Cause for concern: State libraries see reduction in reader footfall

Kolkata: Owing to the reduction in footfall of readers in state libraries, the Mass Education Extension and Library Services department is seeking opinions from bibliophiles for upgrading facilities to draw them back.

Siddiqullah Chowdhury, Minister in Charge of the department said that presently there are 2480 state libraries among which 393 are closed. The minister attributed the vacancies in the post of librarian and lack of support staff as the primary reason for the closure of libraries.

The minister, however, pointed out that book lovers are pouring in at the yearly book fairs that the department organises in every district. The average yearly sales from the book fairs have been to the tune of Rs 11 crore. West Bengal is one of the leading states in the country when it comes to collection of books with 2.5 crore books stocked in state libraries across the state, he remarked.

He said that the department is seeking opinions from readers about their expectations. “Accordingly, we will be stocking more books in our libraries and encouraging readers to use the library facilities. We have also kept a suggestion book in every library for eliciting feedback from the readers,” he added. The department has purchased books worth Rs 6 crores in the last financial year and aims to do the same this year too to keep its stock updated. He said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave her nod for recruitment in 738 librarian posts and the process has started.

The minister said that his department has digitized 34000 pages of rare books in Ultadanga Central Library that are no longer available in the market and appealed to the legislators to hand over old and rare books from their districts so it can be digitized.