Digital library at Karachi University yet to start functioning

Digital library at University of Karachi is yet to start functioning in an appropriate way due to non-availability of adequate funds besides lack of skilful staff, sources said on Tuesday. The project remains a dream as the administration failed to complete two out of four old projects passed by varsity syndicate owing to what concerned quarters described fund constraints.
Sources said that funds constraints have shelved project as university high ups have least concern to complete digital library project. This project was intended to digitise all books and data through proper software but despite passing several years library could not be completely put into digital form.
They said syndicate body of the university had passed a bill unanimously to establish a new library building with all digital facilities beside central library to provide relief to BS, MS, MPhil and PhD students for conducting research. This project was intended to digitise all books and data through proper software but students related information posed major constraints to make it available for free access.
They said in the wake of current economic crises in the country and because of huge cut in university's budget for fiscal year 2011-12, it is not possible to complete this project. They said that the administration of the university administration had bought software but failed to make it functional due to lack of interest of concerned university authorities.
They said university authorities have spent Rs 360 million to buy books and periodicals, which is not sufficient to cater need of 26,000 students. Sources said that there are only 300,500 books in the central library out of these 200,000 books were damaged due to student's irresponsibility and some of them were stolen.
They said that the building of the central library was established in 1952 to cater the need of only 2,000 students but now it could not provide to every student with books due to increase in students. She demanded of the university's management to look into the matter and take remedial measures to provide maximum relief to the students and take due steps for provision of new books to the students.
Acting Librarian Karachi University Ms Waseem Raana said that digital library project could not be made fully functional due to lack of adequate funds and technical staff. She said that varsity had purchased a software with Rs 0.8 million to upload the books, adding that thousands of books have been uploaded while catalogue of about 25000 books have also been established on the said software.
She said that due to huge cut in university's budget it is not possible for the varsity administration to increase library funds, which is already deprived of basic facilities. She said that library management is endeavouring to manage with its maximum resources.
"We are uploading new coming books on digital library but could not manage to upload books showcased in central library. For this we are inducting computer literate technical staff", she notified. Ms Raana said provision of digital facilities in central library would help research students to complete their research effectively.