The Indira Gandhi Memorial Library (IGML), University of Hyderabad (UoH) successfully conducted a hands-on training session on ProQuest databases on August 25, 2025, aimed at enhancing the research skills of students, scholars, and faculty members across various disciplines. To address the diverse academic needs of participants, the program was organized in two dedicated sessions:
Session I: Held at the School of Social Sciences, focusing on the ProQuest Social Science Premium Collection. This session was specially designed for students and researchers in the field of social sciences.
Session II: Held at the School of Humanities, highlighting Literature Online, with particular emphasis on resources related to English literature.
The event began with a welcome address by Dr. Sivasankar Prasad, Librarian In-charge, who introduced the resource person and outlined the objectives of the program. He also emphasized the pivotal role of the library in supporting academic excellence and research. Both sessions witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, research scholars, faculty members, and library staff, who actively engaged with the trainer, asked questions, and explored practical applications of the databases.
A key highlight of the training was the demonstration of AI-powered research assistants integrated within Clarivate platforms, including ProQuest and Ebook Central. The resource person showcased how these AI-enabled tools can:
Streamline research workflows; Enhance discovery of scholarly resources; Support academic success and information literacy; Participants were also introduced to effective prompting techniques, emphasizing the ethical use of AI in academic writing and research. Practical tips and discipline-specific use cases were shared, making the sessions highly relevant to the user community.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Padmini, who acknowledged the contributions of the organizer, the resource person, and the enthusiastic involvement of participants.
The training was highly appreciated by the attendees, who gained valuable insights into leveraging ProQuest databases and emerging AI tools for advanced scholarship and research.