Kolkata: In an effort to arouse the interest of reading books particularly among the youth, the state Mass Education and Library Services department has introduced a mobile library in North Dinajpur district.
The mobile library is equipped with 1,500 books that ranges from short stories, novels, poems, books on cuisine, sports books, children books and school texts.
The mobile library has been recently launched by the Minister for Mass Education & Library Services Siddiqullah Chowdhury at a government programme in Karnajhora.
"The books will be lent out for a period of 15 days to a reader. On the 17th day, the mobile library will visit the reader's address. When he returns the book, he can issue another new book," Chowdhury said.
The mobile library has been christened as Ghare Baire – inspired from the famous novel of the same name by Rabindranath Tagore.
A senior official of the department said that out of 74 gram panchayats (GP) in South Dinajpur, there is not a single library in 53 GPs. "We have strategically chosen this place so that the readers have access to books," the official said.
The local administration is conducting a survey as there is a demand for school text books there. "Many students cannot afford to buy books due to financial problems. This will also be of immense help to them," the
minister said.
The Library services department is taking a slew of measures to encourage the young generation to visit the libraries in the state.
There are around 2,480 libraries and 300 of them have closed down. "We have recently done a survey on the state libraries, conducted by a Gurgaon-based agency. It has come to light that people of the age group of 55 to 60 visit the state libraries. A number of libraries do not have toilets and drinking water.
A library in the city has also been found with no facilities of drinking water and toilet. This is not desirable and we are working for developing these basic facilities," an
official said.