World No Tobacco Day

May 31, 2025: World No Tobacco Day.

On "World No Tobacco Day (WNTD)", this year, once again, WHO and public health champions from across the globe will come together to raise awareness about the harmful influences of the tobacco industry on youth.

Although cigarette smoking has decreased over the years due to phenomenal efforts by the tobacco control community, more must be done to safeguard people, more particularly the vulnerable youth groups.

According to 2022 data, worldwide, at least 37 million young people aged 13–15 years use some form of tobacco. In the WHO European Region, 11.5% of boys and 10.1% of girls aged 13–15 years are tobacco users (4 million).

Why the tobacco industry is targeting youth

To keep making billions of dollars in revenues, the tobacco industry needs to replace the millions of customers who die and those who quit tobacco use every year. To achieve this goal, it works to create an environment that promotes uptake of its products among the next generation, including lax regulation to ensure its products are available and affordable. The industry also develops products and advertising tactics that appeal to children and adolescents, reaching them through social media and streaming platforms.

Products such as electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches are gaining popularity among youth. 

The theme for 2025 is "Bright products. Dark intentions. Unmasking the Appeal," which sheds light on the concealed risks of tobacco products that are made to look attractive through enticing flavours and eye-catching packaging.

"Invest time and money in things which keep you happy, healthy and alive. Tobacco is made to kill you, stay away from it."

May 31, 2025: Web Designer Day.

May 31, 2025: Web Designer Day.

Did you know there’s a special day just for those magic makers behind the screens? Celebrated every year, this day shines a light on the creative geniuses who make the internet a visually stunning and user-friendly place.

"Web Designer Day", celebrated each year on May 31st, is a nod to the creative minds who design the websites we browse daily.

The role of web designers has evolved significantly since the early days of the internet. Initially, web design was pretty basic, focusing mainly on simple text-only pages.

However, as the internet grew and technologies advanced, so did the complexity and importance of web design. Web design development as we know it today began in earnest during the mid-1990s, a period marked by rapid technological advances and the so-called browser wars.

This era saw the introduction of critical web design technologies like CSS, Dynamic HTML, and JavaScript, which allowed for more sophisticated and user-friendly websites. 

Today, web design is about aesthetics and encompasses user experience, accessibility, and mobile responsiveness, reflecting the internet’s integral role in our daily lives.

Celebrating Web Designer Day involves appreciating the intricate work and creativity that goes into web design. People can observe this day by learning more about web design, thanking web designers they know, or even taking a web design course to better understand the field.

World Parrot Day : May 31, 2025

May 31, 2025: World Parrot Day.

"World Parrot Day" celebrated on May 31, is a day that celebrates the parrot as a phenomenon. Parrots are mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions. One-third of all parrot species are currently endangered, making them the birds with the highest aggregate extinction risk than any other bird group. Parrots have a pantropical distribution, with several species also living in temperate regions of the SouthernHemisphere. 

Some characteristic features of parrots include strong, curved beaks, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed feet. A large number of parrots are vividly colored, with some being multi-colored. In the visual spectrum, most parrots exhibit little to no sexual dimorphism. They are the most variable-sized bird order, concerning their length.

The earliest record of a ‘pet parrot’ in the British Isles dates back to 1504 when Henry VIII owned an African Gray Parrot. The Age of Exploration lasted from the early 15th century to the early 17th century, and it was marked by European ships sailing around the world in search of new trading routes. Several animals had been brought back from these trips, for different purposes.

Parrots from India, Africa, and South America were some of the most common imports from these exploration trips. Not only are parrots colorful and easy to domesticate, but they also provided relatively easy transportation on the long, uncomfortable sea voyages back to Europe.

Only a few people were aware of the needs of parrots, and this ignorance resulted in the death of many birds in transit. 

The theme for 2025 is "Be social, stick together, be more (love) Parrot". This theme highlights the social nature of parrots and their ability to bond, and suggests learning from them to strengthen human relationships. The day also serves to raise awareness about the plight of parrots, urging people to protect them and avoid the exotic pet trade. 

