from across the world, and ideas for how you can work with them!

Read more →

What matters for libraries? Advocacy study webinar recording available

Where and how do libraries advocate? What activities are libraries undertaking around the world to achieve their advocacy goals? IFLA's webinar "Lessons from the Library Advocacy Priorities Study" provides a starting point to think about the answers to these questions. Take a look at the recording now!

Read more →

Supporting development in small island developing states

A new IFLA briefing provides insights on the SAMOA Pathway – a key UN document on sustainability which provides a potential framework for securing greater recognition and new partnerships for libraries and library and information professionals in small island developing states.

Read more →

The impacts of access

A new working research paper by IFLA and Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) explores insights about the uses and benefits of public access to the internet in libraries emerging from recent reports and studies from different parts of the world, and the methodologies available for assessing these.

Read more →

#1Lib1Ref: Your chance to broaden access to verifiable information

Helping to improve and expand Wikipedia is a great way of supporting libraries' mission of providing access to information for all. You can do this by:

> Adding a reference
> Creating a new article
> Organising events or meetings
> Creating WIkiData items for works on WikiSource
> Sharing!

Find out more in our article! →

DEEP DIVE

Health as a Human Right: A Global Call to Action and Practical Steps

In the early months of 2020, WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus underlined that in addition to fighting a pandemic, the world also needed to reckon with an 'infodemic'. As argued by the speakers at the WLIC 2021 session on Access to health information as a human right, there is an urgent need for action to ensure that every person should have access to reliable health information and should be protected from misinformation.

Watch the session here →

PROFESSIONAL + DEVELOPMENT

40 Years of the IFLA Section for Library Services to Multicultural Populations

For 40 years, IFLA's Section for Library Services to Multicultural Populations has brought together libraries and institutions interested in the development and availability of library services designed to meet the needs of cultural and linguistic minorities.

Take a look at a special edition of the Section's newsletter, which describes vividly the impact of their work in helping to change mindsets, assist libraries to implement new services for underserved population groups, and make a positive difference for multicultural populations around the world.

Read more →

Looking ahead on health

The Pandemic has clearly focused minds on health, and how essential it is that we do not take it for granted. The right to health – and with it, the right to health information – have rapidly moved up the political agenda. Find out, therefore, about how IFLA's Health and Biosciences Section and Evidence for Global and Disaster Health Special Interest Group are planning to respond, and in particular, about the upcoming International Congress of Medical Librarianship.

Read more →

Protecting library education in Ecuador

IFLA's Regional Division Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean has been active in supporting the Ecuadorian librarians' association in fighting back against a proposal to close down library degree programmes in the country.

Read more →

OPEN CALLS

IFLA Honours and Awards

Do you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to IFLA or to the global library field? IFLA's Honours and Awards recognise those who have given significant service and made distinguished contributions to the profession.

The deadline for submissions is
28 February 2022.

Read more →

IFLA PressReader International Marketing Award 2022

IFLA's Management and Marketing section is proud to continue its partnership with PressReader again this year to present the IFLA PressReader International Marketing Award for creative, impactful and inspiring library marketing initiatives.

The first, second, and third place winners will receive funds towards airfare, lodging, and registration to attend the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Dublin, Ireland in July 2022. First place will receive €3,000, second place will receive €2,000, and third place will receive €1,500.

The submission deadline for the awards has been extended until
19 January 2022.

Read more →

IFLA Green Library Award 2022

Generously sponsored by De Gruyter Publishing, the IFLA Green Library Award is given to libraries and projects that best communicate their commitment to environmental sustainability. Through this, they create awareness of libraries' social responsibility and potential leadership role, and support the green library movement, from the global to the local level.

Prizes are available in two categories: Best Green Library, and Best Green Library Project, with special recognition for a project which has achieved major impact with minimal resources.

The deadline for submissions is
28 February 2022.

Read more →

LOOKING FORWARD: WLIC 2022

Preparations for a vibrant professional programme at IFLA WLIC 2022 in Dublin are well underway, with registrations set to open via the official website later this month.

What steps can you take already?

1) Add 26-29 July, 2022 to your calendar ☘️
2) Ensure that
your membership is valid, so you don't miss out on discounts!
3) S
hare the Exhibitor and Sponsorship Prospectus with your leaders and network
4) Read about the relevant visa requirements here: irishimmigration.ie

The Irish National Committee extend their greetings, noting that all delegates are assured of warm Irish hospitality, Céad Míle Fáilte – a Hundred Thousand Welcomes!


IFLA exists thanks the generous support of our Members!

Are you ready to build your connections within the global library field?

Become a member →

NEW MEMBERS

UPCOMING EVENTS

To the events calendar →

LIBRARY MAP OF THE WORLD

Check out the latest additions to the Library Map of the World Country Profiles:

Cyprus
The library field in the Republic of Cyprus has a strong potential for development and modernization, in order to bring all institutions up to the level of the most prominent academic libraries.

Cuba
Among the most significant achievements of libraries in Cuba is the unity that exists between the library sectors, regardless of the type of libraries to which each belong. They cooperate with each other in meeting the information needs to users and work together to uplift communities they serve.

Looking for stories to strengthen your advocacy?

Read how the Library System of the Catholic University of Córdoba in Argentina ensures children in vulnerable situations have access to early childhood development.

Learn how the
Valapattanam Grama Panchayath Library in India enhances communication, learning and creativity among children in lockdown.

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

Want to get featured here? Don't forget to use the #WeAreIFLA hashtag!