Library Expert Proposes Integrated 'Singha Durbar Library'

Kathmandu. Library expert Hirenra Bahadur Shahi has proposed to build a well-equipped 'Singha Durbar Library' in an integrated form inside Singha Durbar. Presenting the draft of the library policy at a meeting of the National Assembly's Public Policy and Fiduciary Legislation Committee on Friday, he put forward this proposal.

It is necessary to integrate the libraries of various ministries and government offices located inside Singha Durbar into a single organized library, rather than keeping them separate, he said. Presenting the proposed policy in the committee, Shahi said that subject-specific libraries, including those related to culture, should be developed as central subject-specific libraries.

The draft also proposes that educational institutions and universities should be given the freedom to create their own procedures for operating libraries. He emphasized that even after the federal governance system came into implementation, a new policy has not been introduced, and work is being done based on the 2064 BS (2007 AD) library policy, so the responsibilities related to library development, operation, financial management, and monitoring among the federal, provincial, and local levels should be clearly defined.

According to the proposed draft, the federal government will establish modern central and special libraries, provincial governments will operate well-equipped provincial-level libraries, and each local level and ward will adopt a policy of establishing at least one public library. Although the Local Government Operation Act 2074 BS (2017 AD) provides for wards to establish public libraries, a policy is being brought to further emphasize this and make it mandatory to open libraries at every municipality and ward level. The new policy proposes to include national, provincial, public, community, educational, special research, children's, virtual, and e-libraries as the main types of libraries.

Speaking at the meeting, Shahi said, 'I have proposed in the draft that the libraries of all ministries and various government offices located inside Singha Durbar should be integrated to build a well-equipped Singha Durbar Library inside Singha Durbar, rather than having separate ministry-specific and office-specific arrangements.'

He also proposed to implement a legal provision for depositing a mandatory copy of all materials published within Nepal at the National Library. Clarifying that no policy can be implemented in the long term without a legal basis, library expert Shahi pointed out the need to create a separate act related to library services.