It is known to all that a library is a store house of knowledge. A library is a place in schools, colleges, and universities where students and teachers usually go for studying and borrowing books, journals and also for making notes using the resources available in a library. As libraries contribute to the making of a nation, they are considered to be the mirror of a civilization. It is one of the major indices to measure the level of general state of culture in a society. On the other hand, it is considered to be the soul of an educational institution. The environment and quality of education of an educational institution mainly depends on the qualitative use of its library. The importance of a ‘library and information center’ is very much in formal and life-long education, training, research, policymaking, planning, and acquisition of knowledge. A library and information center is important for knowledge and information to be easily accessible locally, nationally, and internationally. We are benefited from a library through forming reading habits ultimately connecting local minds with those of international arena. The use of Information and Communication technology (ICT)in the library enables the readers to instantly connect with other libraries of the world. A library thus satisfies our intellectual needs andplays an important role in the cultivation of knowledge.
The National University (NU) has started Bachelor of Education honours (B.Ed honours) course in six Teachers’ Training Colleges (TTC) including Faridpur TTC. After studying that course a student can study Master of Education course and then they can enter the job market or go for further education like M.Phil, and Ph.D in local and foreign universities. Students studying education can get priority in jobs related to education although many other sectors are also open for them. I think our nation will be greatly benefited from this B.Ed (hons) course as education sector still lack qualified work force. So far as I can understand, this course is totally different from other NU honours courses. We have to attend classes here as we had to do in schools; consecutive classes under the vigil eyes of the teachers.
We are 50 students in first year honours course; there are some B.Ed trainees; and some CPD course trainees in our college. We are happy with the vibrant environment as well as the qualified teachers of the college. However, some problems of the college provide us with frustration.
Although I am not sure about other colleges, Faridpur TTC has a library but sorry to say that we cannot use our library properly because we have not enough number of books and journals as per the NU curriculum requirement. Moreover, there is a lack of books like novels, poems, journals, and newspapersto study in gap periods although a library is important for intellectual growth of students and teachers. The most important thing is that we do not have a librarian. For this reason we cannot use of our libraryall day long when we want. Two Assistant Professors of the college Mr Ranjit Podder and Mr Rezaul Hoq work as librarians. They have their own classes to teach, training sessions to conduct, and other works to perform every day. As a result, sometimes we have to wait for their coming or we have to go away without entering the library. We cannot create pressure on them as they have been working as librarians as an extra-duty given to them by the Principal. We were admitted here with a great hope that we will learn many things from here but we have been really disappointed to see the deplorable condition of the college library.
In this age of ICT and globalization, we have to walk with the rest of the world. So, we need an internet-connected library in order to culture and develop our intellectual ability. I would like to request the Ministry of Education and the NU to have a kind look at the matter and thus to help us to minimize our frustrations through providing necessary books and appointing a librarian.
We want to serve the nation whole-heartedly when we finish our education but before that we want to prepare ourselves for that. If our demand is fulfilled, we hope to spend more time in using the library. Being in the library with books may help us to be well-educated,get jobs in the world market, and keep us away from many bad activities.
(The writer is a first-year honours student at Govt. Teachers’ Training College in Faridpur. He can be reached at email:alalim4 @gmail.com)
