The Centre has approved a scheme for the upgradation of libraries providing services to the public under the National Mission on Libraries (NML).
The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved the scheme which also proposes to enhance the professional competence of library personnel. The scheme would benefit students, researchers, scientists, children, artists, differently-abled persons, the general public, neo and non-literates and would entail an expenditure of `400 crore during the 12th Plan period.
The scheme envisages creating a National Virtual Library of India for facilitating a comprehensive database on digital resources with information about India and information generated in India.
The scheme would develop six libraries under the Ministry of Culture, 35 state central libraries and 35 district libraries, with particular emphasis on economically backward districts, as model libraries.
In addition, 629 district libraries across the states would be provided network connectivity. The scheme intends to prepare a baseline data of libraries in India through a quantitative and qualitative survey of 5,000 libraries to collect detailed information on quality characteristics and performance indicators in terms of their traditional role as readership promoters. It would also be assessed whether these libraries meet the requirement of their users in the electronic/internet era.