EDUCATION

A unique library facing financial crunch
From Asha Ahuja

“COMMERCIALISING libraries is not in vogue in India. Libraries are the facilities to be extended to students, and service to students is our top-most concern,” said Mr S.C. Uppal, the enthusiastic Chief Librarian of PAU library. Keeping in view the needs of the students of PAU, a library was set up in 1959 in the College of Agriculture with a meagre collection of 200 books. However, at present this great temple of learning with its beautiful environments and beautiful Jacaranda trees with purple flowers and pollution-free environment has grown into one of the best libraries in the northern region. A library is a place of pilgrimage for scholars and faculty members from all over the country. The library is well stocked with a vast collection of books, thesis and volumes of periodicals. At present, 3,13,899 books are stored in the library. The current number of periodicals — both foreign and Indian — is 644. In addition to it, there are 29 CD-ROM data bases, out of which 8 are being subscribed in the field of agriculture.

The motto of the library is that no bonafide reader is starved of its rich resources, and it aims at extending the benefits of information technology through automation and networking. The library is sadly facing a financial crunch. In 1991 the expenditure on books was Rs 7,47,850 and the expenditure on periodicals was Rs 25,66,420, and the total expenditure amounted to Rs 33,14, 270. A decade later the expenditure on books was reduced to Rs 2,32,064, and the expenditure on periodicals was Rs 44,52,800. Hence the total expenditure is Rs 46,84,864. One can clearly see from the figures that the expenditure on books has reduced considerably.

The university is unique and the brainchild of Mr M.S. Randhawa and is doing a yeoman service to postgraduate students, undergraduate students and non-teaching staff for all days of the year. The library is open from 9 am to 9 pm, and two of its floors are airconditioned and are always occupied by the students.

The library provides a great number of facilities to the students like CD ROM searching (service is available to all categories of users on request), Internet search, photocopy service, reference service, textbook collection, thesis collection, display of current journal issues, popular periodicals and newspapers, current awareness services and special collection on religious studies.

The university library has 28 computers for providing various facilities and proper management. These computers are used for CD-ROM terminals, CD-ROM server, officer work, library management server, library management dints, demonstration of multimedia features, e-mail and Internet services to the students and members of the faculty.

Its internet room was overcrowded with young students. A student was trying to find a job on Naukri.com. He was feeding his bio-data into the computer. Whereas, on the next computer some students were trying to download information regarding the assignment that they had been given. Another student was typing an application. Internet offers facilities for them where they can download whatever information they want at a nominal rate of Rs. 30 per hour. In the next room was the Xerox facility. The rates were nominal here too.

While going up and down the various floors, the correspondent found that students were making good use of library facilities. Besides the Chief Librarian, there are 12 Assistant Librarians and two Deputy Librarians to help the students. Mr Uppal, the Chief Librarian, said: “We need computer programmers, computer assistant data entry operators. We want five persons in all so as to protect the data bank from virus.”

Speaking to a few students, it was found that the library was really proving to be a boon for them. Mr Harinder Singh, M.Tech student from Agriculture Engineering College, was looking for CAB Abstract. He was researching on Modelling of Green House Micro Climate. He said: “The computer has helped me a lot by locating journals and information that I can get from sources found from the computer. It saves a lot of time. It is a unique library. I come here two to five times a week.” 

CULTURE

Quality music is forever
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 3 — Well-known playback singer Arvinder Singh believes that only quality music can survive the test of the times. “Whether classic, film or pop, only quality music will survive in the end”, he says.

Arvinder has been in the world of music for the last 15 years. Born and brought up in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, he had an ear for music. He disclosed that he started learning music, from Pandit Ram Narayan a well know sarangi player, at the age of 7, with the blessings of Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji Maharaj, head of the Namdhari sect. He went to Bombay 15 years ago. Since then he has never looked back, with many music albums, films and live stage performances across the world to his credit.

The noted playback singer and music director, along with his brother Surinder Singh, has composed the music for films like Dada and Sita aur Gita. His forthcoming films include Ma Tujhe Salam which stars among, others, Sunny Deol. Besides, he has done a number of popular Hindi television serials like Sanjha Choola, Hindustani and Jai Mata Di with Hema Malini in the lead role.

His latest music album Tip Tip Tara Tara was released recently which has been received well by people. His tryst with pop music started with the Zee music album Bulaylay. He followed it with the album on cricket stars which was named Rest Day. His other popular numbers include Walah re wallah. He has also brought out an album in Pahari, his mother tongue.

Arvinder agreed, that with a large number of people jumping into pop, the quality of music had been compromised and had come down. He regretted that with technological advances “everybody and anybody who wants to sing brings out an album giving a go bye to the quality”. He pointed out that as the reason for a number of pop numbers not being accepted or been forgotten within a short span.

“Rhythm and melody are the pre-requisites of good music”, he said, while adding, “I am afraid most of today’s pop music lacks both”. He said, the Hindi film music was still far better in comparative terms. It had kept alive tradition. A good number of songs are still full of rhythm and melody that is why people still liked them, he remarked.

Although he claimed to have achieved great success in a short span, he said, he had a long way to go.. He pointed out, “in any art satisfaction is death and I do not want to die so soon...I have miles to go before I sleep”.

Arvinder, who has performed in a number of foreign countries like America, Britain, Canada, Australia and many others, is all praise for the Namdhari sect and its leader Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji Maharaj, who he said, were doing everything to keep the classical traditions of music alive.