Reinvent public libraries as effective e-Learning, career counselling centres: J&K LG

Chairing a review meeting of the Department of Culture here this afternoon, the Lt Governor said that this novel initiative can be achieved by pooling resources from Mission Youth, J&K and the Smart City  Mission to establish the requisite infrastructure in the existing network of around 130 public libraries in  J&K.

He said this technological intervention would help build a collaborative and futuristic digital library system in the UT and unlock wide-ranging resources in traditional public libraries for a new generation of learners and start-ups, enabling free, long-term, public access to the knowledge and skills.

Pertinently, as a part of this initiative, the Department of Libraries has, in convergence with Jammu  Smart City Ltd (JSCL), already started extensive up-gradation of SRS Central Library Jammu to transform it into a full-fledged Digital Library with the best possible technological facilities.

The key components of the Rs 4.30 crores, SRS Library Jammu up-gradation project include setting up of  IT Hub with a dedicated Server and Nodes, CCTV Surveillance System, Access Control System, RFID  Tagging of Books and Access, installation of 150 KVA Genset, Air-Conditioning System, Fire Protection  System, Furniture, Reading Lamps, Water Dispensers with RO Connection, Softscaping, Bookshelves,  Toilet Block, Cafeteria, Screenwalls, Vertical Garden etc.

A similar proposal has been sent by the Libraries Department to the Srinagar Smart City Ltd (SSCL) for the up-gradation of SPS Library Srinagar as a Digital Library which is witnessing a huge footfall of keen readers, especially youth in its 'Reading Rooms'.

This partnership for the technological transformation of public libraries in J&K would go a long way towards broadening and extending access to the vast sources of knowledge available in these repositories. The department has a repository of around 13 lakh books including some rare books in addition to around 6,000 manuscripts.

In order to extend the 'Digital Libraries' network across UT, the Department of Libraries will work on a  separate project, in convergence with Mission Youth, J&K for the digital transformation of its existing set-up of district libraries so that this initiative is taken to the grassroots level.

Once the requisite  IT infrastructure is in place, these libraries would be linked with digital libraries across the country and the globe including the National Digital Library of India (NDLI) to facilitate access of the users, especially the students, to around 3.5 crore academic resources including e-books, audio-books, lecture materials,  thesis, reports, articles, journals, question papers etc.

These libraries will also make available quality free study and reference material, both hardcopy and in e-format to the students to help them prepare for competitive examinations like  NEET/JEE/CAT/IAS/JKAS etc.

The 'Digital Libraries' concept is a part of the project on how to reposition the public libraries in an environment of new social and technological challenges.

This novel project is aimed at rediscovering how public libraries move forward and adapt to new technologies, new communities, new user needs and information behaviours.