G S Asgotra
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 12: At a time when BJP led Union Government is patting its back over digitalization of libraries, its own coalition government in the state has failed to complete the digitalization of SRS Library Jammu, kicked off in 2011.
Source in department informed Early Times that in 2011, the then government had announced that all the libraries would be digitalized soon, initially taking up SRS Library, SPS Central Library Srinagar, Oriental Research Library Hazratbal and City Central Library, Karan Bagh under pilot project with estimated cost of Rs 1.36 Crores.
"Out of four, three Kashmir based libraries have completed the digitalization and only SRS, Jammu library is yet to complete digitalization work after lapse of five years, said an employee.
An employee who deputed at SRS Library told that SRS Library is not isolated case; all the works started by previous government are lingering on due to paucity of funds after change of guard in the State.
The source further said that only 80 percent digitalization works has been completed, adding, "However, in era of digitalization, every department has made sufficient innovations to attract their customers, but only the Library & Research department which had taken innovative initiative in 2011 to attract the readers, is still far from completion for reasons best known to them", source added.
"On one hand, the internet technology is growing by leaps and bounds and has been attracting millions of youth, on other hand the same department has failed to maintain pace with them, as a result, students and general public are retracting from the libraries", said Dina Nath, a routine visitor to the Library.
When contacted, Deputy Director, Libraries Om Parkash Sharma said that nearly eighty percent work of digitalization has been completed and for remaining work, the Director has been informed to get the needful done. |
