By Pramod Poudel
KATHMANDU, Aug 27 – The Central Library at Tribhuvan University (TU), the country’s oldest and most prominent institute of higher education, has only one computer for the students to browse the Internet.
Even that computer does not get many students to browse the world of world wide web, thanks mainly to the cost that is out of the reach of most of the students.
“Internet service here is not affordable as the browsing rate is much higher than the market rate,” says Rajesh Swar, final year student of economics. “The rates should be affordable so that internet browsing does not become a luxury to students.”
Currently, the library charges four rupees per minute for browsing the Internet and Rs. 20 per e-mail message. Private Internet facility providers charge less than two rupees per minute for browsing and less than five rupees for a page of e-mail message.
At a time when Internet in both the developed and under-developed world has become an indispensable part of the education infastructure, TU has fallen far behind.
However, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel. TU officials are in the process of slashing the rates.
“We are soon revising the rates and trying to make Internet surfing accesible to students for which we have already written to the Planning Division of TU,” says Krishna Mani Bhandari, Chief of TU Central Library.
The woes of the students and their problem with the library does not end there. Students complain that the nation’s biggest library lacks books that are vital for their education.
“Many of the books prescribed in the TU syllabus are not available in the library,” says Yuba Rana, first year student at Political Science Department.
However the librarians say the reason for many text books prescribed by the syllabus not being available in the library is mainly due to teachers and professors devising the syllabus who prescribe books of their time, of long time ago, which are no longer available in the market.
“Even certain books enlisted in the library catalogue is not even available at the text book section which is meant for reference purpose,” says Buddhi Raut another student.
Library Chief Bhandari says that the main reason for unavailability of such books is mainly due to issued books not returned for which we will have to re-structure our cataloging system.
“It is not possible to revise the cataloging system with the present professional manpower in the library,” says Bhandari.
“With the present manpower we are only capable of cataloging the new incoming books,” says Bhandari, adding “if we are to re-catalogue the existing library books then we will have to close down the library for few months besides requiring additional manpower.”
Many students claim that the library is never opened full-time which according to its norm should open from 8 in the morning till 7 evening.
“Government should provide extra-pay to those working additional hours which will motivate the library staffs to stay beyond the normal working hours,” says one library staff.
TUCL with an annual budget of around Rs. 8 million is the largest library in the country with over 225,000 volumes of books, journals, UN publications and other periodicals.
The Central Library as national agency for International Standard Book Numbering (ISBN) has started issuing ISBN number since January, 2000.
“We are computerising the whole library system within six months,” says Chief Bhandari. “More computers will be added for student use.”
Currently there are only two computers for the students, which compels the students to stay in queue for hours at times to search for materials they are in need of.
“We are also installing electronic security system within three months with an estimated US dollars 60,000 assistance from higher education project to increase the security of the library,” says Bhandari.