Libraries of India Today: from Old Problems to New Horizons

The article describes the state policy of India aimed at the improvement of the role of libraries as centres of education, information and self-study. There are listed the largest public libraries - the national depository centres, receiving legal deposit, as well as libraries, administered by the Ministry of Culture of India. There is considered in detail the history, current status and work plans of the National Library of India in Kolkata, celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2016. There is characterized the structure of the network of public libraries of India at present, based on hierarchical model: state - district - block - village/panchayat. There is presented implementation of the project of Digital Library of India. There is described the plan of “The National Mission on Libraries”, approved by the President of India for modernization of the library system of the country, designed for 2015-2017 and aimed at formation of the integrated library information space, as well as its main components: creation of the National Virtual Library of India; development of network of model libraries; elaboration of the new standards.

Library Policy, the National Mission on Libraries, Education, Public Libraries, National Library of India, Modernization of the Library System, Integrated Library-Information Space, Digital Library, Equitable Information Society

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