Kashmir: Deputy Accountant General Reviews SPS Library Facilities in Srinagar  | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Deputy Accountant General of Jammu and Kashmir, Ankush Kumar (IAAS), on Tuesday visited the SPS Library Complex in Srinagar as part of the ongoing general audit process, carrying out an on-the-spot assessment of the library’s infrastructure and facilities.

Kumar was accompanied by senior audit officials, including Khurshid Ahmad Qazi, Senior Audit Officer, Vinay Bhalothia, Assistant Audit Officer, and Khalid Mukhtar Bhat, Supervisor. During the visit, he inspected various sections of the library, including the Senior Citizens’ Section, Children’s Section, Manuscript Section, Book Stacks and the General Reading Halls.

Officials of the Department of Libraries and Research informed him that the SPS Library, established in 1898, houses a collection of around 80,000 books and witnesses heavy daily footfall, with its reading halls remaining largely full throughout the day. During his visit to the Manuscript Section, Kumar was told that the Oriental Research Library, founded in 1904, preserves nearly 6,000 centuries-old manuscripts and rare books in 17 languages, covering diverse disciplines.

The manuscript collection, he was informed, includes significant religious, philosophical, historical, literary and scientific works in classical languages such as Persian, Sanskrit and Arabic. Interacting with students using the reading halls, the Deputy Accountant General emphasised the need to further augment reading spaces and facilities to support mentoring and preparation for competitive examinations as part of broader youth development efforts.

Kumar said he was satisfied to see a large number of students using the centrally located and well-maintained library to prepare for examinations. Describing public libraries as key social institutions, he said they have the potential to play a transformative role in empowering people, particularly the youth. He said that in a fast-changing knowledge environment, a new vision driven by technological intervention was required to revitalise public libraries and shift them from collection-oriented institutions to service-based institutions. He also said the Department should continue efforts to improve services for all sections of society, including youth, senior citizens, women and children.

The Department informed him that over the past four years, seating capacity at the SPS Library has increased from 90 to 350 seats, including a dedicated reading hall for girls. Free study material has also been made available in public libraries to support aspirants preparing for examinations such as the Civil Services, NEET, JEE, CAT and CLAT.

He was further told that new library buildings have been constructed for District Library Baramulla, Tehsil Library Aishmuqam and Tehsil Library Kreeri, while additional accommodation has been added to existing libraries in Pulwama, Budgam, Kupwara, Chrar-e-Sharief, Kulgam and Handwara. Construction work is currently underway on new library buildings at Gani Memorial UT Central Library, Rajouri Kadal in Srinagar, as well as at Ganderbal, Bandipora, Tral, Bijbehara, Gurez and Tanghdar.

Following the inspection, the Deputy Accountant General held an extended meeting with officers and officials of the Department of Libraries and Research to review issues related to physical infrastructure, financial management, new initiatives and the need for digital transformation of public libraries in Jammu and Kashmir. He said he was satisfied with the facilities available at the SPS Library for its users.