Taking further, the concept of total e-governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, HRD Minister Smriti Irani has asked her officials to set up a national e-library. The ambitious concept also figures in the new HRD Minister’s 100 days agenda as has been sought by Modi. The Ministry is now keen on setting up a national hub for a digitized library for users, institutions and all those keen on having a library or study at home.
The matter has already been taken up with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the digitisation of the old materials and texts would be done with support from Department of Information Technology, a top HRD Ministry officials said. The online concept of e-library would have audio-visual facility, e-books and other resources, which can be accessed by anyone across world.
“It will be a national asset. libraries are the storehouse of knowledge as they maintain the book and other knowledge resource available — mostly in printed form. However, with the advent of digital technology and Internet connectivity, the library scenario is changing fast. Digital technology, Internet connectivity and physical content can be dovetailed resulting in digital library. Data available in physical form would be preserved digitally in e-library. Such libraries would have the ability to enhance access to information and knowledge. They also bridge barriers of time and space,” said the official.
The HRD Ministry has already set up such a concept for technical hands named the Indian National Digital library in Engineering Sciences and Technology (INDEST-AICTE) Consortium. The Ministry provides funds for access to electronic resources and databases to Centrally-funded institutions.
The benefit of consortia-based subscription to electronic resources is also extended to all educational institutions under its open-ended proposition. “The AICTE approved Government or aided engineering colleges are getting access to selected electronic resources with support from the AICTE and number of other engineering colleges and institutions have already joined the consortium on their own. A mechanism is in place wherein this consortium takes advantage of collective bargaining and passes on the benefit of e-journals to subscribing members,” said a HRD Ministry official.
In the past initiatives have been taken by different Ministries, departments, organizations for digitising and preserving data available in physical form. However, this activity has been restricted mostly in the area of the work/interest of the organization.