Córdoba is said to have been the most advanced city of Europe around 1000 AD. There were several hundred public baths, paved roads and taxes. As further testimony to the city’s sophistication scholastic articles refer to the wealth of its library. It most likely boasted a collection of about 500,000 volumes in five languages including Sanskrit.
The library of Alexandria that was destroyed just after the beginning of the Christian Era (3 AD) is said to have had several thousand volumes. Libraries and their collection are typically one of the many measures of culture and advancement of a society.
By that measure, Bangladesh lacks terribly with less than 1,000 libraries across the country cataloguing a dismal number of books. According to librarians, the number of visitors – of which there is only a visual tally, nothing concrete – is decreasing.
Perhaps worryingly still, the number of library-goers and reading habit appear to be decreasing. Although there is little historical data to back up their observation, librarians almost unanimously agree that there are fewer readers now than there used to be. Librarians from around the country and even those managing university libraries in Dhaka agree that readership is declining.
According to available statistics of the National Library, most of the non-government libraries house less than 1,000 books each. There are only 120 libraries that have more than 5,000 volumes in their collection. Given that most of these libraries do not have adequate funds, there is little guarantee that their operations will sustain over the years to come.
Some of the libraries are financed by their members while others receive regular, albeit small, amount from the district council or the local temples or mosques.
According to a paper published last year by the Easter Librarian, an almost 50-year-old journal on library science, a focus group discussion with librarians found that 62% libraries have less than 40 visitors a day. Many of the librarians, who have a stable source of income, said they also contribute for the maintenance of the libraries from their own pockets.
Kazi Mostak Gausul Hoq, associate professor of Department of Information and Library Science at Dhaka University, said the number of traditional libraries has decreased but the number of tele-centres has increased. “But almost 95% of them work as solely information centres and do not have any library facilities. They only provide information.”
Taking into account the claim that reading habit has not decreased but changed, he said the number of library-goers and internet users had grown hand in hand.
MA Mannan, another Dhaka University professor, said libraries were under the Cultural Affairs Ministry. “The popular perception is that the ministry deals with performing arts like music and dance and not really books and libraries.”
As a result, he said, libraries are highly neglected.
He pointed out that schools once used to have library hours. “But there are no such compulsory hours in our schools or colleges now,” which was also a reason behind the decreasing reading habit.
Director of the Central Public Library in Dhaka Mizanur Rahman said: “We get about 2,500 visitors every day because we have better facilities like air conditioned rooms and ease of access. Many job aspirants prepare for their exams at the library.” He said students from Buet and Dhaka University were also frequent visitors.
As regards other libraries elsewhere in the country, however, Mizanur agreed that readership was low and the situation was rather unpredictable due to a lack of maintenance of the libraries. “There is no telling when they might be closed or open. Besides, there are only a few books there.”
There has not been a system of lending books since the establishment of the Central Public Library as of recently. With about 200,000 volumes, the library sees 15 books issued every day. But another library official admitted that while he could not confirm the numbers with register entries, there was a good chance many visitors frequented the library to enjoy cool draught of air from its powerful air conditioners.
Bishwa Shahitto Kendro’s mobile library programme reports the highest number of books issued per day with over 5,700 books on an average through its 45 mobile units that have a total collection of about 150,000 volumes.
The Kendro, founded 35 years ago with a vision to enlighten people, has around 200,000 books in its central library in Dhaka and cover 58 districts with mobile libraries. The library has 10,000 members averaging around 60 visitors every day who borrow 30 books.
The fully digitised library of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has a comparatively higher number of visitors. Equipped with WiFi and numerous computer terminals, this library has about 150,000 volumes. The top engineering university of Bangladesh has about 9,000 students and 600 teachers.
The main librarian agreed that the number of books issued was low – about 50 per day – compared to the number of students. “But as we have a very good online service and e-book service, students avail those services,” said Librarian Suraiya Begum. Having spent most of her working life minding the library, she said: “Despite all the services and technology, library visitors are on the decrease and the general habit of reading books is on a sharp decline.”
The Dhaka University with about 35,000 students in its 75 departments has 675,000 volumes of books and journals at its central library. According to Mohammad Noman Hossain, the assistant librarian, about 100 books are issued every day by both students and teachers. “With increasing online usage, the habit of reading books is going down. [Students] are getting everything online.”
There are a number of smaller libraries at the department seminar rooms. “Hence many of those students do not really have the need to come to the [central] library.”
