Borrow a book, return it at any library in state

Borrow a book, return it at any library in state

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:31.12.2021

Soon, a reader can rent a book from a public library and return it anywhere in the state after reading it. Search for books, reservation and r enewals too could be done through a mobile app and home delivery of books also could be a possibility, as Tamil Nadu government is keen on reviving libraries and booklending in the state.

Acentralised book-returning system will be made possible, as the Anna Centenary Library (ACL) along with Roja Muthiah Research Library, is preparing a union catalogue for all 3 5 lakh books inthe 4,640 public libraries across Tamil Nadu. Roja Muthiah Research Library is curating the catalogue of all books in public libraries to the international standard like Anglo American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2) and Machine-Readable Cataloguing (MARC 21).

In the first phase, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi released the union catalogue for more than seven lakh books in Anna Centenary Library, Connemara Public Library, Roja Muthiah Research Library and 32 district libraries this week. With the common catalogue, the search forbooks in all p ublic libraries will get easier. By typing the title or author, a reader will get the details like which libraries have the book, availability, literary form, publisher, edition and material type.

“This catalogue could act asa single tool for searching all books available in all public libraries in Tamil Nadu,” said S Kamatchi, coordinator of Union Catalogue Project for Public Libraries. The project is being implemented under the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives (TANII) scheme by the State Planning Commission.

Digitising catalogue also will help library authorities to know whichbooks areincirculation and which are not used by readers in the public libraries.

“It would also help to know which type of books or subjects is being preferred or not preferred in a particular region. The moving books can be stocked up more and unused books could be avoided while procuring the books for public libraries,” she a dded. It may also help the library authorities to weed out the titles which are gathering dust and occupying space. Following the union catalogue, the directorate of public libraries may come upwith the user mobile app for searching for books. “Like how we know restaurants n ear us by googlingit, this app will enable the book lovers to know which nearest library has a particular book and whether it is available or not,” said G Sundar, director, Roja Muthiah Research Library in Taramani.