E- Sports Library : a Means for Making Library Services
- Reaching the Unreached Section of the Society -
- Part 1 -

Ningthoujam Dhiren *

Manipur Sports persons at the Queen's Baton Relay for Commonwealth Games 2010 - Manipur Leg :: 27 July 2010

E- Library is a technology base integrated outreaching and outsourcing system of knowledge service towards the outreach section of the society. It is a well organized format of outsourcing and outreaching services that various library organizations in the world striving for lager promotion of the scheme of the things with a motto of Library for all. This is a new media technology which offers manifold opportunity in the society that encouraged in a continuous non-stop outreaching web base computer multi-media technology. Its contribution is enormous and the quality of life also developed in an attractive cum interactive mode which helps an individual to extract more out of life than expected.

Impact of Globalization and Information Communication Technology

It is a common agreement that life itself is a business and the process of living life in a socially adjustable way is a part of moral education and thus education is said as the backbone of the society. Therefore- education is said as an on going process of experimentation in life which never ceases even after the death of the individual just the way Gandhian thoughts or the other theories propounded by different thinkers and philosophers.

It is that kind of education either formal or informal that enriched wisdom which later on increased intelligent quotient or knowledge level of the stake holders. When the numbers of intelligent and knowledge people lives in the society, the place or community will become a knowledge society and the century in which such type of phenomenon existed then it will be call knowledge century what this 21st century is known as.

As the world community is gaining momentum in the promotion of innovative creative works in the field of science and technology, this 21st century came to be known as Knowledge century. It is due to this science, technology and innovation base work culture, the word globalization has born out of the womb of time. It leaves no facet of the human community including socio- religious cultural entities of traditional beliefs, rites and rituals, myths and mythology, every system of social practices and the preservation of the same etc.

Ebbs and Tides of changes brought by information technology

With the invention and introduction of web base information dissemination technologies, the globe is becoming a global village and E-library system makes all the more meaningful. As the world is moving in a fast pace, games and sports have been becoming a global phenomenon because of its role in making a larger physical presence of excellence of human activities in real sense and life.

It is natural that love for sports and adventure, the sporting spirit is a distinctive human trait. From the infant's first attempts to walk and run and tumble and jump, to the most fiercely competitive and hazardous sports (be it running, wrestling, football or mountaineering) it is the same spirit of pitting one's wits, strength, stamina and speed against other humans or other elements that makes man become faster, stronger and higher (Loktak Course Book, Class X, Syllabus, BOSEM 1997.).

On the other hand, for the Manipuris, Games and Sports have been a part and partial life of human beings and it forms apart of socio- cultural tradition of living a healthy life, enjoying it at the fullest.( N. Dhiren Singh, Effect selected Exercises on the performance of Instep kick for distance in soccer- Chapter-1).

Recent sports achievement of Manipuris at the Common Wealth Games, New Delhi 2010

Evidently, in the recently concluded common wealth games New Delhi, 2010, sixteen athletes hailing from the state contributed excellently in making the host nation proud in the international sports fraternity. Six of them have won medals i.e may be gold, silver or bronze ( 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze ) in their respective events in such international championship, may be of high or low quality but have done the job excellently which have been hand over them. They (women) were the first to open the medal account of the nation and people at home began to dream of bigger things and far reaching consequences of reality in the future of Manipur sports which this paper doesn't want to mention here.

Further, we are very proud to be a part of this nation and also for being born as the meitei of Manipur and it is due this insignia the nation has forcibly paid attention that without a Manipuri, in the field of international multi-sports competition like Common Wealth Games, Asian Games and Olympics besides other federation games and single sports world championships India cannot do much better what we have done this time around.

Another thing is that due to a small size hill woman hailing from Manipur, India has created history for being having a great pugilist who have won world championship titles five times continuously at a stretch in her 48 kg weight category since her maiden appearance as a pin size pugilist in such world championship. She is then come to be known as Magnificent Mary in the history of world women's Boxing.

Her consistency is excellently fantastic and no Indian including the Manipuris has ever done such a great feat in the national as well as international history of boxing sports. It is also predictable to say that any Manipuri will hardly be able to do the same feat in the future that Mary has done in her life- well done Mary. These are some of the physical evidences that Manipuris have entertained the entire nation and world time and again since many decades back.

