In a time when most of the states are trying to ride on the bandwagon of educational reforms and to invest more and more into it, libraries here in Jharkhand have been fighting for their existence in the absence of professionals.
According to Jharkhand Information and library Association (JIlA), none of the State public libraries has a library Science professional to maintain and run it except International library and Culture Centre (IlCC). Even this library of International repute has been run by an elderly gentleman who has got his retirement some 12 years ago, and now running this library on ad hoc basis.
“Public libraries in the State are going through worst period ever. It is more ironical than laughable that almost all the libraries have no library Science degree holder In-charge since at least a decade by now,” said JIlA Secretary Shiva Prakash. While confirming it, Director, Secondary Education, Manish Ranjan said that there have been no fresh recruitments since last two decades. “Degree holders got retired and new recruitments have not been done in last 20 years,” said he said.
There are around 25 State-run libraries in Jharkhand. Among them, four State Public libraries are situated in Ranchi, Dumka, Dhanbad and Chaibasa, whereas District Public libraries are there in Gumla, lohardaga, Daltonganj, Giridih and Godda. Apart from them, the State runs 8 libraries at Sub-Divisional level in Garhwa, latehar, Pakur, Simdega, Chatra, Sahebganj, Saraikela-Kharsawan and Khunti. There are around 10 public libraries in Ranchi.
“The shortage of professional staffs in libraries is just eating up the entire system. Any library requires at least a librarian, an assistant librarian, a book binder and an assistant for general purposes, among which first three require professional degrees. But the situation is that you may find even a watchman running state libraries in many cities. In place of developing new infrastructure and maintaining it properly, the state has remained a mute spectator of destruction of existing ones,” said Prakash.
Moreover, Jharkhand is among those few States which have not adopted and implemented Public library Act, which takes libraries not only to districts and schools, but to villages as well. Once the act that has been successfully implemented by as many as 18 states so far is implemented by Jharkhand also, the state will have a requirement of thousands of library Science professionals to run libraries from state level to village level.
Prakash added that there have been no new professional appointments after 2005-06 in any of the library, and whenever someone retires, he is replaced by just anyone without having any knowledge of library Science and Management. “This is why none of the public libraries is as updated in terms of books and study materials as it must be keeping in mind that we are living in a world where everyone is carrying a library in his pocket in form of a smart phone,” said Prakash.