The public library system in India: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Purpose – The current situation of Indian public libraries has been viewed by some as follows: the public library system in India is condemned to remain peripheral to the actual information needs of the masses; that it is in a depressed state, and serves as little more than a warehouse of recreational reading materials, a majority of which are in regional languages. This paper suggests possible remedies on how to transform the situation, and details new technological developments which are already showing the potential to change public libraries in rural India for the better.Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive account of the contemporary situation in India with regard to public libraries, digital technologies and development possibilities, using official statistics and the LIS literature.Findings – The challenges that face public libraries in India are listed and a vision for their future based on the concept of “ICT for development” is sketched out.Research limitations/implications – It is diffic...