Karnal district library goes hi-tech, gets Rs 25-lakh facelift

Tribune News Service

Karnal, February 17

The Karnal district authorities have initiated revamping of district and public libraries to facilitate students.

To begin with, the district library on the Railway road, which had become a haven for mischievous activities and a place for stocking the junk due to lack of monitoring, has been revamped at a cost of Rs 25 lakh from the district plan. A sum of Rs 40 lakh will be spent by the Department of Higher Education for providing more facilities at the library.

Nishant Kumar Yadav, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), and Sakshi Srivastava, Chief Minister Good Governance Associate, are the brains behind making public libraries a centre to encourage entrepreneurship, creativity, experiments and research.

After this facelift, the number of students visiting the library has increased to an average of 200 students on a daily basis from the earlier over 50.

“The library is supposed to be the centre of learning and inspiration, but the district library was a subject of neglect. We took this library on a pilot basis and revamped it,” said Nishant Kumar Yadav, ADC. In next phase, the facelift of other public libraries would be done, he said.

He said the control of the public district libraries was with the Department of Higher Education at the state level, while an appointed principal of a government college controlled them at the district level.

“Our main aim is to make the district library a hub of knowledge. Now, we have planned to create an open reading space at the terrace,” said Srivastava.

She said they were planning to build an audio-visual room at one side of the terrace. The library would soon have computers and free Wi-Fi. “We have also sent a proposal for 500 competitive books to Raja Rammohan Roy Library Funds Organisation. The library has been divided into various sections — for specially abled, girls, researchers and children. CCTV cameras, air conditioners and furniture will also be installed,” the ADC said.

More in store

• A sum of Rs 40 lakh will be spent by the Department of Higher Education for providing more facilities at the library
• After this facelift, the number of students visiting the library has increased to an average of 200 students on a daily basis from the earlier over 50
• It will soon have an audio-visual room, computers and free Wi-Fi