The 40th Capacity Building Training Programme of National Mission on Libraries for Public Library Personnel under the Union Ministry of Culture began in the Parija E Library, Utkal University here on Tuesday. Prof BV Sharma, Additional Mission Director, NML, and Director General, Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF), was the chief guest.
Among the others, Dr DB Gadnayak, Superintendent Archaeologist, Puri Circle, was the guest of honour and Dipanjan Chatterjee, Project Officer, National Mission on Libraries, were present.
The programme is one of the major components of NML which was launched in 2014 by former President Pranab Mukherjee on recommendation of the National Knowledge Commission.
Fifty participants, who are mainly public library professionals from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal are attending the training.
Prof Sharma said, "NML has been established with its four components, i.e., Establishment of Model Libraries, Qualitative and Quantitative Survey of Public Libraries, Capacity Building Training Programme and Creation of National Virtual Library of India. The first three components have been looked after by RRRLF, which is an autonomous organisation under the Union Ministry of Culture. RRRLF was established in 1972 and has been working for upliftment and betterment of public libraries throughout the country."
He added, "Besides the assistance from RRRLF, two model libraries were sanctioned in Bhubaneswar and Ganjam by the Ministry.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Sabita Acharya thanked RRRLF and NML for this assistance in respect of developing the library services. She emphasised, “We must go to library to inculcate reading habits and libraries should be upgraded with modern tools and techniques.”