National Mission on Libraries (NML)

National Mission on Libraries (NML) – an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, launched

President Pranab Mukherjee launched the National Mission on Libraries (NML) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.  He formally inaugurated the NML’s guidelines, logo and website.

Mission: Launched by the Ministry of Culture to modernize and digitally link public libraries across the country.

Benefit: designed for the entire spectrum of population – students, researchers, scientists, professionals, children, artists and differently abled persons.

Nodal agency for the implementation of NML: Kolkata-based Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF), a 10-member body headed by Prof. Deepak Pental, former Vice Chancellor of Delhi University.

NML also planned to create a National Virtual Library of India (NVLI) to facilitate a comprehensive database on digital resources, carry out a census on the resources available in the libraries and conduct a study on the reading habits in different regions of the country.

Background:

The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) in its Report to the Nation (2006-2009) made ten major recommendations on libraries. In pursuance of this, a High Level Committee to be called as National Mission on Libraries (NML) has been set up by the Government of India. Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture will be the central agency for the National Mission on Libraries for administrative, logistics, planning and budgeting purposes.

The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) was set up by the Prime Minister with the challenging mandate to transform India of the 21st century into a knowledge society. The objective of NKC was to advise the PM on matters relating to knowledge creation, knowledge dissemination and knowledge application within the diversity of the Indian scenario.

About the National Mission on Libraries (NML)

Objective: To create a world class library system, foster reading habits, facilitate research work and provide information to people in a timely and convenient manner which is also universal and equitable.

Set up in pursuance of a report of the National Knowledge Commission, which recommended a total revamp of the Library and Information Service sector to serve the changing needs and expectations of the users and give a fillip to the library movement in the country.

Factors of NML: up-gradation of infrastructure, digitization and modernization, census of libraries and their development as knowledge centres and transformation of libraries into empowering and inclusive institutions.

Core areas of Mission: Creation of a National Virtual Library of India, Setting up of National Mission on Libraries Model Libraries, Quantitative & Qualitative Survey of Libraries and Capacity Building for revamping the Public Library System & Services.

Main component: To initiate need-based training programmes to develop managerial skills and IT competencies of their personnel in tune with demands of the Internet era.

Implementation of NML: Six libraries under the Culture Ministry, 35 Central Libraries in states and 35 District Libraries will be developed as model libraries.

For setting up of the model libraries, existing libraries would be identified in consultation with the state governments to improve infrastructure and upgrade technology used by them.

Emphasis will on developing these libraries in economically backward districts.

Future planning: 629 district libraries across the states would be provided network connectivity.