Centre asks states, UTs to follow Karnataka for reviving rural public libraries

NEW DELHI: The Union Government has asked the Panchayati Raj departments of all states and Union Territories to study how Karnataka has revitalized and digitalised rural public libraries and to replicate the steps. The government has written to the officials of Panchayati Raj departments of all states and UTs to “assess the efforts made by Karnataka and take necessary steps to revive the institution of public libraries, by bringing technological interventions”.

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According to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the initiatives of Karnataka regarding digitalisation of rural public libraries are worth replication by other states, UTs. Therefore, the Ministry has prepared a concept note on “Digital Libraries initiative of State of Karnataka’ which outlines activities that can be adopted by other states and UTs.

“So pleased to see this recognition from Govt of India for Karnataka's revitalization of rural public libraries. Rural public libraries can play a key role in their communities as vibrant decentralized learning spaces,” Uma Mahadevan, principal secretary of Karnataka’s Panchayati Raj department shared in a tweet.

So pleased to see this recognition from Govt of India for Karnataka's revitalization of rural public libraries. Rural public libraries can play a key role in their communities as vibrant decentralized learning spaces. pic.twitter.com/wWfaaEoT33

— Uma Mahadevan-Dasgupta (@readingkafka) July 12, 2022

The Ministry explained that the Karnataka government has adopted a dualistic approach to revive rural public libraries. The first approach includes revitalisation of rural libraries, enlivening Gram Panchayat Libraries and Information Centres (GPLICs), and reshaping them into places of multi-disciplinary and multi-generational learning. Secondly, the Department of Public Libraries has created a digital public library portal to provide access to information to all people.

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“Public libraries have had a transformational impact on societies by serving as a lighthouse for acquiring knowledge and bringing new ideas. These libraries have been usually established at prominent and accessible places to facilitate its patrons in reaching the library, however, advent of internet, mobile phones, computers, and other devices - in a radical shift from earlier - have provided access to information on real time basis. These rapid advancements in information technologies have completely changed the mode of information acquisition and deserve proper upgradation,” the ministry further iterated.

In 2020, Mahadevan initiated a programme to revamp public libraries when they came under the department’s jurisdiction in 2019 to support children’s education.