Libraries face closure due to lack of funds
FEROZEPUR: Public libraries in Ferozepur and Fazilka districts, which once used to thrive with readers, are on the verge of closure due to continuous neglect by authorities, lack of basic infrastructure and paucity of funds.
The district library at the municipal park, Ferozepur, has as many as 4,100 members and once used to be frequented by over a hundred people daily. However, the number of daily visitors has come down to almost a few people as not even daily newspapers are available there due to lack of funds.
“There is only one employee, a peon, in the library while the post of librarian has been lying vacant since 1996. The financial condition of the library is so bad that the library does not even have funds to buy newspapers,” said Harmit Vidyarthi, president of Kala Peed, a literary organisation.
He said that nothing has been done to improve things despite requests from staff and readers.
Kuldeep Singh, a local writer, said that over the years, no official has visited the library, which has 42,500 books.
“Every year, the Ram Mohan Rai Library, Kolkata, donate books here, but due to lack of Almirah’s, more than 8,000 books are just packed in bags,” he said.
Vipul Narang, a social activist, said that aspirants of competitive exams, especially from poor families, cannot access competitive journals or reference books for their preparations due to lack of such material in the library.
Jagdeep Singh Sandhu, district language officer, Ferozepur, who is in charge of the library, acknowledged the lack of staff and funds.
“We have submitted a detailed report to revamp the library to higher officials and awaiting response,” he said.
The municipal library at Partap Park, Fazilka, was handed over to the local press club for maintenance and functioning a few years ago and presently, the organisation not only manages the books stocked there, but is also trying hard to inculcate the habit of reading among people by arranging the latest periodicals and magazines from time to time. “The state government should facilitate some funds to let us better manage the library,” said Shashi Kant, a social worker.
Manoj Tripathi, a book lover, said that another library at Sadhu Ashram, Fazilka, has more than 5,000 religious books including rare scriptures, but there are no readers due to which it has been lying closed.