"Changing Landscape of Libraries in Rural Areas: Wakeup calls for Librarian to Come out from Libraries" is presentation made at the Two Days National Seminar on "Opportunities and Challenges of Institutional Libraries in Rural Areas" organized by SSDC Kanpur held at Chhatrapati Sahu Ji Maharaj Kanpur University during 5-6 October 2015

1. Changing Landscape of
Libraries in Rural Areas:
Wakeup calls for Librarian to
Come out from Libraries
Shri Ram, PhD
Jaypee University of Information Technology,
Solan, Himachal Pradesh

2. Libraries and Information Services
in Rural Areas
• Need to communicate with the people about
library and its services
• Individual interest
• Not possible to establish, but possible who are
already in service and spare some times for
the rural people
• Libraries are not there but information
services are always available

3. Various applications for various domains could
be the information services in the field of:
• Agriculture
• Education
• Health
• Employment
• Government Schemes
http://toostep.com/debate/massive-bsnl-broadband-plans-to-connect-rural-india---will-t

4. How this Could be Impacting on
Rural Information System

5. The information services could be in the form of e-Agriculture
Application with essential info:
– Market price of cash crops
– Demand and supply of their products in city
– Transportation charges
– Government plans and schemes for farmers
– Banks/ FIs schemes and loan plans for farmers
– Product market areas
– Forums about cultivable soil, crops, diseases in crops and interacting
platform to find the solution
– For Example : Creating awareness of KISAN Mandi and its benefits

6. 1800-180-1551 Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/
call-centre-for-farmers-queries-gaining-popularity/article2099020.ece

7. Creating Awareness about Best Practices
•Wheat Growing in Tillage System
•Dual Crop Production
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-27/strategic-tillage/4785346

8. Giant Pumpkin
Case studies on these premium seeds
Ordering, Procedure, Facts etc could be a good option to create literacy
http://www.howarddill.com/premseed.html

9. Compost

10. International Volunteer Center - Library
Some initiative have already taken place in rural areas
Village Ahmed Nagar, District
Kheri (UP)
Village Sansarpur, Kheri (UP)
Village Prayagpur, Distt
Behraich (UP)
Village Maigra, Distric Gaya
http://www.jacindia.org/rural-libraries-project.html

11. Libraries@17000ft
Promoting the joy of books and love of reading in Ladakh
• 17000 ft is committed to setting up much needed Active Libraries in each
remote school of Ladakh
• Designed as colourful, live, interactive spaces for learning and sharing,
each library have
– Colourful racks and easy access for books
– Easy reading Books in Hindi & English, by Indian publishers for 5 to 13 year olds.
– Simple educational games and puzzles for challenging young minds
• Active Libraries will be managed by 17000 ft trained Library Facilitators
through a hub/spoke model
– Librarians to conduct periodic reading and activity programs and facilitate book
exchanges between schools
– Maintain records and assess reading levels and monitor performance of each school
http://www.17000ft.org/volunteer-main-page.html

12. 17000 ft Libraries
Activities around the library
Story Telling to Villagers Reading clubs by village youth
http://www.17000ft.org/volunteer-main-page.html

13. School Library will also serve as
Public Library

14. Change in Govt Policies
http://educationhp.org/education_code2013.pdf

15. Village Internet Kiosks
http://www.livemint.com/Specials/ZL02D4y3EqV0Gp4QmRyE5H/Make-government-kiosks-hubs-for-RTI.html

16. Internet Use in Rural Areas
http://yourstory.com/2012/09/internet-and-india-urban-india-checks-email-while-rural-india-uses-net-for-entertainment-report/

17. YouTube Videos for Better
Agricultural Practices

18. Financial Information

19. Information about JOB
Opportunity

20. Rural Health Information

21. Village Knowledge Centres (VKC), Pondicherry
• Application of ICT for providing knowledge to rural
poor.
• Hub and spokes model. 10 VKCs around one hub;
Linked by wireless internet.
• Located in schools, panchayats, temples etc.
• Information required for the farmers, fishermen is
collected locally and made available on daily basis.
• Over 100 databases have been built locally.
http://www.mssrf.org/sites/default/files/VKC-Report.pdf

22. To Summarise
• Small steps in understanding the basic needs of the
rural people
• Gathering Information about their needs
• Providing the information supplemented with case
studies as maximum as possible
• Evaluation of the impact
• Fight for Justice through partnership
• Wakeup and Fight for Your Recognition

23. “ For those in need, access to information by itself is
often not enough to solve a person’s problems. Very
often the information has to be linked to action and
this requires the involvement of a variety of
community groups, self help organizations and the
like”
British Librarian, Dr B Usherwood

24. Thank You For Your Attention
Questions?
Shri Ram, PhD
Deputy Learning Resource Manager
Jaypee University of Information Technology
Waknaghat, Solan-173 234, Himachal Pradesh
shriram2576@rediffmail.com
@shriram2576