A Joint Convention of IASLIC and BLA

Dear Sirs/Madams

We are anxious to observe the disquieting situation prevailing in the Government controlled and Govt. sponsored Public libraries in West Bengal caused by recent Govt. order dated 14.03.12 indicating the imposition of the Govt.'s inhibitive restriction for reading newspapers in the libraries of West Bengal.

It is needless to mention here that modern libraries, unlike those in earlier centuries, are the knowledge resource centres (KRC) and cardinal intermediaries between the producers and consumers of knowledge. The knowledge economy starting from the days of Adam Smith has been shaping itself anew in these days of market economy resulting in both generation and proliferation of knowledge at faster rate. Its fruitful use has become indispensable in any sphere of human activity. Precisely, knowledge is the invisible capital for development and newspapers are the primary sources of knowledge. Gathering, culling, disseminating and using of knowledge of any type and variation are the absolute rights of any individual institution and organization in the society. Its easy accessibility availability and free flow for use in a library according to user’s choice, need, demand and requirement should be imperatively ensured. Moreover, according to UNESCO, a library

is “people’s university”.  Any imposed restriction for reading newspapers in the libraries is bound to mar the activity and effort for achieving the cherished goal.

Thus,  IASLIC, in collaboration with Bengal Library Association(BLA), is going to organise a joint convention on the above mentioned order issued by the Govt of West Bengal imposing restrictions on subscribing newspapers for Govt  libraries  on 22.04.2012 (Sunday) at 4 pm in the Mahabodhi Society Auditorium, College Square, Kolkata – 700 073. A good number of speakers are invited from different fields.  We earnestly invite you to attend the convention with your professional friends and colleagues to make this convention a grand success.

With warm regards.

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পীযূষকান্তি পাণিগ্রাহী

Dr Pijushkanti Panigrahi, 

Professor & Head, Dept of Lib and Inf Science, 3rd Floor Asutosh Building, University of Calcutta, 87/1 College Street,Kolkata - 700 073, West Bengal, India, email :panigrahipk@yahoo.com, (M) : +91 94342 43522. 

General Secretary, Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC), P-291, CIT Scheme No 6M , Kankurgachi, Kolkata – 700 054, India; 

Associate Editor, IASLIC Bulletin ; 

Member, Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPDWL), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Netherlands

Member, Library Committee, The Asiatic Society, Kolkata.