Karnataka - Hassan   

Over one lakh books to be digitised this year

Staff Correspondent

17,000 books available on the Internet; work to be completed before November

HASSAN: Under the Suvarna Karnataka Digital Library Project, over one lakh Kannada books would be digitised this year, said Director for Public Libraries P.Y. Rajendra Kumar. He was addressing presspersons in Shravanabelagola on Sunday. Earlier, he visited the Adi Kavi Pampa Library building in Shravanabelagola constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.72 crore.

As many as 49 lakh pages from 36,000 books were digitised and 17,000 digitised books are available on the Net. Digitisation work is entrusted to America University and the department had provided office and 26 computers to the university for this. This university had provided 10 scanners valued at Rs. 18 lakh. Each page is scanned before it is computerised. Union Government pays 10 paisa for each page towards scanning charges. People all over the world can read these books on the Internet. The purpose is to popularise Kannada books, make them accessible to people staying outside India besides arranging sale of these books. Eminent writers have permitted the department of to digitise their books. The work would be completed before November 2007.

He said there are 4,000 libraries in the State. As many as 2,515 more libraries would be started at the gram panchayat level. Community children centres each at a cost of Rs. 3 lakh would be started in the districts to inculcate the habit of reading. Books, computers and play material would be provided for them. This would be expanded at the taluk level in stages.

Libraries in slums

Mr. Rajendra Kumar said 350 libraries had been started in slums with the help of Saksharatha Mission. Under the mobile library scheme, 450 libraries would be started in the State. For the repair of the library buildings, the Union Government had released Rs. 7.5 crore in four instalments. This will be utilised for preservation of books. The Library Department had to receive Rs. 47 crore from the Government which had collected it in the form of library tax. He said he is also trying to get financial help from information technology industry.

Mr. Rajendra Kumar said 460 books pertaining to competitive examinations had been purchased and they would be sent to the taluk libraries within a month.

On the Adi Kavi Pampa Library building at Shravanabelagola, he said the building had three floors. In the first floor, there is a meeting hall where 300-400 people can sit. This would be given for hire to conduct literary and cultural meetings at a concessional charge. On the second floor, a library with 10,000 books would be established. The department would spend another Rs. 50 lakh to provide infrastructure. A Jain Study Centre would be established on the third floor. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat had given Rs. 40 lakh for the building.

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