Services stymied at understaffed Rajshahi Public Library

RAJSHAHI, June 23: Divisional Government Public Library, Rajshahi is encountering difficulties in performing its obligatory duties and delivering timely services to the readers due to an acute shortage of manpower as per the organogram.

In the wake of the situation, the general readers have demanded that the library be upgraded to a digital one along with recruitment of fresh manpower.

According to relevant sources, the divisional government public library has only nine officers against 28 sanctioned posts, who are struggling to serve the readers.

The Divisional Government Public Library, Rajshahi was constructed in 1972 on 3.80 acres of land under the First Panchshala Plan (1973-78).

Later the library was moved to its own building adjacent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) in 1982.

Since 1983, full-fledged operation of library has been going on in the building.

Currently, 175 to 200 readers come to study in the library on average daily.

The number of textbooks currently in stock in the library is 1,02,067. One periodical is published every year from the library.

Besides, there are 26 Bengali and English daily newspapers and 20 weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly and semi-annual magazines for the readers.

Despite being open to all for study, the library allows only its members to take books home.

Members are made in three categories following separate rules.

Readers below 18 years get the status of child members while those who are 18 years old are considered as student members and all above 18 years except students are ranked ordinary members.

To become a member, a reader has to buy a membership form first in return of Tk10. Afterwards a fee of Tk 50 has to be paid for membership card.

Besides, the member has to submit a refundable deposit ranging from Tk200 to Tk1,000 for borrowing books. Membership is renewed every year for Tk 50.

A member can borrow a maximum of two books from the library for 15 days at a time.

Failure to return borrowed books within 30 days will result in forfeiture of deposit and cancellation of membership.

Apart from these, One Stop Service has been launched in the library. There is a separate corner for children as well.

Even though One Stop Service exists, the authorities are not able to provide the service due to lack of manpower.

Ariful Islam, a student of Rajshahi City College who comes to study regularly in the library, said, "I would have got more benefits if the library was made digital. A book requires a lot of searching. If a database of all the books could be created, we could search and find the books.