'India's public libraries undergoing revolutionary change'
Images of ill-maintained public libraries --
laden with dust and poor-infrastructure, barely prompting a second visit -- is
undergoing a complete makeover thanks to the government's ambitious National
Mission on Libraries.
More significantly, state-of-the-art
facilities combining the latest internet technologies are being plugged in to
attract the younger generation.
"Some may think that the purpose of a
library is to only preserve books, but the world is moving ahead with
technology. The younger generation feels that the libraries are full of only
books and thus don't interest them. So, we have to make our libraries such that
they are in sync with the aspirations of the younger generation," Deepika
Pokharana, Director, National Mission on Libraries under the Ministry of
Culture, told IANS in an interview.
"They have to be made to come and visit
again and again. Internet, Wi-Fi and state-of-the-art facilities are crucial
for the revival of public libraries in India," she added.
The National Mission on Libraries was set up
in the wake of the National Knowledge Commission recommending sustained
attention for development of libraries and the information science sector.
"Everything has to change with the
changing times and the society. Nothing can progress in complete isolation. It
will become obsolete if it fails to change with the changing times -- and
fast-changing times, I must say," Pokhrana explained.
Even in far-off rural areas where there are
no libraries, the project is creating internet and Wi-Fi facilities in common
centres. "This will allow us to share our digital books and catalogues
with these centres and enable common people to have an access to a virtual
library," she said.
It is a known fact that mobile phone
penetration is increasing rapidly in rural India. Thus, under the National
Mission on Libraries, attempts are being made to provide knowledge related to
agriculture, animal husbandry, traditional medicine and other similar subjects
in an audio-visual format.
"We have to bring such revolutionary
ideas to connect people to libraries. If an audio-visual corner is provided in
all public libraries, even the uneducated can go and learn about the areas that
concern them directly. This will make them interested in libraries," she
said.
The most significant feature of the mission
is to create the National Virtual Library of India, which will serve to
facilitate a comprehensive database on digital resources on information about
India and on information generated in India, in an open access environment.
"This library will not have the
collection of books and catalogues alone, but it will also be a repository of
every type of cultural heritage available in India, tangible or intangible.
"This portal will have open access and
even people can add their indigenous knowledge from various sectors. We are
trying to club all the knowledge in one place. The national virtual library
will be an unique feature," Pokharana added.
However, the condition of most public
libraries in India are barely suitable. Pokharana said that public libraries
have played an important role in the lives of those from rural background.
"But I agree that public libraries have
been neglected in the past few decades. Even the state governments did not look
after them properly. Little attention was paid and most of them have not been
as good as they should have been, but the revival is on," contended
Pokharana.
Under the mission, the process is on to
develop six libraries under the Ministry of Culture, 35 State-Central Libraries
and 35 District Libraries with particular emphasis on economically backward
districts, as model libraries.
In addition, 629 district libraries across
all states would be provided network connectivity.
(Saket Suman can be contacted at
saket.s@ians.in)
--IANS
ss/vm
Source | Business Standard | 14 February 2017
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior
Manager @ Library
Khaitan & Co
Very nicely define Public Library Structure.
ReplyDelete