Present scenario and challenges of district and town libraries in Paschim Bardhaman District: A study

Abstract

Public library plays a pivotal function in the development of a society. Public libraries should get utmost importance and emphasis as it can reach to any member of the society without economic and social barrier. This paper emphasizes how after so many years of implementation of library legislation very little progress can be found especially in this field and the situation is deteriorating day by day. It reveals how district and town libraries in Paschim Bardhaman district are facing stern challenges to keep their existence and provide proper service to its users. The government in 2014 launched the programme of National Mission on Libraries (NML) to propose a world-class library system by implementing an array of modern facilities for public libraries in India but after ten years of launching the programme the situation has not improved in West Bengal as expected. This paper put some light into the present status of district and town libraries in Paschim Bardhaman district and the difficulties they are facing to provide quality services to its users.