Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 13 Aug: Uttaranchal University celebrated National Librarians’ Day 2026 with enthusiasm and reverence to commemorate the 134th birth anniversary of Dr SR Ranganathan, the Father of Library Science in India.
Present were University President Jitender Joshi, Vice Chancellor Prof (Dr) Dharam Buddhi, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Rajesh Bahuguna, along with Deans, Directors, Principals, faculty members, research scholars, students and library professionals.
The programme highlighted the enduring relevance of Dr Ranganathan’s principles and the evolving role of librarians as knowledge facilitators, research partners, digital navigators and promoters of academic integrity. Speaking on the occasion, the University reaffirmed its commitment to developing the Central Library as an inclusive, technology-enabled and learner-centred knowledge hub.
Jitender Joshi called upon the gathering to pay tribute to the late former First University Librarian, NC Uniyal, by fondly remembering his dedicated service and invaluable contributions to the University.
The University also launched “Samavesh – Inclusive Library Support Initiative”, comprising four free Book Bank schemes: Dr BR Ambedkar Inclusive Library Support, Gaura Devi Tribal Knowledge Empowerment, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Educational Advancement Support, and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Knowledge Access. The initiative seeks to provide equitable access to essential academic books for students from disadvantaged sections, reinforcing the University’s commitment to inclusion, equity and accessibility, in alignment with NEP 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A major highlight of the celebration was the presentation of the Best Library User Awards, recognising outstanding students and faculty members for their exemplary utilisation of library resources and their contribution to a culture of reading, learning and research.
The awardees included 22 students, one female and one male student from each constituent College of Uttaranchal University, and Dr Abhishek Singh, Assistant Professor, UIPS; Anuj Sethi and Dr Ramakant Tripathi, Assistant Professors, Law College Dehradun; Srishti Morris and Pooja Negi, Assistant Professors, UIPS, and Ankita Dobriyal, Assistant Professor, UCHS.
The programme was moderated by Nidhi Sharma, Assistant Professor, UCHS, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Rakhi Sharma. The event was coordinated by Arun Singh Thakur, University Librarian, with the participation of Dr Vikash Jakhmola, Director, UIPS; Dr Poonam Rawat, Principal, Law College; and Dr Rajendra Prasad, Principal, SOA & all Library Staff.
