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Unit 6: Public Libraries

Notes
growth rate of 7% for 2007-08 and is a hub of information technology industry and R & D
institutions. With 67.4% literacy rate, the State is divided into 29 districts, 175 taluks and
745 revenue circles. Various aspects of public libraries in Karnataka State have already
been studied.
Bidar district is located in the northern tip of Karnataka State comprising of Bidar, District
headquarter and five taluks, namely, Aurad, Basavakalyan, Bidar, Bhalki, Chitaguppa and
Humanabad. With male literacy rate of 58.97% and female literacy rate of 30.53%, and
occupying 18th out of 20th position in the State as per the Human Development Report, it
has earned the distinction of one of the most backward districts of Karnataka State.
Monitoring and evaluation of information resources in public libraries and their services
are identified as an essential activity by Knowledge Commission, in its report submitted
to Prime Minister, India. Low literacy rate indicates that the parents of most of the users
are illiterates. Hence, lack of motivation or knowledge about competitive examinations
or lack of competitive spirit among students and youth may be some of the reasons for
lesser use of other information resources. The users were also asked to give the reasons for
not visiting the library more frequently. Majority of the respondents (61%) stated that
since all the educational institutions and other offices function between 10 a.m. and 5.30
p.m., majority of the users find that library timings are inconvenient. 12.5% of the users do
not visit more frequently since the library services are unsatisfactory.
Among the many information sources in the library, newspapers, magazines and fictions
are the most frequently used information resources. Internet was used most frequently by
only one user. Majority of the users of public libraries under study are men within age
group of 11–30 years, and visit library at least once in a week. Majority of them are
students, unemployed youth and employees in private sector belonging to lower and
middle income group. They spend less than an hour in the library. Inconvenient timing is
the main reason for not visiting the library more frequently. Books and Magazines,
Friends/Teachers and Radio/Television are the information channels used most frequently
to satisfy their information needs. Newspapers and Magazines are the most frequently
read information sources. Reading Room and Book Lending Services are the most frequently
used services in the public libraries. Since majority of the users are students and unemployed
youth, public libraries needs to enrich their information resource collection, provide
access to Internet and offer community-based services, including literacy programmes.
Public libraries need to take proactive approach in motivating users to use these resources
and services to enhance their competence.
Questions
1. Write down the case facts.

2. What do you infer from it?
Source: http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/7263/1/ALIS%2056(4)%20249-254.pdf

6.5 Summary

Public library has been defined differently by different experts depending upon the
importance they gave to its objectives.

A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is generally funded
from public sources (such as taxes) and operated by civil servants.
Public libraries are distinct from research libraries, school libraries, and other special
libraries in that their mandate is to serve the general public’s information needs (rather
than the needs of a particular school, institution, or research population).

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