The libraries in educational institutions of the province would revamp and books worth Rs 23 million would be acquired. This was stated by Dr Mohammad Ali Shaikh, the Provincial Education Manager.
He said that Dr Hamida Khuhro, Sindh Minister for Education and Literacy, has directed the officials in her department to procure books worth Rs 23 million for the libraries in the schools and colleges throughout the province within next three months.
He said that the minister issued these directives in a meeting held here. Dr Shaikh further pointed out that Dr Khuhro observed that a decline in reading habits amongst the younger generation has taken place in recent years.
She said due to escalating prices of quality books in the country, many people belong to lower income groups could not afford to purchase new books. 'The only way out for them is to provide them quality books through libraries right in their schools and colleges', she remarked.
Dr Khuhro said that an old proverb 'Readers are Leaders' was still true. She said despite of tremendous advancement in electronic media and satellite communications, the importance of printed word has not only remained intact, but in fact has increased by leaps and bounds.
She said that significance of books is evident from the ever-increasing demand of books in the most advanced societies of the world, where millions of books are published and purchased despite of availability of hundreds of television channels.
The Minister stated that our youth will have to revert back to books and inculcate reading habits if they want respectful existence, individually as well as collectively, in this competitive world.
Earlier, Provincial Education Manager Dr Shaikh informed the Minister that the government had earmarked an amount of Rs 23 million for purchase of library books during current financial year 2006-07, in addition to locally generated Library Fund collected by the colleges and schools, which is charged as a part of annual fees from students. He said all the 238 government colleges in the province have small or medium sized libraries, a persistent complain has been non-addition of new books on regular basis.
Dr Shaikh presented a plan aimed at revamping the libraries in schools and colleges in all the districts of the province.
He said that the important publishers and booksellers are being invited to send lists of their publications/ books, quoting most discounted prices. He said these lists and offers should be scrutinised by a committee comprising of senior academics and representatives of civil society. Dr Shaikh said that the titles selected by these committees should be procured and provided to libraries across the province.
In addition to the books to be purchased from the allocated amount of Rs 23 million, Dr Shaikh said that colleges are being asked to constitute their respective library committees, comprising of parents, teachers and local men and women of letters.