Sports as a Global Phenomenon of E- Library Concerned

In this twenty first century, digital library is a very much needed facility for the promotion of larger dimensional outsourcing and outreaching of sports library resources to the section of the society where library facility is not available. It can be made possible only with the introduction of such facility where any individual could get easy access to any available library facility in the shortest possible way. This can bring or provide greater access required for the knowledge society and technology enhanced outreaching system cum learning modules of physical education and sports sciences education will be the best option for solution of this outreaching problems.

The reason for this may be discuss with reference to the raising trend of web browsing community as against the dropping trends of cost of electronic gadgets specially computer system and its software components. Another thing is that the number of web base educational service provider are increasing day by day as well as web browsers. Therefore ,the idea of Virtual Classroom teaching and learning system have been born out in the minds of innovative national educational policy makers for producing more quality base teachers and students as well.

It is again predictably said that virtual classroom teaching and learning facility will become a reality and the present day's University Grants Commission program of tele-conferencing mode of educational extension service and other distance education service module will become a great success. The classes will be conducted by a team of experience teachers and students from any geographical region on earth can avail the teachings through different channels of their registration.

Reality Ahead and the would be Future Scenario of Manipur Sports

In the words of Kofi Annan, Hon'ble Former United Nations Secreatary General- Sports has truly become a universal language that brings people from different walks of life together no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status with the increase interest of the people towards games and sports globally extensive media coverage of sporting events worldwide have seen these days. The same has been seen in Manipur and the factual evidence has been seen in the Mary Kom versus Sarita case.

Due to unavailability of weight category in the ensuing Asian Games, Guangzhou, China, November, 2010, Mary Kom whose usual weight category was 48 kg class wanted to represent the nation in the 51 kg class weight category which was already occupied by L. Sarita Devi but running high with her recent achievement at the women world boxing and the failure of L.Sarita Devi at the same championship in her weight category of 51 kg class, there organized another retrial of Sarita and Mary back home and Mary Kom was selected in place of L.Sarita Devi, this means, a new lesson is on hand, that in the future days, Manipuris will have to compete amongst themselves for any international representation in some sports activities of Common Wealth, Asiads and Olympics discipline because no other Indian will be out in the field to compete for a berth in the national team at the international level championships. Though, L. Sarita Devi cries for foul practices in this national team selection case, the future is bright for the Manipuris and at this juncture itself E- library for sports must be introduced in the larger interest of the nation.

This will be a reality in the future and will happen every time because the state is rightly regarded as the sports industry of the nation and it is becoming a non-lapsable pool of sports talents resources. Many more future champions are grooming in the sports houses of the state and they are ready to beat the world just like Sagol-Kangjei the otherwise polo do in the world. Whenever any chances come in their way, they will happily grab their chances and out to beat their opponents at the international and world cups etc.

It is a request to the related state authority through this platform that there is an urgent need for the introduction of E-library facility in the state for the greater promotion of state and national integration with the motto of sports library for all.

Need of E-Library for Sports in the State

Science and technology have been form a part of games and sports since many decades back and right from the grooming athletes to world beaters, they all have well acquainted with the electronic training devices and audio-visual aids while learning, practicing and skill development competition techniques practices as well as self testing pre-competition performances for further improvement. To them, sports literatures are also very much needed and easy accessible facilities are also not found elsewhere in the state and end up their competition built up with some few tips given by their coaches from time to time. Further, there electronic and technology base coaching facilities form a part of daily activities and digital library facilities for sports literatures, practice cum performance manual of the world champions, training modules in hard or soft copies and other reading materials are very useful for them. It is therefore felt the need for the introduction e-library or digital library facilities and it must be given full priority for the time being for effective outreach service.

Mention may be made here that there is no visible sign of library as well as sports movement in the hills of Manipur and this is very unfortunate in this knowledge century. The hills are also having no sign of manageable government run primary school education facilities were library may offer its valuable services to the people of the hills. There may be many reasons but it is avoidable because the far flung area and the hills are also a part of the state and every movement must reach these unfortunate sections and regions well in time then only, there will be natural progression in the pursuance of the most sought after integration. We must try to forget the Imphal centric mindset; it is so small that hardly provides enough space for inhaling and exhaling process in life . br />
It is time to follow the global call for go countryside and the hills for rural development and heart to heart communication opportunity with the simple people living clean life. In such hopeless scenario of library and sports movement, E-library is at our doorstep which can easily solve some problems in the long run.

To be continued...