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The Organisation of Library Consultants (OLC)

Introduction
The Organisation of Library Consultants (OLC) is a not-for-profit initiative that connects libraries and Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals with experienced consultants and service providers. It provides a platform for showcasing expertise, services, and innovative solutions to support the development and improvement of library services.

Vision

Craft the Horizons of Knowledge

Mission

Connecting Consultants to the Libraries

Motto

Experts for Excellence

The Role of OLC

OLC accepts eligible members and actively promotes their consultation services within the library and LIS profession. We encourage our members' active participation and contributions towards our mission of connecting consultants to libraries and fostering excellence in the Library and Information Science field. Our web-based systems and protocols allow us to monitor the progress of consultation services on a daily basis.

Need & Scope

The Library and Information Science (LIS) profession is ever-changing, dynamic and turbulent with the growth of human knowledge and technology. The degree and certificate of training may not be sufficient to work effectively in this profession due to new inventions and innovations and technological obsolescence. The highly dynamic nature of the LIS profession requires frequent and continuous support from experts in the field. Many LIS experts are individually highly knowledgeable and capable enough to extend their support to solve problems and develop the library to a new horizon. OLC believes that connecting the capable consultants and libraries is a need of the hour. OLC organises LIS professionals with different expertise under one umbrella in the Organisation of Library Consultants (OLC). Those who need support can choose the right persons and request assistance quickly and effectively from the OLC website. The immediate and practical objectives of OLC are:

OLC Membership

There are two types of members:

Consultant: An OLC Consultant can be a library professional who leads libraries and the LIS Profession to a solution or development with their expertise through consultation. Usually, consultants possess sufficient research, knowledge, experience, and authority in their areas of service offering.
Ranks of Consultants and Criteria of Promotion
Only consultants are eligible for ranks based on promotion. These ranks consist of three types:

Paper presentation, number of consultation/projects per year, rating of beneficiaries, and evaluation of the expert committee are the usual criteria for membership promotion. All promotions and appreciations will be solemnly celebrated at the OLC Annual Conference (which will be held on 2nd October).

Membership Benefits :

Service Provider (Institution/Individual) : An OLC Service Provider can be an institution or individual who leads libraries and the LIS Profession to a solution or development with their expertise, materials, solutions, etc., through services and consultations. Usually, service providers possess sufficient knowledge, experience, competence, and authority in their areas of service offering. OLC welcomes capable individuals/institutions who serve the library and LIS Profession to support and expand the horizon of knowledge towards prosperity as an OLC Member. To join as an OLC member, they required a recommendation from the appropriate person. All memberships will expire on 2nd October (the next conference day). To renew membership, members must participate in the annual conference of OLC and complete the required formalities.

Online visibility of member profiles with personalized photo and contact information
Email notifications for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that are posted in the RFP section of the site
Opportunities to present, evaluate, and recognize the ideas, efficiencies, and creativity of members at the annual conference

Recommending Persons

To become a member of OLC, you need a recommendation from an eligible person. For a consultant: The following categories of people can recommend a capable person to be an OLC Member:
1) LIS Gazetted Officer (Professional)/Librarians with UGC scale/rank – from the Government/Aided Academic Sector. 2) University Librarian, HoD of LIS Dept., Librarian of Autonomous College, LIS Professional with 10+ years’ experience – from the Private/Unaided Sector. 3) Retired individuals from the above categories. For a service provider (institution/individual): The following categories of people can recommend a capable institution/individual to be an OLC Member as a service provider:
1) A professional consultant (OLC member) with personal knowledge/experience/confidence about an institution/individual.
2) A reliable LIS professional (including an OLC non-member) who has benefited from a library/LIS project conducted by the particular service.

Annual Conference

The annual conference, focusing on new trends in multiple areas such as AI applications, ICT implementations, services, modifications, developments, philosophies, and practices within the fields of library, library profession, and librarianship, stands as the crowning event of the year. These conferences are primarily tailored for OLC members, predominantly consisting of consultants and service providers, although interested individuals from outside the organization are welcome to participate. OLC members are required to present papers on their specialized areas based on previous experience and proper Research and Development (R&D). The conference serves as a platform for the appraisal, promotion, and renewal of membership, as well as for the exchange of ideas and the fostering of collaboration. Moreover, it acts as a hub for rigorous Research and Development (R&D) initiatives within the field. Important sub-meetings will be convened, and significant decisions will be made and announced during this event. To ensure the convenience of all members, we propose establishing a fixed date for a general holiday on the 2nd of October in the upcoming years. Details regarding the venue and other arrangements will be planned and communicated accordingly.

Disclaimer

Consultants affiliated with OLC independently offer their services based on their individual capacities. OLC cannot be held responsible for any issues that may arise in relation to the consultation and services provided by the members to their clients.

Patrons

Patron is a highly respectful and influential individual supporting libraries, the LIS profession, and OLC. OLC members can propose the name of a prominent figure to enhance OLC's promotion efforts and strengthen confidence among clients and members.

The Humble Beginning

The inspiration for the Organisation of Library Consultants emerged during the ICLISCOM Conference, held at the DVK Central Library in Bangalore from October 18–20, 2014. The event, titled "Library Space and Content Management for a Networked Society," brought together library professionals who, through rich dialogue and collaboration, identified a clear need for an online directory of library consultants led by LIS experts.
In response to these insights, Dr. John Neelankavil CMI conceived the Organisation of Library Consultants (OLC) idea and took the initial step of registering the domain www.olc.org.in.
With strong support from fellow professionals, Dr. Neelankavil recognised the significance of creating a platform to connect libraries with qualified consultants and provide reliable information about consultancy opportunities.
Drawing from his extensive experience in library planning and consultancy—and recognising the growing demand for such services across diverse institutions—he began to implement the concept systematically. After a period of dormancy, the initiative gained momentum as the need for specialised consultancy in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field became increasingly urgent.
Dr. Neelankavil collaborated closely with colleagues and professional peers to bring the vision to life. He enlisted the support of Mr. Athul from Trivandrum and his team to develop an interactive website to facilitate meaningful connections between libraries and consultants.
Though OLC began informally, it has become a vibrant and functional platform. Dr. John Neelankavil CMI is widely acknowledged as the founder of the Organisation of Library Consultants. He is affectionately regarded by many as a pioneering figure in the field of library consultancy.
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Board of Directors

The Board of Directors provides administrative leadership for the OLC. The Founding Director (FD) will lead the Board during the initial phase of development. All directors will work in close collaboration with the FD to ensure the effective operation of the organization. President of OLC During the initial stage, the Founding Director will serve as the President of the OLC and will be responsible for leading the organization from the front. Secretary of OLC In the initial phase, the Founding Director will appoint a qualified individual to serve as the Secretary of the OLC to assist in the administration and day-to-day operations of the organization.

Remuneration & Rating

The core intention of OLC is to serve and develop libraries and the LIS profession for a better society. Since the OLC is a not-for-profit organisation, OLC does not charge any remuneration for its services. However, the members are eligible for travel allowance (TA), dearness allowance (DA), labour charge, product charge, honorarium, etc. Each client/beneficiary is responsible for coordinating these matters amicably with the OLC members. After each consultation, OLC members are required to obtain a duty certificate and a formal rating of their service. At the conclusion of the project, they must produce a testimonial and be evaluated by the client or beneficiary using the appropriate rating system. These ratings/rankings are automatically published on the OLC website alongside each member's profile. The duty certificate/testimonial must be presented at the annual conference as part of the promotion process.