Sunday, 17 December 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Doon Library and Research Centre (DLRC) is all set to add an e-library to the existing library in order to enhance accessibility for readers. The DLRC librarian JB Goyal said while talking to this correspondent that the library management is now preparing to introduce an e-library format to facilitate easy access to the library content. “In line with this initiative, a five-member committee, consisting of library experts and educationists, has been formed. This committee is now assessing the demand for e-library. Besides, the committee will address other relevant matters, including challenges that may come up in the implementation of the e-library initiative of ours,” he added.
Goyal further said that if the committee finds all aspects favourable for the introduction of an e-library, they would present the proposal to the appropriate authorities for approval.
He said at the same time a growing interest among the people, particularly the young, to read books is being observed. “We are happy that the residents of the city are increasingly thronging our library to read books. This can be gauged from the increase in the number of members for our library. Whereas 4,852 people became DLRC members in 2022, the figure has risen to 5,895 till October this year. The library was not centrally located previously, but thanks to the efforts of the Smart City officials, DLRC was relocated in the central part of the city in January this year. As a result, people have become aware of its presence, leading to an increase in the number of readers,” he said.
He further said that the youngsters are now coming to the library in increasing numbers to read books. “This is a very healthy trend at a time when they have alarmingly been falling prey to mobile phone addiction. We are trying to further enhance this trend,” he said.
“The library offers two types of membership for readers to access the reading materials kept at DLRC: ordinary membership and lifetime membership. The ordinary membership allows readers to read books from the library for one year for Rs 1,300 while the lifetime membership, which lasts for 20 years, is available for Rs 2, 000,” he said.
