To:
Indian Library Association
Considering the Historicity of Libraries and library services to the community, the ILA should file a PIL in Supreme Court and here is a small write on the reason for such an act.
As a Life Member of ILA for more than 40 years in standing and as President of Karnataka State Library Association, I am making this proposal to ILA.
As all of us know that the Library has been becoming the most neglected institution under the policies of the Government both at the Central and State level. It is well known that several commissions on education and others have emphasized the role of library and about 21 states of India have public library legislation and many of these Library acts have mandated to provide public library services to the citizens and some of them are also levying Library Cess. Most the Universities in the country are without bare minimum qualified library staff and some of them are being managed by Only one professionals wherein their earlier strength was anywhere between 20-60. IITs and Institutions of national importance, many public libraries in the country are without staff.
In the country there are nearly 200+ Universities offering LIS education from Certificate to Doctorate levels, Thousands of youngsters are passing out of these valued Institutions which have a history of nearly 75 years in standing. They also are working without adequate teaching faculty and some of them on the threshold of closing.
In comparison in the west and also in many developing nations from Africa and South East Asia except India, Library and library profession is regarded as one of the essential services.
Despite application of ICT in Library operations and services many libraries in the west are appoint specialists in different areas of application of ICT in libraries to make library services more effective and fruitful.
Considering such and all other aspects there is a very strong case to file a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court to enlighten the governments both Central and State to take immediate action on improving the library situations all over the country as the libraries since ages are considered as institutions to cater to the public needs of education, learning, teaching, research and for the leisure time activity.
Indian Library Association being a national professional body should consult the concerned in this regard and go for filing a PIL and also seek the Parliament to bring a WHITE PAPER on all aspects of library situations and condition. There is a concrete example of United Kingdom which brought out a White Paper in the 1960s to reorganize entire library scenario in the country