JAMMU: Secretary Culture, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah on Thursday took an extensive tour of Shri Ranbir Singh Library here and took stock of facilities being provided to the public there. He held an extensive tour of the library and visited different sections of the public library viz reading room section, children section, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Section, automation, reference section etc.

On the occasion, he also interacted with the students who visit the library regularly, and enquired about the facilities being provided there. He asked the students for suggestions and the requirements, if any, to make the library better and smooth access for them.

During his visit, he was informed that last year 2.26 lakh people visited the 131 public libraries of Jammu and Kashmir. He was accompanied by Special Secretary, Trishala Kumari; Director Libraries & Research, M Rafi; Deputy Secretary Culture, Abdul Qyume and other officers.

The secretary highlighted the need for certain transformative changes in the department to better serve the public in this digital age and to diversify these public libraries to address the needs of today’s library members. He also suggested exposure visits and trainings to the staff and officials of Libraries Department in order to enhance the personal and professional level skills for effective delivery of library and information services.

The secretary underlined the adoption of new technology in the Department of Libraries & Research which would eventually increase the efficiency and effectiveness of day-to-day library work and services and added that information technology interventions in public libraries would help the readers’ services also.

Shah urged the officers to make the public libraries attractive to youngsters by focusing on youngsters and youth engagement by drawing them towards libraries of Jammu and Kashmir.

KR Desk