Corporates should realise the need to fund public libraries and set apart a portion of money spent under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the purpose, according to Ms Krishna Kumari Areti, legal head of GMR Infrastructure Ltd.
She was speaking at a seminar on the issue of corporate social responsibility and public libraries organised by the Society for Promotion of Public Libraries (SPPL) here on Sunday. She said in India where 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, a massive investment in public libraries was needed to make them information resource centres.
She said the need for the industries to fund public libraries under CSR programme could not be overemphasised. “We need good, well-ventilated and reader-friendly buildings for libraries. Libraries should play host to seminars, workshops, conferences, art and literary exhibitions and all the libraries should be equipped with modern gadgets with good connectivity,” she said and added that corporates should contribute their mite for the purpose.
Rapid computerisation
Ms Krishna Kumari said rapid computerisation was needed to store information and the librarians should also adpat themselves to the technological changes.
“Every educated person should have a library card, just like ATM card and debit card and credit card,” she said.
Mr V. Venkatappaiah, library activist, said public libraries were in a bad shape for want of patronage from the Government and NGOs. He said now it was the turn of the industries to part with certain percentage of CSR allocation for developing public libraries. Library cess was not being spent on improving libraries by the local bodies, even though it was being collected from the public, he said.
SPPL President and former manager (library), Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, P.S.N. Murthy, presided.