Pranab Mukherjee launches National Mission on Libraries

President Pranab Mukherjee launched the National Mission on Libraries on Monday at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mukherjee said libraries are social institutions which are repositories of knowledge and information. Their goal is the improvement of society by helping the individual to understand himself or herself and the world of which he or she is a part.

"Libraries provide easy access of knowledge to all. A public library is often called "the people's university" because it is available to all sections of society – regardless of age, gender or skill levels. Thus, through democratization of access to knowledge, libraries contribute in promoting inclusive and sustained development of the people," Mukherjee said.

According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan release, the president expressed his belief that the project of National Mission on Libraries would contribute substantially to quickening the pace of social and economic development of the people.

He extended his best wishes for the effective implementation of the project as also of the new scheme of "upgradation of libraries providing services to the public."

He said he is sure the National Mission of Libraries would promote enlightenment and understanding and go a long way in making the masses active participants in the affairs of the nation.

The National Mission on Libraries is an initiative of Ministry of Culture to ensure sustained and long term focus on the development of libraries.