Towards an urban learning
collective
Since
learning environments have ceased to be static, it is necessary to utilise the
full potential of its widened scope and even conventional education spaces such
as ‘libraries’ merit introspection and innovation.
In
addition to being the traditional reading spaces, libraries in urban hubs must
be conceptualised as ‘meeting’ as well as ‘interactive’ spaces. This involves
using existing infrastructure to its fullest as well as leveraging its
potential in innovative ways.
Firstly, there is no consolidated and
reliable database of public libraries in India. Various sources peg the number
to around 70,000 scattered in a haphazard manner across the country. While
Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, is home to less than 100 of them, the
southern states have libraries ranging in the thousands.
Secondly, despite being a state subject,
several states are yet to have a library legislation. This prevents creation of
a mandate to have uniform mechanisms and policies across a jurisdiction. As a
consequence, the Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, a Government of India
body, is flush with funds but hardly enough proposals from State Governments. s
Lastly, the digital dream also seems to
have a number of off-shoots but none operating at maximum efficacy. At the
national level, funds have been used for a couple of library portals namely the
National Digital Library (INR 39 crores) in collaboration with IIT-Kharagpur
and National Virtual
Library (INR 72 crores) in collaboration with IIT-Bombay. While the
Virtual Library is still in the prototype phase for selected users, the Digital
Library has a working pilot version that's difficult to navigate, the actual
portal (www.ndl.gov.in) that claims to have 35 lakh
registered users remained nonfunctional at the time of writing.
Full Info | https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/towards-an-urban-learning-collective-45100/
Regards
Mr. Pralhad Jadhav
Master of Library &
Information Science (NET Qualified)
Research Scholar (IGNOU)
Senior Manager @ Knowledge
Repository
Khaitan & Co
Twitter Handle | @Pralhad161978
Mobile @ 9665911593
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