"Parrots are fun. If not for any other reason, but for the fact that you can teach them to speak". 

"Let's work together to give sparrows a safe home."

Wishing you a thoughtful World Sparrow Day!"

📚 Understanding Large Language Models in LIS

Library and Information Science in the Age of Large Language Models (LLMs)

Discover how LLMs are transforming Library and Information Science – from metadata management to AI-powered virtual librarians!

📚 Understanding LLMs in LIS

Large Language Models (LLMs) are transforming Library and Information Science by enhancing how libraries manage, retrieve, and interact with information. These models, like GPT, are trained on massive corpora of text to understand and generate human-like responses.

Applications:

• Semantic Search: Enables smarter, context-aware queries.
• Metadata Automation: Generates high-quality metadata from digital documents.
• Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: Provide instant help to users.

🛠️ Key Applications in Library Services

1. Metadata Modeling

LLMs can analyze text and generate accurate metadata, improving resource discovery and cataloging efficiency.

2. Virtual Reference

Libraries can use AI chatbots to answer user queries, freeing staff to handle in-depth research needs.

3. Summarization and Classification

LLMs can summarize articles and classify information, helping users access relevant content quickly.

🧠 Education Integration

Integrating LLMs into LIS education helps students become future-ready. Skills include prompt engineering, ethical AI use, and digital literacy.

🔍 Challenges and Ethics

• Bias and misinformation in training data.
• Data privacy and security concerns.
• Overreliance on automated tools.

🌐 The Future of LLMs in Libraries

• AI-driven personalization of library services.
• Enhanced accessibility and multilingual support.
• Smarter collection management using predictive models.

📷 Visualization

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

🔗 References

• Exploring LLMs in Information Science - Sage Journal
• LIS Student Perceptions of LLMs - CALA IJOL
• LLMs for Digital Libraries - ACM Digital Library

International Astronomy Day

 May 3, 2025: International Astronomy Day.

Every time we look up at the night sky, we are reminded of how vast and mysterious our universe is. "International Astronomy Day', celebrated twice a year—in spring and autumn— spring (May 3, 2025) and autumn (September 27, 2025) is a beautiful initiative that brings the wonders of the cosmos closer to all of us. In 2025, International Astronomy Day offers another perfect opportunity to spark curiosity and passion for the universe.

International Astronomy Day was created in 1973 by Doug Berger, then president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California. The unofficial holiday is an attempt to raise the interest of the general public in astronomy by giving them easy access to astronomical instruments such as telescopes.

The holiday also seeks to bridge the knowledge gap by giving the public a chance to interact with astronomers and space scientists.

On the day, museums, observatories, universities, and astronomy clubs around the world set up easily accessible telescopes in public spaces including schools, parks, and shopping malls to allow people to observe the skies during the day and night. Other events include lectures and conferences, educational outreach, exhibitions, and essay competitions.

"The stars are the windows of the universe, allowing us to see the vast expanse beyond."

Translate in Regional Language(Mother language) : ODIA

୩ ମଇ, ୨୦୨୫: ଅନ୍ତର୍ଜାତୀୟ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ଦିବସ।


ଆମେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ରାତିର ଆକାଶକୁ ଦେଖୁ, ଆମକୁ ମନେ ପକାଇ ଦିଆଯାଏ ଯେ ଆମର ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଣ୍ଡ କେତେ ବିଶାଳ ଏବଂ ରହସ୍ୟମୟ। "ଆନ୍ତର୍ଜାତୀୟ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ଦିବସ", ବର୍ଷକୁ ଦୁଇଥର ପାଳନ କରାଯାଏ - ବସନ୍ତ ଏବଂ ଶରତ - ବସନ୍ତ (୩ ମଇ, ୨୦୨୫) ଏବଂ ଶରତ (୨୭ ସେପ୍ଟେମ୍ବର, ୨୦୨୫) ଏକ ସୁନ୍ଦର ପଦକ୍ଷେପ ଯାହା ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଣ୍ଡର ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟକୁ ଆମ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ନିକଟତର କରେ। ୨୦୨୫ ରେ, ଆନ୍ତର୍ଜାତୀୟ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ଦିବସ ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଣ୍ଡ ପ୍ରତି କୌତୁହଳ ଏବଂ ଆଗ୍ରହ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଆଉ ଏକ ଉତ୍ତମ ସୁଯୋଗ ପ୍ରଦାନ କରେ।

