Hello Friends,
After a longtime I thought of add something my blog. When started blogging, I made my mind to place information about my academic activities like article presentations at conference, seminar, invited talks, journal papers, etc., to share my personal opinions which I cannot do in academic publications. Today, a bright Sunny Sunday made me to restart bogging with the conference paper.
I was at ShravanaBelagola - the Jain Kashi in Karnataka, where 57 feet Bhagawan Bahubali stands symbolically to the testimony for legendary mental strength of Tyaga (renunciation) and the soft tender message of Ahimsa (non violence). Yes, the place has a vibration which provokes anyone on his/her Duty, Devotion and Dedication. Sorry, I moving some where, carried away by the facial expressions of 57 feet ತ್ಯಾಗಮೂರ್ತಿ. I had been to KALA conference on "Library and Development: Present and Future" scheduled between June 7 and 9, 2012. It is good KALA has planned to hold the conference at such religious, tourist place, out of the huzzle and buzzle of the city culture.
I have been invited to present my paper "The Status of Higher Secondary School Libraries in Mysore District: A Study" scheduled on June 8. My fried Dr. Sunil Kumar, working as Professor at Bahubali Engineering College asked what made me to started writing on School Libraries, which is away from domain of B-schools (Business Schools)? I simply gave a artificial smile and kept quite. Because what made me to write on school libraries was not a good source of motivation, which can be discussed.
I was going through the reports of Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan (SSA) of 2009 and recent too. I was stunned to see that 80.2% of the Government Higher Secondary School in Mysore District has working "School Libraries"(???) and started the exercise to study the actual situation. I selected 30 schools located in Urban region and conducted the survey - it was a observatory and interview approach. I was shocked that only only 40% (12 schools) claims the existence of library. The existence of library is about the few books stacked in a cupboard either in Head Master’s or Staff room under lock an key. It need not be emphasised that this will definitely NIL usage of books by children. The head masters who are aware about the availability of funds for library development (i.e., SSA claims 10% of the total fund / fee is spent on library development) purchase newspapers. Ofcourse it is for his personal use and rarely used by the other teachers and office staff.
Here is the abstract of the article - "The Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan and Karnataka Jnana Ayoga give utmost importance to the library services in primary and high schools recognized by the Government of Karnataka schools. They have even stressed on building reading habit and guidance on use of information at the elementary level. The authors have analysed the data pertaining to 30 Higher Secondary Schools in Mysore city. The findings of the study are shared as experiences and the key research trust areas are identified. This paper is an attempt to place before the library community about the understanding of these public or government institutions, their perception of “school libraries”. It is also shown how much employability chances are lost for library graduates in school libraries. Finally an attempt has been made to study the road map of the school libraries for their development."
Once I complete the article, it made me to think about -
ಇಂತಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ,
ಸುನಿಲ್
After a longtime I thought of add something my blog. When started blogging, I made my mind to place information about my academic activities like article presentations at conference, seminar, invited talks, journal papers, etc., to share my personal opinions which I cannot do in academic publications. Today, a bright Sunny Sunday made me to restart bogging with the conference paper.
I was at ShravanaBelagola - the Jain Kashi in Karnataka, where 57 feet Bhagawan Bahubali stands symbolically to the testimony for legendary mental strength of Tyaga (renunciation) and the soft tender message of Ahimsa (non violence). Yes, the place has a vibration which provokes anyone on his/her Duty, Devotion and Dedication. Sorry, I moving some where, carried away by the facial expressions of 57 feet ತ್ಯಾಗಮೂರ್ತಿ. I had been to KALA conference on "Library and Development: Present and Future" scheduled between June 7 and 9, 2012. It is good KALA has planned to hold the conference at such religious, tourist place, out of the huzzle and buzzle of the city culture.
I have been invited to present my paper "The Status of Higher Secondary School Libraries in Mysore District: A Study" scheduled on June 8. My fried Dr. Sunil Kumar, working as Professor at Bahubali Engineering College asked what made me to started writing on School Libraries, which is away from domain of B-schools (Business Schools)? I simply gave a artificial smile and kept quite. Because what made me to write on school libraries was not a good source of motivation, which can be discussed.
I was going through the reports of Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan (SSA) of 2009 and recent too. I was stunned to see that 80.2% of the Government Higher Secondary School in Mysore District has working "School Libraries"(???) and started the exercise to study the actual situation. I selected 30 schools located in Urban region and conducted the survey - it was a observatory and interview approach. I was shocked that only only 40% (12 schools) claims the existence of library. The existence of library is about the few books stacked in a cupboard either in Head Master’s or Staff room under lock an key. It need not be emphasised that this will definitely NIL usage of books by children. The head masters who are aware about the availability of funds for library development (i.e., SSA claims 10% of the total fund / fee is spent on library development) purchase newspapers. Ofcourse it is for his personal use and rarely used by the other teachers and office staff.
Here is the abstract of the article - "The Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan and Karnataka Jnana Ayoga give utmost importance to the library services in primary and high schools recognized by the Government of Karnataka schools. They have even stressed on building reading habit and guidance on use of information at the elementary level. The authors have analysed the data pertaining to 30 Higher Secondary Schools in Mysore city. The findings of the study are shared as experiences and the key research trust areas are identified. This paper is an attempt to place before the library community about the understanding of these public or government institutions, their perception of “school libraries”. It is also shown how much employability chances are lost for library graduates in school libraries. Finally an attempt has been made to study the road map of the school libraries for their development."
The Status of Higher Secondary School Libraries in Mysore District: A Study
View more presentations from Sunil Mysore.
Once I complete the article, it made me to think about -
- Why these reports are projecting the baseless and unrealistic data?
- What will be learning curve of young minds who are deprived of reading habits, information sources, books and learning environment?
- Why our library associations, ministers and higher authorities concerned to libraries, who agree with the need of school libraries and a librarian is not making any effort to provide placement for 4000 library graduates? (as per SSA Karnataka alone has 4102 schools - think about the entire India!)
- Where is the benefits, funds and resources for school libraries are going?
- The prime government bodies which provides accreditation, recognition and assess the private schools and demand the need for library to provide permission to start a school. Why they don't follow the same?
ಇಂತಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ,
ಸುನಿಲ್
Dear sir,
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting study. Every school should have a good library. Your study in that context is very significant.
The reports that you have mentioned have largely based on the data obtained through the government records not on the basis of ground reality.
As you are aware RTE (Right to Education) act is implemented in 2010. To achieve constitutional right for education for all has taken more than 60 years. For having a good library in school, it may take another 60 years.
yes Dr. Vasanth, sorry for most delayed reply
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