The callous attitude of the Municipal Corporation towards the three libraries and reading rooms run by it in the city can be gauged from the fact that the civic body earned just Rs 1 lakh from its three libraries in one financial year and the work to shift main library of Gill Road to Guru Nanak Bhawan premises in still hanging fire. This,despite the fact that MC paid Rs 40-50 lakh to take the new premises on lease a few years back. The MC runs three libraries in the city. While the main branch is on Gill Road,other two libraries are located at Rose Garden and inside Traffic Park,Model town (childrens library). The condition of childrens library and a doll museum situated on upper floor of it is so bad that students are not allowed to enter the building as stairs can collapse anytime. Even a mobile library started by the MC with a van carrying books to different parts of the city was closed down soon after inauguration due to poor response. The main income of libraries comes from rag it sells which goes maximum to Rs 60,000 to 70,000. Apart from rag,membership fee of libraries contributes to total income but even before 1975,when these libraries were started,the membership fee is Rs 15 per year only and has not been increased since then. Rs 15 per year with security of Rs 50 is too less keeping in view the present rate of inflation, said a MC official on condition of anonymity. At present we have only 125 members in three libraries collectively. Staff crunch has too hit us hard. Earlier,there was a team of 25 people to look after libraries but now only 14 are left. Now with two more about to retire in March and May,only 12 of us will be left, said one of the employees working in MC library. The condition was better when our main library was near local bus stand and many people used to come there to read books and take membership. Here the location is not appropriate for all residents, he added. The work of shifting libraries is under process. The file of electricity works at new venue has been passed. The procedure is stuck at interior decoration of new premises. That file is yet to be cleared by authorities, said a source from MC,zone A. When contacted,Hartej Singh,MC secretary,responsible for looking after of MC libraries,said,I have taken the charge a few days back and have not even visited all three libraries. Once I visit them and see the exact condition,then only can I comment.
