Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Networking of libraries urged

Staff Reporter

National Library in Kolkata digitising rare books

CHENNAI: The National Library of Kolkata, Directorate of Public Libraries, Tamil Nadu and Madras Library Association jointly organised a seminar in commemoration of the golden jubilee of the `Delivery of Books and Newspapers Act' (1954) recently.

The Act, originally framed in 1948, was later amended to include newspapers too.

Publishers, authors and many from public and private libraries participated.

"Around 60,000 publications come out every year. Of these, only a portion reach national libraries," said R. Ramachandran, Principal Librarian of the National Library in Kolkata. The library approximately receives copies of 20,000 publications annually.

Publishing cost

While reasons for this were discussed, publishers said cost of publishing was high and postal charges had also gone up. Moreover, when books written in regional languages were sent to national libraries in other States, there was no one to read the title and acknowledge receipt.

Issues discussed in the seminar included the need for national libraries to network with one another and the importance of including non-print media in libraries. It should be the responsibility of States to properly implement the Act and to make necessary amendments as and when required in State Acts viz., Press and Registration of Books Act, said a resolution.

Recommendations

"We have to look back and see if the objectives of the Act have been met and if so, to what extent," said Girija Vaidyanathan, State Secretary, Department of Education, in the valedictory function. She said a committee should continue working on the important recommendations made at the seminar.

Mr. Ramachandran said the National Library in Kolkata had begun converting manual catalogues into machine-readable formats and digitising rare books.

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