The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : OU launches library digitisation project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

OU launches library digitisation project

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JAN 12. No more laborious searching of books for researchers and students as the Osmania University library started digitising all its books as a part of the Digital Library of India Project.

The project was inaugurated by D. Raj Reddy of the Carnegie Mellon University, USA, at the university library on Wednesday. He said digitisation would not only help in preserving the timeless treasures of knowledge but also make it accessible to students worldwide.

He pointed out that the proactive role of universities and the Government had made it possible.

`Best harmonisation'

Prof. Reddy said with translation software available, digitisation would further help in accessing material written in other languages.

He felt the copyright issue was not a major problem as several individuals and those with good collections were coming forward voluntarily to get their books digitised.

C. Subba Rao, former chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), described the project as best harmonisation of tradition and technology. The university librarian, K. Ramchander Rao, said over one lakh books would be digitised and some of these were rare manuscripts in Sanskrit. He said the library had been given 10 scanners and more than 20 computers for the project.

The project is supported by Carnegie Mellon University while the Government of India also chips in with some funds for infrastructure development in libraries where this project is implemented. Some other institutions that are part of the project are Sri Venkateshwara University, the City Central Library, Telugu University and the State Library.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh