Library digital plan in limbo

• By DC Correspondent 
• Visakhapatnam

The district central library in the Maharanipeta area in the city, the biggest library in Vizag, has more than one lakh books on various subjects and subscribes to around 30 magazines a month but the digitisation project of the library is yet to see the light of day.

The district central library in the Maharanipeta area in the city, the biggest library in Vizag, has more than one lakh books on various subjects and subscribes to around 30 magazines a month but the digitisation project of the library is yet to see the light of day. Although the library gets over 200-300 readers every day, it does not have a proper catalogue of existing books and journals.

In Visakhapatnam, the Zilla Grandhalaya Samstha runs 72 libraries including five grade-1 and 51 grade-2 libraries. Libraries in the city are not able to meet the demands of readers in providing a better environment and infrastructure facilities due to inadequate funds.

Thota Nagesh, chairman of the Zilla Grandhalaya Samstha said that they had submitted a proposal to government for digitisation work of the district central library to attract more readers in the city but the proposal has been pending for various reasons including funds crunch. At present, classification of books according to category is done only in the registers, he added.

The library cess, the main source of income, which is collected by local bodies, including the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) at the rate of 8 per cent of property tax, is not paid by local bodies to the Samstha. Nagesh said that the GVMC alone owes around Rs.18 crore towards payment of library cess. Sources said that government issued an order to ensure timely payment of library cess by local bodies through e-Seva centres, where the cess amount would be deducted from property tax paid by tax payers but the GVMC has not implemented the order.

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Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation library cess dues go up to Rs. 25 crore

Library cess forms 8 per cent of the property tax paid to Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC).

Libraries have of late begun receiving funds from the State Government lifting them up from the earlier mess but civic bodies continue to delay payment of the library cess component to them.

According AP Grandhalaya Parishad Chairman and journalist Turlapati Kutumba Rao, GVMC owed the Zilla Grandhalaya Samstha (ZGS) around Rs.20 crore for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11. With the latest arrears it would come to around Rs.25 crore.

He said he would address a letter to Municipal Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu on the issue. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation also owed Rs.18 crore towards library cess two, three years ago but owing to persistent efforts it came down to Rs.9 crore now. Mr. Kutumba Rao told reporters here on Tuesday that the budget for libraries was a record Rs.96 crore for the current year. The government was also likely to allow recruitment for some of the vacant posts. Compared to the situation in 1997 when libraries were sought to be given to voluntary organisations the situation was much better now. After the Rajasekhar Reddy government came to power in 2004 Rs.13 crore was allocated.

Besides meeting staff salaries and bills, wherever necessary, buildings would be constructed and infrastructure provided with the budgetary allocation. He said the libraries were playing a key role in providing books to students appearing at competitive examinations. Under “On demand,” libraries would get books sought by aspirants if they are not already available. Internet connections were also being made available at libraries on hourly payment basis.

On the purchase of books, he said the Parishad was getting Rs.1 crore from Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation and by adding an equal amount was getting books for the libraries in the State. ZGS secretary P. Krishna Rao said contrary to the popular view the number of readers to the libraries was growing partly because of the preparation for competitive examinations.

Mr. Kutumab Rao recalled the contribution of greats like Ayyaki Venkataramanaiah, Gadicherla Hari Sarvottama Rao and Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, among others, to the growth of library movement in the country and the State before the country got freedom after the inspiration provided by Mahatma Gandhi. Former librarian of Mrs. AVN College R.V. Gopala Rao and president of Society for Promotion of Public Libraries P.S.N. Murthy were present.

More News at:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/article3576066.ece