SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE AT THE LAUNCH OF NATIONAL MISSION ON LIBRARIES
Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium, New Delhi : 03-02-2014
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. It is indeed a pleasure for me to be present
amongst you at the launch of the National Mission on Libraries and the
Government of India Scheme: “Up-gradation of Libraries providing
services to the public”. I compliment the Ministry of Culture and all
stakeholders, on this initiative which marks yet another significant
step forward towards our goal of creating a Knowledge Society.
2. Libraries are social institutions which are
repositories of knowledge and information. Their goal is the improvement
of society by helping the individual to understand himself and the
world of which he is a part. Libraries provide easy access of knowledge
to all. A public library is often called “the people’s university”
because it is available to all sections of society – regardless of age,
gender or skill levels. Thus, through democratization of access to
knowledge, libraries contribute in promoting inclusive and sustained
development of the people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
3. In order to meet the existing and emerging
challenges, the need for reform in the Library and Information service
sector has been now widely acknowledged. I am happy that in this regard
the Ministry of Culture, has taken steps to revamp, re – energize and
reorient the Library and Information Service Sector by conceiving and
promoting the National Mission on Libraries. Set up in pursuance of the
recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission, this is an
important step towards the objective of providing access to knowledge to
all which is one of our basic national priorities.
4. The creation of a National Virtual Library of
India is one of the major component schemes of the National Mission on
Libraries. This is truly a step in the right direction. With the aim of
equitable and universal access to knowledge resources, the National
Virtual Library of India would provide digital resources by digitizing
the relevant reading material in different languages, which would be
shared at all levels. I understand that it will acquire the digitized
information available with various Government Departments and other
Non – Government Organizations, build a comprehensive data base for this
information and present it as a user-friendly service including
multilingual services. I am happy to know that the target users of NVLI
will not only be students, researchers, doctors and professionals but
also the educationally, socially, economically and physically
disadvantaged groups. Thus, it would empower people with information in
order to create a knowledge society and also ensure preservation of
digital content for posterity.
5. Digital libraries open up the possibility of
far more flexible and coherent multimedia collections that are both
fully searchable and browsable in multiple dimensions. As each
generation becomes more in tune with the Internet, their desire to
retrieve information as quickly and easily as possible has increased.
Finding information by simply searching the Internet is considered much
easier and faster than reading an entire book. I am confident that this
initiative of National Mission on Libraries will largely facilitate the
internet savvy people in making maximum use of library resources.
6. I am sure that the endeavour of the National
Mission on Libraries towards setting up of model libraries will set a
benchmark for the development of Libraries. I understand that these
model libraries would be facilitated with subscription of
E-Journals/E-Book services through Web VPN Services developed by
National Informatics Centre. These would also be provided with reading
resources to meet the local needs. It is appreciable that appropriate
facilities would be created to meet the needs of Senior Citizens,
Specially abled persons and children.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
7. For the creation of a true knowledge society,
the availability of efficient knowledge services for citizens is
critical. Effective knowledge creation and knowledge deployment can lead
to societal transformation and wealth generation. Information and
knowledge should be disseminated not only in an efficient and cost
effective manner but also in formats that are easily accessible to the
masses. This will contribute to improvements in the living standards of
the underprivileged population of the society. It is essential to bridge
the digital divide and the use of ICT can be instrumental in doing so.
We need to realize the full potential of ICT in decentralized governance
and in better delivery of services, particularly those relating to
education.
8. I understand that in order to provide
efficient and effective library services through a thorough analysis of
available materials and human resources in the Library & Information
Science sector, the National Mission on Libraries intends to undertake a
Quantitative and Qualitative Survey of libraries. I am happy to note
that descriptive statistics about the public and other libraries will be
acquired and a study will also be undertaken of the impact of libraries
on the quality of life and economic gains of the people.
9. Capacity building is a necessary investment in
people, organizations and services to enhance operating efficiency,
expertise and skills of personnel towards the achievement of
organizational excellence. I am happy to learn that the National Mission
on Libraries will conduct a holistic professional and personal
development programme for Library professionals through capacity
building. The purpose of Capacity Building is to develop on-line
training modules, tutorials and e-learning module for libraries and to
contribute towards overall development of the library personnel. It’s
scope will cover ICT based basic and advance level library applications
on improvement of managerial and communication skills of library
personnel. The National Mission on Libraries which is dedicated to
building a world class national resource base will enable us to know our
country and ourselves better through the published heritage and also
provide an effective gateway to National and International sources of
information.
10. However, one must remember that the true aim
of education is not merely the acquisition of information and knowledge
but inculcating a holistic outlook leading towards self improvement and a
desire to serve the nation. Swami Vivekananda once observed and I quote
“All knowledge, that the world has ever received comes from the mind;
the infinite library of the Universe, is in our own mind.” Knowledge is a
true enabler of human empowerment. It can liberate us from the shackles
of ignorance and help us rise above narrow considerations of caste,
creed and region. Sharing of knowledge can help in taking the society
forward towards enlightenment and can become an important tool for
national progress, human empowerment and social change. It is essential
to imbibe the spirit of social readiness to serve humanity. True
knowledge involves the inculcation of a positive outlook and leads to
the development of sound character in an individual.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
11. I am sure that the project of National
Mission on Libraries will contribute substantially to quickening the
pace of social and economic development of the people. I extend my best
wishes for the effective implementation of the project as also of the
new scheme of “Up-gradation of Libraries providing services to the
public.” I hope that they will promote the creation of an equitable
knowledge society in our country. I am sure the National Mission of
Libraries will promote enlightenment and understanding and go a long way
in making the masses active participants in the affairs of the nation.
May the light of knowledge liberate our minds and souls and may we move
forward towards the future with a sense of pride as a strong and self –
reliant nation.
Thank you.
SOURCE:http://presidentofindia.nic.in/sp030214.html
(Importance of Public Libraries in the society is gaining momentum, hope MOHFW will also consider growth and development of medical libraries and library professionals too )
