LIRC@SFIT

  The Learning & Information Resource Centre (LIRC), St. Francis Institute of Technology (Engineering College), in collaboration with the Knowledge Resource Centre (KRC), MKES Nagindas Khandwala College, are organizing a Five-Day Librarian Development Program (LDP) titled "Empowering Librarians for the Digital Future" from 10th to 14th August 2026 . The program is designed to equip library professionals with the knowledge, skills, and innovative practices required to transform modern academic libraries into dynamic learning and research hubs. Librarians, library professionals, and LIS students from various institutions actively participated in this enriching online program. Day 1 – Enhancing Library Visibility by Dr. Madhura Deodhar Day 2 - User Engagement Beyond books by Dr. Ramakant Navghare Day 3 - Library Leadership and Change Management by Dr. Appasaheb Naikal Day 4 - AI for Librarians by Dr. Sonali Karekar Day 5 - Essential Documentation for Librarians by Ms. Chi...

 When the Library Became More Than a Library There are two ways to enter a library: to look for a book, or to look for an answer. During 2025–26 , our students did both. But this time, they were not simply coming to the Library to read, borrow or prepare. They were coming to think, explore, connect and demonstrate what they had learned . The Library became the setting for a series of Open Book Tests (OBTs) conducted across a remarkable range of subjects. And somewhere between the bookshelves and the examination papers, something important happened—the Library began to look less like a support facility and more like an extension of the classroom . An Open Book Test is, after all, not a test of how much a student can remember. It is a test of how well a student can think with knowledge . Students had to locate relevant information, interpret it, connect concepts and apply what they found. The book was not a shortcut to the answer; it was a partner in the learning process . Across th...