Acquisition gets mega boost in over 4,600 libraries across TN

CHENNAI: The School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi unveiled the new ‘transparent book procurement policy for public libraries’, prioritising transparency, efficiency, and most importantly, a wider and better selection of books for all 4,661 libraries across the State.

This policy tackles various aspects of book acquisition. A dedicated website has been launched https://bookprocurement.tamilnadupubliclibraries.org/ and https://tamilnadupubliclibraries.org/ allowing publishers to submit books for evaluation throughout the year, eliminating limitations of fixed submission periods.

A committee of experts, alongside librarians and readers, will participate in the selection process, ensuring high-quality choices for a wider range of interests. To ensure impartiality, committee members with submitted books will abstain from their review. Furthermore, to maintain objectivity and prevent bias, the committee will rotate members annually, with a two-year cooling-off period before re-eligibility.

While the policy incorporates reader feedback through librarian selection, the suggestion to change the procurement period from once or twice a year to quarterly is a separate point for future consideration. And, 20-25% of library tax revenue will be allocated for purchases annually.

To ensure reader satisfaction and cater to diverse needs, the policy introduces a new book price index for each genre. This approach guarantees that publishers are not solely judged based on the number of pages, leading to fairer pricing and potentially lower costs for libraries.

Additionally, the government guarantees timely payments to publishers and sellers upon book delivery and verification, eliminating financial delays and concerns.

The policy also tackles the issue of outdated collections. A system will be implemented to remove unusable books, creating valuable space for newer titles and rejuvenating library collections.

Also, strict action will be taken against unethical publishers and sellers who sell books with changed titles or copyrights, using substandard materials, or providing misleading information.