Ramachandran Rasu Naidu (b. 5 September 1942, Malaysia–) is the executive director of the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS).1 He was formerly the deputy chief executive of the National Library Board and the director of National Library Singapore. He was the first secretary-general of the Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians, and has served as the secretary and president of the Library Association of Singapore.2 He was also the chairman of the NBDCS for several terms.3
Education4
1955–62: Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh.
1969: BA Hons. in History and Russian Language, University of Malaya, on a scholarship awarded by the Indian High Commission.
1972: Certificate in Public Relations, Institute of Public Relations London.
1973: Masters in Library Studies, University of Hawaii.
1973: Certificate in Communication Studies, East West Center Communication Institute, Honolulu.
Library career
Ramachandran joined the National Library (NL) in 1969 as a library officer after a teaching career in Malaysia. He progressed to become a librarian, the acting director and later, director in the Library. Since joining the Library, he had headed different departments including technical services, reference and support services, public relations, and the Bedok Branch Library.5
Ramachandran was a member of the Library 2000 committee set up in 1992 to review and formulate a master plan for developing library services in Singapore.6 In line with the recommendations of the Library 2000 Review Committee, the National Library Board (NLB) became a statutory board on 1 September 1995, and Ramachandran was appointed the director of NL. He contributed much to make the proposed recommendations a reality.7
Ramachandran introduced a range of library services. In 1996, he implemented the Reference Point, dedicated to answering requests from remote users of the library.8 InfoXpress, a quick information resource about Singapore, was also spearheaded by him.9 Under his leadership, events such as the Asian Children’s Festival, the Emerging Trends in Library and Archival Services and the World Library Summit were held.10
Ramachandran was appointed as the first secretary-general of the Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL) in April 2000.11 In 2004, he was elected the secretary-general of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).12 He was awarded the CONSAL Outstanding Librarian Award in 2006 at the 13th CONSAL General Conference in Manila.13
Timeline
1962–66: Teacher and school librarian, Methodist English School, Selangor, Malaysia.14
1969: Teacher, St Anthony’s Secondary School, Malaysia.
1970–74: Library officer, NL.
1974–78: Assistant librarian and head, YP section, NL.
1978–83: Education officer, NL.15
1984–86: Staff development and welfare officer, NL.16
1985–87: Head, Bedok Branch, NL.17
1988: Head, technical services division, NL.18
1989: Assistant director (technical services), NL.19
1990: Assistant director (reference services), NL.20
1991–92: Deputy director (reference and support services), NL.21
1993–95: Director (Acting), NL.22
1996–98: Director, NLB.23
1999: Assistant chief executive and director, NLB.24
2000–01: Assistant chief executive, NLB.25
2002–Mar 2004: Deputy chief executive, NLB.26
2004: Secretary-general, IFLA in The Hague, Netherlands.27
2005–present: Executive director, National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS).28
Offices held
Chairman, Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania.
Secretary-general, CONSAL Secretariat.29
Secretary (1980–81) and later chairman, NBDCS.30
Secretary-general, IFLA.31
President, Library Association of Singapore (1984–88 and 1991–95).32
Member, IFLA Regional Standing Committee for Asia and Oceania (2001–05).33
Member, Asia Library & Information Virtual Association.
Member, Indian Library Services Advisory Panel.
Member and later honorary secretary, Library Association of Singapore (LAS).34
Editor, LAS newsletter, Singapore Libraries (1975–76).
Member, Library Education Committee (since 1978).
Member, Federation of International Documentalist, Education Training Committee (since 1979).35
Academic publications
Ramachandran has participated in and presented papers at many regional and international library conferences. He has many publications to his name and is widely published in various journals including Singapore Book World, Malayan Law Journal and UNESCO Bulletin for Libraries.36
Awards
1996: Public Administration Medal (Silver).37
2006: CONSAL Outstanding Librarian Award.38
2008: Library Association of Singapore Professional Service Award.39
2013: LAS Lifetime Contribution Award.40
Family41
Wife: Prema Rajamanickam (d. 26 December 2016).
Children: Son, Vicknesh, and daughter, Savitha.
