Why Libraries Are Essential (Especially for District Kargil Administration)

On December 31^st,2017 I came up with the news that JKSSB had declared the result of selectees candidates for the post of Library Assistant. I was quite surprised to see the list, among the selectees two of them were my close friends. I was so happy for them but there was something which was pinching me inside, what about you now, and of course what about all others who are like you, holding the same specified degrees and belonging to the same region.

And this was something which forced me to write about the issue again. This article is especially for LADHDC, Kargil administration because our so-called well-educated ministers and other authority departments didn't have much information about Libraries. I feel very sorry while writing this article because I didn't get else option except to write and to show my disappointment over the system.  I am going to make an impassioned plea for the people of Kargil to understand what Libraries and Librarians are, and of course to preserve both of these before its too late.

A Library is an organized collection of sources of information and similar resources, made accessible to the defined community for reference or borrowing. It provides physical or digital access to materials. Library’s collection can include books, periodical, newspaper, manuscripts, films, maps, prints, documents, microfilms, CDs, cassettes, databases and other formats and a Librarian is a person who works professionally in a Library, providing access to information and sometimes social or technical programming. In addition, Libraries provide instruction on information literacy. In modern perspective, a Librarian deals with provisions and maintenance of information in many formats, including books, electronic resources, audio-video recordings, bibliographic databases and web-based digital resources. Librarians are required to hold a master's degree in Library and Information Science. A Library without a Librarian is just a collection of books. It is the Librarian who brings it all together. Librarian can offer basic computer classes for anyone who wants to get up to speed without paying for long-term classes. Libraries and well-qualified professionals are essential for our society. If Libraries are not essential then why have some of the worlds smartest and richest people (such as Andrew Carnegie and Bill Gates) poured their time and money into them? Ray Bradbury said “Without Libraries what we have? We have no past and no future”. I hope now our administration will understand what a Library is and how much a professional Librarian is important to our society. I have an obligation to tell our politicians what we want, to vote against politicians of whatever party they belong who don’t understand the value of Library and Librarian creating worthwhile citizens, who do not want to preserve and protect knowledge and encourage literacy. This is not a matter of party politics. This is the matter how you will disseminate information through Library by appointing professionals in Libraries for our district, whether it is public or academic. Let me remind our administration again that the number of Librarians in various schools are not professional they are clerks, lab assistants and most of them are lower levels promoted employees. Whom are promoted by our greedy politicians and administrators, who just want to vote in their favour or by rubbing their palm. If it had not been so, then why we were assured of filling those posts by the end of previous year.

JKSSB had already advertised Library Assistant and Junior Librarian posts for the various districts last year and the selection for which was done in a short span of time. If our administration is not capable of filling those posts then why they are not referring those posts to JKSSB.By seeing all selections at past as well as present that our administration is not capable of conducting fair exams. I request you all that We should demand "No More Recruitment" and "Refer All Posts to JKSSB". It is clear that who is in Power will get all benefits whether it’s about recruitment or big projects. Libraries and Librarians really are the gates to the future. So it’s unfortunate that, in  Ladakh region, we observe that the local authorities are seizing the opportunity to close libraries and closing the doors of development without realising that they are stealing from the future to pay for today. They are closing the gates that should be open.

“Google can bring you back, 100,000answers; A Librarian can bring you the right one”.