SIALKOT: The posts of librarian have been lying vacant in 15 government colleges of the district since 1999 while junior clerks are running libraries in some colleges, it is learnt.

There are 17 public colleges, both for boys and girls, in the district. Of them, Daska’s two institutes -- government postgraduate college for women and government degree college for boys -- have librarians.

Students in 15 colleges are facing difficulties in properly utilising the libraries being run by junior staff.

On the other hand, the management of several colleges is holding academic classes in libraries due to shortage of classrooms.

Clerks in some libraries are running the libraries. They say new books have not been purchased since long because of paucity of funds.

The libraries lack curriculum and research books about information technology and computer sciences as well.

When contacted, Sialkot District Officer (Colleges) Malik Shamas Ali said the department had repeatedly informed the senior officials of the Punjab higher education department about the situation but no step was taken.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2014