ଆନ୍ତର୍ଜାତୀୟ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ଦିବସ ୧୯୭୩ ରେ ଡଗ୍ ବର୍ଗରଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରାଯାଇଥିଲା, ଯିଏ ସେତେବେଳେ ଉତ୍ତର କାଲିଫର୍ନିଆର ଆଷ୍ଟ୍ରୋନୋମିକାଲ୍ ଆସୋସିଏସନ୍ ର ସଭାପତି ଥିଲେ। ଏହି ଅନୌପଚାରିକ ଛୁଟି ହେଉଛି ଟେଲିସ୍କୋପ୍ ଭଳି ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ଉପକରଣଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ସହଜରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରାଇ ସାଧାରଣ ଜନତାଙ୍କ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ପ୍ରତି ଆଗ୍ରହ ବୃଦ୍ଧି କରିବାର ଏକ ପ୍ରୟାସ।

ଏହି ଛୁଟିଦିନ ଜନସାଧାରଣଙ୍କୁ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନୀ ଏବଂ ମହାକାଶ ବୈଜ୍ଞାନିକଙ୍କ ସହ ପାରସ୍ପରିକ ସଂଯୋଗ କରିବାର ସୁଯୋଗ ଦେଇ ଜ୍ଞାନର ବ୍ୟବଧାନକୁ ପୂରଣ କରିବାକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରେ।

ଏହି ଦିନ, ସାରା ବିଶ୍ୱରେ ସଂଗ୍ରହାଳୟ, ପର୍ଯ୍ୟବେକ୍ଷଣ କେନ୍ଦ୍ର, ବିଶ୍ୱବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ ଏବଂ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ବିଜ୍ଞାନ କ୍ଲବ୍ ସ୍କୁଲ, ପାର୍କ ଏବଂ ସପିଂ ମଲ୍ ସମେତ ସାର୍ବଜନୀନ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ସହଜରେ ପହଞ୍ଚିପାରୁଥିବା ଟେଲିସ୍କୋପ୍ ସ୍ଥାପନ କରନ୍ତି ଯାହା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଲୋକମାନେ ଦିନ ଏବଂ ରାତି ସମୟରେ ଆକାଶ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟବେକ୍ଷଣ କରିପାରିବେ। ଅନ୍ୟାନ୍ୟ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମଗୁଡ଼ିକରେ ବକ୍ତୃତା ଏବଂ ସମ୍ମିଳନୀ, ଶିକ୍ଷାଗତ ପ୍ରସାର, ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନୀ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରବନ୍ଧ ପ୍ରତିଯୋଗିତା ଅନ୍ତର୍ଭୁକ୍ତ।

"ତାରାଗୁଡ଼ିକ ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଣ୍ଡର ଝରକା, ଯାହା ଆମକୁ ଏହା ବାହାରେ ଥିବା ବିଶାଳ ବିସ୍ତାରକୁ ଦେଖିବାର ଅନୁମତି ଦିଏ।"

Top 5 Must-Have Software Solutions for Libraries in 2025

   

                               

                                       Top 5 Must-Have Software Solutions for Libraries in 2025

In the digital age, libraries are no longer just about books on shelves—they are dynamic centers of information, technology, and community engagement. To meet the increasing demands of users and operate efficiently, libraries must rely on modern software solutions. These systems help librarians manage everything from cataloging and circulation to digital resources and user analytics.

More importantly, library software enables seamless access to information across physical and digital collections, supports remote services like virtual reference and e-lending, and provides insights into user behavior that guide better decision-making. Without reliable software, today’s libraries would struggle to keep up with the speed, scale, and expectations of modern information environments.

