Sambalpur: Sambalpur University takes pride in publishing some good and rare books that are not available elsewhere. But, in the absence of proper marketing efforts, those who are keen to buy these books are unable to get them.
Since the university is the sole publisher of these books, none of them could be published elsewhere or procured. They come to public domain only once in a year during the annual book fair, organised by a socio-cultural voluntary organisation ‘Setu’ at Sambalpur. It opened the book exhibition Monday and it will continue till January 23.
A source from the university said that these books are never sent for sale either to any other book fair in the region or even to Bhubaneswar Book Fair, although they are always in demand.
The very purpose of publishing those rare books has failed due to apathy and callous attitude of the university administration, the source added.
The apathy of the university over its published books could be ascertained from the fact that the printed books were shifted to university library only after it was detected that some of the books dumped in the administration block were destroyed by white ants.
Quoting an official from the university’s Library Science Department, the source said that the details of all such books published by the university are available on its website but it is hardly updated.
Book lovers could have been benefited to some extent, had the digital versions of these books are uploaded to its website or any other similar public domain. But, unfortunately, nothing of that sort has been done so far.
The university library is entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the publication division but manpower crunch has stalled all the expected development in this regard.
Almost a decade ago, it was proposed to give the publication unit’s responsibility to a senior faculty member like a professor or an associated professor, but it is yet to be materialised. PNN
