National Mission on Libraries Launched by President

The Scheme “National Mission on Libraries – Upgradation of Libraries – providing services to the public” has been approved with a total outlay of Rs.400 Crores for the 12th Plan period.

The components of the National Mission on Libraries (NML) are :

(i) Creation of National Virtual Library of India (NVLI)

(ii) Setting up of NML model libraries

(iii) Quantitative and Qualitative Survey of Libraries and

(iv) Capacity Building.

Under the Scheme, the Mission will upgrade infrastructure of selected libraries and upgrade technology in 35 State Central Libraries and 35 District Libraries (to be identified by State Governments) and 6 Libraries under the Ministry of Culture. So far, 11 State Central Libraries and 11 District Libraries have been identified. Six Libraries under the Ministry of Culture are : (i) Delhi Public Library, Delhi (ii) Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna (iii) National Library, Kolkata (iv) Central Secretariat Library(v) Rampur Raza Library, Uttar Pradesh (vi) Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji’s Saraswati Mahal Library,

The creation of a National Virtual Library of India is one of the major component schemes of the National Mission on Libraries. This truly is 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. NML was set up in pursuance of a report of the National Knowledge Commission, which recommended a total revamp of the Library and Information Service sector to serve the changing needs and expectations of the users and give a fillip to the library movement in the country. Nine important constituents of the NML include upgradation of infrastructure, digitization and modernisation, census of libraries and their development as knowledge centres and transformation of libraries into empowering and inclusive institutions.