Govt starts assessment of damaged books in its libraries

Kolkata: Besides ensuring reconstruction work and carrying out relief work in cyclone affected districts, the state government has started assessment of books those are considered to have got damaged in its 2,481 libraries.

Report in this regard has to be submitted to the Directorate of Library Services within seven working days time.

At present there are 12 government libraries, 2,463 government sponsored libraries and seven government aided libraries. Sources said that the top brass of the Directorate of Library Services are considering the need of assessing the damage caused to the books as there are several libraries those

were not even opened for even for once for a certain span of time during the lockdown and again cyclone Amphan had hit major parts of 16 districts in the state.

In a letter dated May 28 with memo number 734/LS, all district library officers have been asked to direct "all librarians to assess the damage of books in their libraries immediately".

The district library offices are also directed "to make a plan to deploy librarians to the closed libraries as well to assess the damage caused to books" and directions have been given to carry out the task with top most urgency. In the past nine years, the state government has

taken up a series of steps to improve the infrastructure of libraries in the state and mainly of those which are situated in the rural parts.

New books were bought spending a few crores of rupees with the state budget for the sector has crossed Rs 50 crore that was only Rs 14.88 crore in 2010-11 financial year during Left Front regime.

Most importantly, more than 35,000 rare collection books have also been digitised. "Despite digitising these large number of rare collection of books, it was found essential to carry out an assessment in all libraries as cyclone Amphan has caused havoc in the state," said an official of the state government.