K. A. Isaac
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Kadapuram Abraham Isaac (Malayalam:കാടാപുരം എബ്രഹാം ഐസക്ക് : July 10, 1925, Kanjiramattom, Ernakulam - September 12, 2005, Thiruvananthapuram was responsible for initiating and developing the professional Library Science Education in Kerala, India. Professor Isaac was the former University Librarian and Head of the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. He was the recipient of the Fellowship of the Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation and Patron of Kerala Library Association. Prof. Isaac had held several important assignments, which included, Senate Member and Dean of Faculty of Arts of the University of Kerala, Governing Body Member of INSDOC, Special Officer (Library) of the Mahatma Gandhi University, University Grants Commission (India) Professor, Visiting Professor in the University of Calicut, Chairman / Member of several Commissions & Committees, etc.
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[edit] Career
Prof. Isaac was an ardent disciple of Dr. S.R. Ranganathan. He had been in the forefront of the movement for the development of Library Science education and library service as the national as well as as the State level. As the first Head of the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kerala, he pioneered the development of library science education in Kerala. He had been associated with and made significant contributions to the Public Library Movement at the State level in Kerala and also at the national level.
Prof. Isaac was appointed to the post of University Librarian at University of Kerala in August 1959 and continued until 1980. As the first professional librarian to hold charge of the University Library, he guided its development to an institution of national stature.
The Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kerala, was founded in 1961, on his initiative.It is one of the early teaching and research departments in the University and remains as the premier school of librarianship and information science in Kerala. Prof. Isaac, headed the Department, since its inception till his retirement on 31st July, 1985. He handled both the responsibilities of the University Librarian and the Head of the Department till his retirement from the former post on 31st July, 1980.
Prof. Isaac has guided four research scholars to complete their doctoral theses leading to Ph.D.
The Mahatma Gandhi University library was started in 1989 under his supervision as Special Officer (Library).
[edit] Publications
[edit] Books
- Libraries & Librarianship: A Basic Introduction
- Libraries in Distance Education (co-authored with Dr. G. Devarajan and S.K. Bajpai) (1989)
- Literature search (Concepts in Communication, Informatics & Librarianship, 19) (1990)
- Library Computerisation in India : Isaac Festschrift: Papers Presented in Honour of Prof. K.A. Isaac (co-authored with Dr. G. Devarajan and A. V. Rahelamma) (1990)
- Glimpses of Library and Information Science (2001)
- Library Legislation in India: A Critical and Comparative Study of State Library Acts (2004)
Dr. G. Devarajan has edited Library and Information Studies in the Digital Age as Professor K.A. Isaac Commemoration Volume (2006).
[edit] Journal articles
- University Grants Commision in Relation to Library and Information Science Education in India, Library Science with a Slant to Documentation,15(3) : 109-112, 1978
- Future Prospects for Education for Librarianship in India, Library Science with a Slant to Documentation and Information Studies, 33(2) : 57-64, 1996
[edit] Conference papers
- University Libraries in India, In IFLA General Conference, 1992. Division of Libraries Serving the General Public: Open Forum; Section on Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons; INTAMEL (RT); Mobile Libraries (RT). Papers. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) 58th General Conference, New Delhi, India, August 30-September 3, 1992
- Library Movement and Bibliographic Control in Kerala: An Overview, In Thomas Isaac, Ed. Proceedings of International Congress on Kerala Studies (ICKS) Thiruvananthapuram, India (organised by AKG Centre for Research and Studies on December 9-11, 2005)
[edit] Early life
Prof. Isaac was born on 10th July 1925, in a family named Kadapuram at Kanjiramattom, Ernakulam District, Kerala as the youngest son of Sri. K. V. Itten and Smt. Mary Itten.
He studied Intermediate and BSc. with Physics as the main subject in Union Christian College Aluva. He took the Diploma in Library Science in 1952 and the Master's degree with First rank in 1953 from University of Delhi, where he was a student of Dr. S. R. Ranganathan.
He was survived by his wife Chechamma Isaac and sons Abraham Isaac (Madhu) (Advocate, Thiruvananthapuram) K. Kurien Issac (Balu) (Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay).
