India will modernise, link digitally nearly 9,000 libraries: PM Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI: The central government has decided to modernise and also digitally link almost 9,000 libraries across India so that the readers are able to access to books and information, stated Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

The plan under the National Mission for Libraries will try to cover 9,000 libraries in cities, towns and villages across India in the upcoming three years.

Dr Singh said at the Centenary Celebration of the Oxford University Press in India, “A young reader sitting in his village public library should be able to access books and information from across the world. I take this opportunity to urge every state government and every municipality and panchayat to pay special attention to the setting up and maintenance of public libraries, including community, locality and village libraries.”

He has also stated that the mission will be conducting a national census on libraries, work in regard to the upgradation of infrastructure of reading resources, and aim to modernise and also boost the networking of libraries across India.

Dr Singh has stated that the resources available in the community, private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) need to work together to meet the targets. The Mission will emphasis on bringing improvement in the public library system of India mainly concentrating on the states where library development has not taken place yet.