By IANS,
New Delhi: The culture ministry Wednesday said it could not set a timeline for implementing a recommendation on the development of libraries across different sectors in the country.
The National Knowledge Commission had proposed a separate National Commission on Libraries and recommended modernising library management and providing modern amenities to libraries for the benefit of readers.
It had also recommended greater community participation in library management by different stakeholders and user groups.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs V. Narayanaswamy, who holds the additional portfolio of culture, said the government intended to replace the Delivery of Books and Newspaper (Public Library Act, 1954) with a new legislation as many publishers did not comply with the provisions of the act, especially while delivering books to libraries.
He said the National Library in Kolkata, the Central Reference Library and other important libraries under the ministry of culture have started computerising their catalogue research and digitisation of old and rare books.