Special reading section for blind children opened at State Library, Chandigarh

Chandigarh In a move to offer a learning platform to the visually impaired children in the city, the UT Administration has set up a special reading section in the State Library, Sector 34.
The reading corner has been set up for these children inside the reading hall of the library. The technical set-up at the reading section works in a manner that whenever a page is flipped on one side of the machine, the softare reads out the contents of the book for the student.
Braille has also been installed for the students who wish to type anything on the computer. “There is a software called JAWS which transforms a computer into a speaking machine. Whatever is being typed by the student on the braille keyboard, the software reads it out to him,” said K R Sood, principal of the Blind School, Sector 26.

The system has already been in use in the Blind School for the last couple of years. “Technology has taken away the limitations of the specially abled children. The blind students are much more self-sustained now,” said Sood.

More News at:http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/special-reading-section-for-blind-children-opened-at-state-library/979072/

After 15 years, State Library at Cubbon Park to lend books again

Shruthi H M, Bangalore, Jul 24, 2012, DHNS :

98-year-old library has 2.75 lakh books

After a gap of nearly 15 years, the State Library at Cubbon Park may soon start issuing books to its members again.

The 98-year-old library, which has a collection of 2.75 lakh books including some rare ones, had stopped issuing books to readers more than a decade ago.

“We are planning to begin issuing books in the next two months. The facility was stopped since a few rare books went missing,” said K G Venkatesh, Director, Department of State Libraries. The measure comes in the wake of dwindling number of visitors. 

According to Venkatesh, there has been a drastic decline in the number of visitors to the library, particularly the children’s library, over the past four to five years.

Lack of parking facility

Heavy traffic on the Cubbon Park Road with little space for parking vehicles in front of the library also dissuades people from paying a visit. 

“People coming to the High Court park vehicles near the library. The parking fee too has been increased. This has become a deterrent for those who would like spend few hours in the library reading,” Venkatesh said. He hoped that bibliophiles might evince more interest if the library begins to issue books again.

The children’s library was built two decades ago and has a collection of about 30,000 books. The library building replaced a KSTDC canteen. The officials in the department say the library risks losing the prime location due to the decreasing number of visitors. 

There already have been proposals to allot the place to the Court. A portion of the space has already gone to the Wine Board. “The library should not be shut down just because the number of visitors has reduced. We will initiate measures to attract reading public back to the place,” Venkatesh told Deccan Herald.

The Libraries department has sought co-operation from the Department of Public Instructions to kindle the interest in the library. It has sought to make a visit to the library mandatory as part of educational trips of schools. The Fisheries department has been roped in to set up aquariums in the children’s library.

Litterateur  U R Ananthamurthy suggested a networking among all the state libraries so that readers can request for a book from a library in any part of the State. “This is how city libraries in London have retained their popularity,” he said.

Welcoming the decision, litterateur Chandrashekar Patil said lending books will definitely help the department revive the library movement. 

“People in the City do not have time to travel every day to read books in the library. If books are issued, they can come once a week. At the same time, the library should not fail to provide reading space inside the library,” he added.

More News at: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/266829/after-15-years-library-lend.html

Restoration delay leaves state library exposed

Come monsoon, and there is a high possibility that parts of the decades-old State Central Library at Afzal Gunj may cave in. With its huge halls and high ceilings, the Osmanian-style edifice is now left to the vagaries of nature, as its restoration project seems to have hit a roadblock. The structure, constructed in 1936 after the library was moved from the old General Post Office building at Abids, is now a just shadow of its glorious past.

The signs of incomplete work are visible all over, with the walls chipped off and the roof left exposed for want of re-plastering. And with the restoration work stopped midway, a hard spell of rain might lead to water seepage, weakening the imposing structure, Ms Anuradha Reddy, of Intach, warns. “The interest of the building is paramount,” she stressed. “I have seen the progress of work, and it is anyone’s guess when the roof will be re-plastered.” With the monsoon less than two months away, she said, there was a danger of collapse — a concern shared by several other experts as well.

Mr Kedarnath, a regular visitor to the library, said: “It is a pity such a magnificent structure is in such a condition.” The AP Educational and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporat-ion had awarded to Babu Associates the contract for the project after tenders were called in April 2011. The restoration work, estimated to cost Rs 2.33 crore, was scheduled for completion within 12 months.

“Works were taken up last year and should have been completed by now,” C.H. Pulliah, director, public libraries, said. However, Mr Babu, the contractor, said the authorities did not hand over the library site in time, which primarily had led to the delay. Besides, he claimed, “We needed to make certain deviations from the original plan in tune with the revised rates.” APEWIDC executive engineer K. Murthy admitted that there was a delay in the work. “I will visit the site on the last week of April, and if there is no satisfactory progress, appropriate penalty will be imposed on the contractor,” he said

Full News is available at :- 

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/restoration-delay-leaves-state-library-exposed-989.