Ministry to digitize, revamp libraries

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 31 Januari 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: Libraries in the city will soon be brought up to speed. The ministry of culture has set up the National Mission of Libraries (NML) to arrest their declining popularity and give a fillip to people's reading habits by digitally linking about 5,000 public libraries across the country. The revamped libraries will be computerized, with cataloguing of not just books and journals but also of government policies in the public domain for easy access and research. Providing multilingual reading material will be another goal.

Culture secretary Ravindra Singh said NML's aimed to bolster people's learning capacity, expand the reading population and deliver a first-rate, user-friendly library system. "We are looking at a two-pronged strategy: improvement of infrastructure and technological upgrade in libraries, along with capacity building," he said. "Public libraries are vital to dissemination of knowledge and information. We want to use innovation for engaging people in the physical and digital space and help them access reading material in print and electronic form with the help of ICT," he said.

The government had approved the ministry's scheme for modernizing libraries under NML on November 28 last year. NML was set up in keeping with a report of the National Knowledge Commission, headed by Sam Pitroda, which made a strong case for revamping the library and information service sector. Kolkata-based Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation has been designated as the nodal agency for the task. "As creation of new institutions or libraries may not be feasible, it is better to upgrade libraries by improving their infrastructure,'' said Dr K K Banerjee, director general of Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation.

Officials said new library buildings will be constructed and the existing ones extended or renovated through painting of their exteriors and interiors. The new-look libraries will have WiFi-enabled reading rooms with modular furniture; modern lighting system; carrels for scholars, senior citizens and people with special needs; better signage; power backup; purified drinking water equipment and washrooms. There will also be specially designed furniture and games for children besides an internet connection, conference and recording rooms, and a training-cum-meeting room. The libraries will have facilities for providing e-journal/e-book services to the patrons. They will hold quizzes, music competitions and creative writing workshops for advocacy and outreach. They can also open extension counters in local schools for students and teachers. Libraries will use cloud computing to maintain data repositories.

Library professionals will get need-based training to improve their skills and competence in using ICT applications. "Training has been planned for all personnel-elementary, middle and top level. It will include students from Library Science Schools who have just received degree in B.Lib Sc or its equivalent," added an official. "We may eventually go for ISO certification as it is important for standard practices in libraries," said the culture secretary.


Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Ministry to digitize, revamp libraries

Dengan url

http://sehatputihgigiku.blogspot.com/2014/01/ministry-to-digitize-revamp-libraries.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Ministry to digitize, revamp libraries

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Ministry to digitize, revamp libraries

sebagai sumbernya

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar

techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger