Building Modern Public Libraries in Odisha, Fostering Knowledge Societies

Nishikanta Sahoo, Chair & Ajay Mohanty, Co-Chair, OSA, Odisha Public Library Initiative (OPLI) engaged in an extended conversation with OdishaPlus Editor Nilambar Rath, during ‘Odisha Public Library Conference 2024’ at Bhubaneswar, discussing on the need, benefits and sustainability of the proposed Modern Public Libraries across every Gram Panchayat in Odisha

The model of today’s public libraries has been through a paradigm shift to meet the needs in terms of information, knowledge & public utilities. Apart from the bouquet of books & computers with internet connectivity, they have significantly turned into community resource centers.

Public libraries are essential hubs of knowledge, serving diverse communities across age groups and backgrounds. In an era dominated by digital technology, it is imperative for libraries to adapt and evolve. The conference under OSA Odisha Public Library Initiative (OPLI) aimed at underscoring the need and benefits of having modern public libraries at every Gram Panchayat in the state.

Modern libraries serve not only as centers for academic learning but also as venues for entertainment and skill development. Furthermore, they help achieve digital and financial literacy among youth, positioning rural libraries as vital community resource centers.

Nilambar: Congratulations to the Odisha Society of the Americas (OSA) for hosting Odisha Public Library Conference 2024 at Bhubaneswar on the topic of ‘Aspirations Towards a Knowledge Society with Modern Public Library in every GP of Odisha’. How do you see the response to the call and its impact in achieving the objectives OSA has been pursuing for quite some time?

Nishikanta: Thank you for the compliments.

It is very encouraging to hear the support for library movement in Odisha from the Dy CM Pravati Parida, and the minister of law Prithiviraj Harichandan. We are thankful and excited on Mr. Harichandan’s ask for OSA’s collaboration with Govt of Odisha on library development at GP level. We are expecting a meeting soon with the concerned departments and officials to discuss on the library model on Odisha context.

We see a good news coverage by our media friends on the event. We are very optimistic that the message will reach every corner of Odisha to promote reading/library culture in the state. It will create more demand. Even though OSA pursued public library advocacy in 2015, we are very optimist with recent development. OSA has been organizing such conferences because of strong support of Odisha Library Network (OLN) members, local think tank and well-wishers.

Nilambar: Over the years, a library has been perceived as a collection of books and periodicals aiming to help in acquiring knowledge by the students and various members of the community. How do you present the shift from the old thought while making public libraries as digital resource centres making them relevant and vibrant in today’s digital and mobile age?

Ajay: The access to knowledge and information is a fundamental right globally in this internet age. Our students should compete in the 21st century work space. We need to make them know about each & every aspect that is currently going on in the world. We need to shift gears from a mere collection of books and periodicals to a large database accessible to students, whether they want to compete in competitive exams or gain knowledge for becoming an informed citizen.

Additionally, all district HQ and Block level libraries can be connected by Odisha State Wide Network. The libraries should also be connected to other libraries in the country and some of the best libraries in the world.

Nilambar: What is the present condition of the public libraries at the state capital, major urban centers and the rural areas across Odisha? Could you explain the demand vs supply in the subject?

Nishikanta: I will have mixed response. The libraries that provide required resources as per user need have high demand. In contrast, the libraries that don’t provide relevant resources are struggling to get the users.

We have seen strong demand for public libraries in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur. There were multiple news articles, video clips on this how students have to wait for accessing these libraries. Many students flock away just to use the state public library, Berhampur e-library, and other libraries. We have seen student unrest several times due to limited resources both in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur while accessing these libraries. This speaks about the strong demand for public libraries in Odisha. It may be noted still these libraries are way behind if we compare the services offered in many modern libraries situated at some other states.

In Odisha, mostly the perception of a library is a building full of books and magazines. Since many libraries are not adopting 21st century services, they are going irrelevant. A change in mindset and change in perception of a library are required while we talk about modern public library.

Mostly libraries in Odisha are struggling due to lack of modernization, wrong perception on library, lack of trained staff, lack of funding, lack of involvement of users, lack of proper management and lack of an operational library directorate.

Library is a community resource center and there will be always demand if it meets the users’ needs and evolves with time.

Nilambar: How will you explain ‘Odisha Public Library Vision’ and the initiative outlined by the Odisha Society of the Americas (OSA) to achieve the same? Have you also examined the feasibility of building and managing over six thousand rural public libraries in Odisha, precisely one for every GP, in a long-run?

Ajay: At the Harekrushna Mahtab State Library, approximately 400 students’ study, primarily preparing for competitive exams, but there is a significant wait to gain access. Many underprivileged students from rural areas flock to Bhubaneswar to utilize this library. Another library in Bapuji Nagar serves to assist students as well. To my knowledge, there are no other public libraries in the Bhubaneswar urban area that provide an open environment for students to study and learn.

Out of 30 district headquarters, only 19 have libraries, and many of these are defunct. Additionally, there are around 500 public and private libraries that rely on grants from the Raja Ram Mohan Lal Library, yet they lack ICT-enabled infrastructure.

Nilambar: OSA has been quoting the example of Karnataka Government in setting up over six thousand rural libraries across the length and breadth of the state. How do they really reap the benefits which can be a motivation for Odisha or any other state exploring public libraries as a major economic engine?

Nishikanta: During the COVID pandemic, Karnataka leveraged the GP digital public libraries as resource centers for school going students, while Odisha students were struggling due to challenges with mobile phones. Over 50 lakh kids were enrolled in the digital libraries in Karnataka. This is a big advantage on skill development at a very young age, as they get to learn computer skills. The free library app of Karnataka government was downloaded by 2.9 crore users in 2 years.

Few months back, their CM announced to increase the number of libraries to 12,000. This speaks about the demand of a modern public library. In 2022, Government of India sent directive to all states to adopt Karnataka library model considering the benefits/impact on the society.

Ajay: Karnataka not only imparted school level education to its children during COVID period, it also has enrolled 45 lakh children in its library program. Additionally, many government services are provided through e-libraries in panchayats. Encouraged by the impact of these 5623 libraries at panchayat level, Karnataka government has decided to build around 6000 libraries at village level.

Nilambar: How do you see Odisha Public Library Act 2001 and the subsequent initiatives by Government of Odisha, along with the recent announced by Government of India, in fast-tracking the future libraries in the state?

Nishikanta: In Odisha, the Public Library Directorate, the State Library Councils, District Library Councils are defunct and prompt action by the concerned authorities is required for meaningful implementation of library laws, rules and circulars. We are already way behind if we compare us with the international and national developments. There is a huge gap between the policies and their implementations. So, this is the high time that we act upon the subject and build the future digital resources with a focus on the rural population.

Nilambar: Building and managing such a wide network of modern libraries in any region can be made possible under the active leadership of the local government. So, how do you experience the progress in this regard with the new government in Odisha?

Ajay: Not much progress has been made so far, although a request for budgetary approval was submitted with our 12-point plan for a vision for a Public Library ecosystem in Odisha. We had a discussion with DCM and the Law Minister during the OSA Library Conference on 15 December, 2024. It was proposed that OSA/OPLI should prepare a blueprint of the model libraries that we are proposing at district HQ, Block & GP level. Indeed, over the years, the government has received a detailed plan from OSA/ OPLI, but has not acted on it.

We will revise our plan after further discussion with the government officials. Indeed, Karnataka State provides a brilliant example of the management and sustainability of these huge numbers of libraries. We have proposed our State Government to contact ACS Ms. Uma Mahadevan of Karnataka Government, regarding the implementation of their library scheme which has been declared a model for the country by the Modi Government.

Nilambar: Can you create a picture of a modern public library serving the students, youth, women, senior citizens and people of the various segments of the society providing opportunity for acquiring knowledge, networking and helping in their day-to-day business?

Nishikanta: Let us add children and a disabled person in your list as well. Imagine a grandfather or grandmother is taking their grand kids to the library. The children can play toys, play video games, watch movies, join storytelling, explore various books, and explore computers.

The senior citizens can explore books/magazines, attend a seminar on health issues, explore a new hobby, be part of Bhagabat session.

Imagine a student visiting to the library for attending a career guidance session, mentoring session, session on computer programming, doing the home work, seeking help for home work, and exploring various books/magazines.

Imagine an unemployed youth visiting the library for accessing the computers for job application, prepare for various competitive examinations, access various books/magazines, attend a job fair, join a spoken English club and watch YouTube videos for learning.

The library can provide enough resources for women to know about women hygiene, pregnancy, parenting, cooking, job search, starting new business, finance, and investment.

The library can be disable friendly and provide necessary resources to learn and be independent.

A writer/poet/scientist/painter/tax advisor/investment consultant/teacher/professor can visit the library and share their expertise. A government official can have a presentation on various government schemes in the library seminar room.

The library will be a public institution, avenue in every GP helping people of all segments.

Nilambar: A modern library can be a combination of books, computers with broadband connection, while making it a centre for knowledge, entertainment and various service deliveries by the government. So, how do you see the investment in building each public library vis-à-vis the return we can expect from it?

Ajay: Public library is no longer merely a recreational centre, if it is converted into a community information & education centre with modern electronic and audio-visual materials, internet services, etc.

A typical portal for all this is the library’s website which is where any user is taken when logging in to the Wi-Fi. An ‘online resources’ tab that could open the digital resources menu. Start with online & downloadable e-books and audio-books for all ages. Add current and back issues of a broad range of magazines. Digital music & movies and television shows for downloading and streaming.

There could also be resources for online research, including some geared to children and teens. Whether looking for help choosing an appliance, answering a small business question, investigating your family history or getting some legal or health information, there’s always something readily available at the public library.

All government schemes can be delivered & monitored from a public library in the panchayats or blocks. As a poor man’s university serving the everyday demand of the people, panchayat library can play the role of a catalyst for initiating tremendous social and economic changes in the rural society.

Nilambar: Any modern public library would be highly useful to the students, youth, rural businesses, farmers, homemakers and the senior citizens, if it can be sustainable and operate round the year. Thus, how do you see that the proposed rural public libraries in Odisha would be sustainable in the long run?

Nishikanta: Odisha Government has many development schemes to make the libraries scalable and sustainable. The administration needs to prioritize on implementation adopting best practices with support from some experts and needs to connect the dots. There are many working models where public libraries have been extremely successful and impactful both in India and in the world. In the USA, several thousand Carnegie libraries were built 100+ years back and have been impactful.

Even in Odisha, many noble souls, as individuals, have developed libraries that are running successfully for decades. It will be way simpler if Govt machinery and resources will be used with careful planning. The way schools are sustainable in every GP, libraries could be sustainable in a similar way.

We should not use the word spending in libraries. It is a kind of investment in the community. As per research in the USA, for every one-dollar investment in libraries, there is a return of 4-9 dollars.

Nilambar: In what ways can public libraries contribute to improving education quality, advancing research, fostering skill development, enhancing employability, supporting rural small businesses, benefiting homemakers, and bridging the digital divide, particularly in terms of digital and financial literacy for diverse communities?

Ajay: The most important aspect of a public library is to bridge the digital divide in rural areas. Only 46% of rural folks have access to smartphones vs. 80-90% in urban populations. Besides, only 10% of India’s population have access to broadband networks in their household, whereas in most advanced countries like USA, China, Korea, Japan & Europe, 85-90% of population have broadband access, that promotes digital literacy and hence growth in the economic sector. All kinds of skill development courses can be offered at a basic level in the rural libraries, be it Microsoft Word, be it cooking classes for girls, or simply promoting reading competition among our youth.

Nilambar: OSA has supported a couple of libraries operating at different places in the state. What is your experience so far in terms of benefitting the local communities especially the students and the youth?

Nishikanta: In terms of the benefits to the local community, it is very encouraging and promising. Especially, the Berhampur Model Public Library, known as Berhampur e-library, was operational in 2018 with a capacity of 70 students. Due to growing demand on the library use, the local administration added a new state-of-the-art library building with 200 capacities around COVID time.

After qualifying as an IAS officer, Mr. Durga Madhab Adhikary credited publicly his success to the Berhampur e-library. This encouraged the local administration to increase the capacity by adding a new building with a capacity of 1000, add 6 branch libraries, add an Adhaar Kendra to support the students. This is yet to be done.

In the old e-library building, there is a membership of 140, though the capacity is 70. Many students are restricted as the library cannot handle the existing capacity. In order to handle the volume of traffic in the library, the administration reduced the student hours per day to half. There was a major students’ unrest for this and the administration restored the library hours as before.

I had interacted with several students using the library and came to know many students had to reside in any mess in Berhampur just to use the library. The students’ native places would be 60 kilometers away from Berhampur. The key attractions are quiet place for reading, books, newspapers, seminar room and free internet. Due to lack of space, only students and unemployed youth are given priority.

Nilambar: Staying in the USA for over years, you would’ve experienced the transformation of public libraries there. Could you elaborate what role these public institutions play today in terms of development across various communities?

Nishikanta: In today’s world, the public libraries in the USA have been evolved to function as resource center, knowledge center, community hub, and computer center. The libraries are happening place for pre-kindergartners, children, teens, tweens, students, adults, persons with disability, senior citizens, women. There are activities, programs for all sections of people in various segments like early childhood literacy, literacy, education, employment, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, e-Government, civic engagement, e-Commerce, and social inclusion.

(Opinion expressed by the interviewees are personal)

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