Author
Sitragandi Arunasalam
References
1. Who’s who in Singapore. (1981). Singapore: City Who’s Who, p. 92. (Call no.: RSING 920.05957 WWS); National Book Development Council of Singapore. (2016). Staff. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Book Development Council of Singapore website: http://bookcouncil.sg/home/page/staff
2. Le, T. D. (2008, July 7). A history of CONSAL. Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from CONSAL website: http://www.consal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=102; Library Association of Singapore. (n.d.). LAS past presidents. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from Library Association of Singapore website: http://www.las.org.sg/wp/about-us/council/las-past-presidents/
3. National Book Development Council of Singapore. (2016). Staff. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Book Development Council of Singapore website: http://bookcouncil.sg/home/page/staff
4. Who’s who in Singapore. (1981). Singapore: City Who’s Who, pp. 92–93. (Call no.: RSING 920.05957 WWS)
5. National Library Board. (1987). National Library Board annual report 1986/1987. Singapore: Author, p. 23. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
6. Library 2000 Review Committee. (1994). Library 2000: Investing in a learning nation: Report of the Library 2000 Review Committee. Singapore: SNP Publishers: Ministry of Information and the Arts, p. 125. (Call no.: RSING 027. 05957 SIN-[LIB])
7. National Library Board. (1995–1997). National Library Board inaugural annual report. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/Inaugural/
8. National Library Board. (1995–1997). National Library Board inaugural annual report. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/Inaugural/
9. National Library Board. (1998). National Library Board annual report FY1997. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/Inaugural/
10. National Library Board. (2001). National Library Board annual report FY2000. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/Inaugural/; National Library Board. (2002). National Library Board annual report FY2001. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy01/flash.htm; National Library Board. (2003). National Library Board annual report FY2002. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy02/
11. Le, T. D. (2008, July 7). A history of CONSAL. Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from CONSAL website: http://www.consal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=102
12. S’porean to head library federation. (2003, December 4). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
13. CONSAL XIII. (2006, March 26). Outstanding librarian awardee: R Ramachandran. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from CONSAL XIII website: https://consalxiii.wordpress.com/2006/03/26/outstanding-librarian-awardee-r-ramachandran/
14. Singh, R. (1976). Who’s who in Singapore librarianship. Singapore: Library Association of Singapore, p. 25. (Call no.: RCLOS 020.922 WHO)
15. Who’s who in Singapore. (1981). Singapore: City Who’s Who, p. 93. (Call no.: RSING 920.05957 WWS)
16. National Library Board. (1984). National Library Board annual report for the period FY83. Singapore: Author, p. 35. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR]); National Library Board. (1986). National Library Board annual report for the period FY85. Singapore: Author, p. 28. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
17. National Library Board. (1987). National Library Board annual report 1986/1987. Singapore: Author, p. 23. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
18. National Library Board. (1988). National Library Board annual report 1987/1988. Singapore: Author, p. 29. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
19. National Library Board. (1989). National Library Board annual report 1988/1989. Singapore: Author, p. 35. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
20. National Library Board. (1990). National Library Board annual report 1989/1990. Singapore: Author, p. 35. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
21. National Library Board. (1991). National Library Board annual report 1990/1991. Singapore: Author. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR]); National Library Board. (1992). National Library Board annual report 1991/1992. Singapore: Author. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
22. National Library Board. (1993). National Library Board annual report 1992/1993. Singapore: Author, p. 46. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR]); National Library Board. (1994). National Library Board annual report 1993/1994. Singapore: Author, p. 42. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR]); National Library Board. (1995). National Library Board annual report 1994/1995. Singapore: Author. (Call no.: RCLOS 027.55957 RLSAR-[AR])
23. National Library Board. (1995–1997). National Library Board inaugural annual report. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/Inaugural/; National Library Board. (1998). National Library Board annual report FY1997. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy97/; National Library Board. (1999). National Library Board annual report FY1998. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy98/organChart.htm
24. National Library Board. (2000). National Library Board annual report FY1999/2000. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy99/ochart/ochartpage.html
25. National Library Board. (2001). National Library Board annual report FY2000. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy00/; National Library Board. (2002). National Library Board annual report FY2000/2001. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy01/flash.htm
26. National Library Board. (2003). National Library Board annual report FY2002. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy02/; National Library Board. (2004). National Library Board annual report FY2003/2004. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library Board website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/Portals/0/Reports/fy03/04manage.html
27. S’porean to head library federation. (2003, December 4). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
28. National Book Development Council of Singapore. (2016). Staff. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Book Development Council of Singapore website: http://bookcouncil.sg/home/page/staff
29. Ministry of Communication and Information. (2003, December 2). Singapore librarian will head world umbrella head body for librarianship [Press release]. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from Ministry of Communication and Information website: https://www.mci.gov.sg/pressroom/news-and-stories/pressroom/2003/12/singapore-librarian-will-head-world-umbrella-head-body-for-librarianship?page=219
30. Who’s who in Singapore. (1981). Singapore: City Who’s Who, p. 93. (Call no.: RSING 920.05957 WWS); National Book Development Council of Singapore. (2016). Staff. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Book Development Council of Singapore website: http://bookcouncil.sg/home/page/staff
31. S’porean to head library federation. (2003, December 4). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
32. Library Association of Singapore. (n.d.). LAS past presidents. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from Library Association of Singapore website: http://www.las.org.sg/wp/about-us/council/las-past-presidents/
33. International Federation of Library Association. (2001, December). IFLA RSAO Newsletter 13:2. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from IFLA website: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.220.113&rep=rep1&type=pdf
34. Asian Publishing Convention. (n.d.). 2013 Lifetime contribution award presentation. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from Asian Publishing Convention website: http://publishingconvention.com/las-full-citation/
35. Who’s who in Singapore. (1981). Singapore: City Who’s Who, p. 93. (Call no.: RSING 920.05957 WWS)
36. Asian Publishing Convention. (n.d.). 2013 Lifetime contribution award presentation. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from Asian Publishing Convention website: http://publishingconvention.com/las-full-citation/
37. Public service star for 30 people. (1996, August 9). The Straits Times, p. 43. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
38. CONSAL XIII. (2006). Outstanding librarian awardee: R Ramachandran. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from CONSAL XIII website: https://consalxiii.wordpress.com/2006/03/26/outstanding-librarian-awardee-r-ramachandran/
39. Library professionals honoured at Istana reception. (2008, May 10). The Straits Times, p. 58. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
40. Library Association of Singapore. (2016). Library Association of Singapore annual report 2015. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from Library Association of Singapore website: http://www.las.org.sg/wp/wp-content/uploads/LAS_Annual_Report_2015.pdf
41. Obituaries: Premavathy Ramachandran. (2016, December 27). The Straits Times, p. C7. Retrieved from Factiva via NLB’s eResources website: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/
Further resources
Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians. (n.d.). About CONSAL. Retrieved 2016, December 2 from Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians website: www.consal.org.sg/about/history.asp
National Library of Australia. (2003). Conference of Directors of National Libraries (CDNL). Retrieved 2016, December 2 from National Library of Australia website: www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/meetings/cdnl/regionalconference_consal.html
The information in this article is valid as at 2016 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
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