How Software Simplifies Library Work

1. Automates Routine Tasks
   Circulation, cataloging, and inventory management are time-consuming when done manually. With an ILS like Koha or Alma, these tasks are automated, reducing errors and freeing up staff time.

2. Improves User Access
   Discovery tools and OPACs allow patrons to search and access materials—both physical and digital—from anywhere. This supports remote learning and self-service.

3. Enhances Organization
   Software helps manage metadata, classify materials, and maintain accurate records. It ensures that books, articles, and multimedia can be easily located and tracked.

4. Supports Data-Driven Decisions
   Analytics platforms provide insights into user behavior, program performance, and collection usage. This helps libraries make smarter budget and staffing choices.

5. Enables 24/7 Services
   With virtual reference tools, AI chatbots, and digital repositories, libraries can serve users beyond working hours, improving accessibility and engagement.
   
   

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    As libraries continue evolving from traditional repositories of books into dynamic information and learning hubs, the role of technology has become more crucial than ever. In 2025, software solutions not only streamline library operations but also enhance user experience, data management, and community engagement. Whether you're managing a public library, an academic institution, or a special collection, the right software can make all the difference.

   Here are the top 5 must-have software solutions for libraries in 2025:

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   1. Integrated Library System (ILS): Koha

   Why it matters:
   An Integrated Library System (ILS) is the backbone of any modern library. Koha, the world’s first open-source ILS, continues to lead the pack in 2025 with robust features, active community support, and regular updates.

   Key features:

6. Cataloging, circulation, and acquisitions management

7. Web-based OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog)

8. MARC21 and Z39.50 support

9. Customizable reporting and analytics

What’s new in 2025:

Koha now integrates seamlessly with AI-driven recommendation engines and supports blockchain-based resource tracking for interlibrary loans.

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2. Digital Repository Software: DSpace

Why it matters:

With digital collections growing exponentially, DSpace is essential for managing institutional repositories, research data, theses, and digital archives.

Key features:

• Flexible metadata support (Dublin Core, MODS, etc.)

• Open access compliance and DOI integration

• Multilingual interface and accessibility compliance

• Integration with ORCID and institutional identity management systems

2025 highlights:

The latest version of DSpace includes advanced AI indexing for improved search relevance and automated metadata tagging using machine learning.

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3. Discovery Layer: VuFind

Why it matters:

Library users expect a Google-like search experience. VuFind acts as a discovery layer that provides a unified search interface across your ILS, digital repository, and databases.

Key features:

• Faceted search and real-time suggestions

• Relevance ranking and user reviews

• Citation management and export tools

• Mobile-responsive interface

What's new in 2025:

Enhanced integration with voice search and accessibility tools, along with AI-powered personalization based on borrowing and search history.

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4. Library Analytics Platform: OrangeBoy Savannah

Why it matters:

Data-driven decision-making is critical in modern library management. OrangeBoy Savannah provides actionable insights into user engagement, program effectiveness, and resource allocation.

Key features:

• Patron segmentation and behavior tracking

• Program and service ROI analysis

• Real-time dashboards and reporting

• Marketing automation tools

2025 upgrades:

Savannah now includes predictive analytics for anticipating patron needs and optimizing program scheduling based on community trends.

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5. Virtual Reference and AI Chatbots: LibAnswers with LibChat

Why it matters:

Libraries must meet users where they are—online and around the clock. LibAnswers, combined with LibChat, provides real-time virtual reference services integrated with AI chatbots for 24/7 support.

Key features:

• Live chat, email, and SMS reference integration

• AI-powered chatbot with natural language processing

• Knowledge base and FAQ management

• Integration with LibCal and LibGuides

2025 innovations:

New NLP improvements allow the chatbot to handle complex reference queries and escalate to live librarians only when necessary.

Conclusion

With the help of modern library software, librarians today are more empowered than ever. These tools streamline daily operations, reduce manual workload, and provide valuable insights through data and analytics. As a result, librarians can focus more on engaging with their communities, curating meaningful collections, and delivering high-quality services. In today’s fast-paced, information-rich world, library software isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity that helps librarians stay efficient, responsive, and relevant.