NML capacity-building programme begins at AU; ₹3.10 crore sanctioned for AP libraries

The 56th Capacity Building Programme of the National Mission on Libraries (NML) for public library personnel began on Thursday at the Kodandaramaiah Auditorium of Andhra University, organised by the Department of Library and Information Science. The five-day training, which will conclude on July 27, is bringing together public library professionals from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Dipanjan Chatterjee, FA, NML, said the mission was launched in 2014 by the then president, Pranab Mukherjee, on the recommendation of the National Knowledge Commission. “It has four components: setting up model public libraries across the country, conducting qualitative and quantitative surveys of public libraries, organising capacity-building programmes for library professionals, and developing the National Virtual Library of India, now known as the Indian Culture Portal,” he said, adding that the first three components were implemented by the Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, while the Culture Portal was managed by IIT Bombay.

Mr. Chatterjee said 55 such programmes had been completed so far, training more than 2,500 professionals. The current session, he noted, would focus on KOHA, a free and open-source library automation software now used by institutions including the National Library in Kolkata, besides sessions on improving services for Divyangjan, deploying artificial intelligence and ICT tools, and bookbinding, which he described as “a dying profession but remains essential for preserving library resources scientifically.”

Delivering the inaugural address, Vice-Chancellor G.P. Raja Sekhar observed that while library culture had undergone a revolution globally, Indian institutions were yet to catch up with international standards, both in technology adoption and in the upkeep of infrastructure. He called for greater efforts to draw students to libraries beyond those preparing for competitive examinations, stressing, “library is not just for people who will prepare for competitive exams. Library is for all.”

On funding, Mr. Chatterjee explained that since libraries were a State subject under the Seventh Schedule, Central assistance was released only on the recommendation of the State Library Planning Committee, in a 75:25 Centre-State ratio. For Andhra Pradesh, he said, ₹2.23 crore had been sanctioned for the State Central Library at Amaravati and ₹87 lakh for the Sri Gowthami Regional Library at Rajamahendravaram. While the entire amount for the latter had been released, the Centre was still awaiting the State’s matching share for the Amaravati library.

Participants will also visit reputed public and university libraries during the programme as part of the training module.