Speakers Call For Setting Up Libraries To Promote Books Reading

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -7th Sept,2016) : Speakers at a conference of Asian Libraries called upon government and philanthropists to help in setting up maximum number of libraries for promoting books' reading culture.

Describing the books as main source of knowledge and conducting research at higher education level, they said the new generation's links with book must be promoted. It is imperative for developing a healthy and civilized society, they added.

The two-day conference was organized here Wednesday by Pakistan Library Association in collaboration with department of Libraries government of Punjab and Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU). Addressing the concluding session, Vice Chancellor AIOU Prof.

Dr. Shahid Siddiqui said they will activate their libraries at 44-regional centers across the country to promote book-reading among people. He was the view that library acts as a main center for any university for doing research work.

With changing circumstances and new development in the educational field, the role of the Libraries has become all the more important to cover knowledge-gap and make available new reading-contents as per the needs of the students.

"As knowledge-seekers we need to promote students' deep engagement with the libraries and books, particularly at the research-stage." He said as VC he laid focus on developing AIOU's national library as a model one.

Now it remains open whole of the week, and its working-duration has been extended, he added. Dr. Siddiqui further said that Universities are supposed to construct knowledge through libraries and other digital material.

Libraries are needed to be updated with smart use of latest technology as per the international standard, he added. Renowned columnist Khurshid Naveed who was chief guest on the occasion spoke about the importance of libraries and book-reading habit in the knowledge-seeking pursuits.

He emphasized that the libraries should adopt new techniques and methodologies in providing necessary information material to their readers. Other speakers including the Association's President Syed Ghayoor Shah and Muhammad Jawwad of AIOU's Library and information science department called for working out joint strategies for migration from printed to digital contents as well as preservation of the digital resources.

There is also need to strike balance between intellectual property rights and easy access to digital resources, they added. The Asian libraries conference was first of its kind in the region that brought hundreds educationist, historians, research scholars together to consider new trends and role of libraries in the society.

The AIOU's Dean Faculty of Social Science Prof. Dr. Syed Abdul Siraj was also present on the occasion.