Origin and development
We are now living in the age of Information Technology. In this age, Knowledge has become the fundamental source of all resources and energizes all of them as their dynamic force. Mankind has to start its search from innumerable points. Social progress is only possible when the opportunities for the search offered by the environment and its resources are well utilized. Such utilization belongs to the realm of independent thinking which is made possible by wide reading.
We boast of a high literacy level in our society. But our attainment in the level of reading is very low. Education is considered a sound investment for earning money. Educational institutions are fast becoming certificate - producing agencies. Education is no longer considered a means of acquiring knowledge. It has descended to such a low level that the ugly social reality is the equation of education and knowledge in the ordinary man’s view. This pathetic situation has led to serious thought and the result is the establishment of the Foundation for Library Awareness, shortly named as FOLA.
The FOLA was established on 18th May, 2005, for a combined, concentrated effort by all interested in this noble task with an aim in view to make Libraries, Information and Documentation centres socially useful and make them to contribute for the development of knowledge, power and experience.
Glorious Vision
The search for independent thinking goes beyond knowledge, with reading habit as its base and should be developed by coordinating all resources to achieve that aim of building up a ‘living’ human society.
Aims and Objectives
· Setting up Information centres of excellence that would develop knowledge, power and experience needed for social utility and making them the proper field for independent thinking, through the encouragement of self study.
· Making all-out effort for the promotion of proper infra-structure of libraries, information centres etc.
· Training suitable personnel, who would contribute to their maximum for maintenance and further development of these institutions, helping to find the resources for this purpose and organizing seminars and workshops to conduct these centres in an excellent manner.
· Functioning as the base for fulfilling the needs of the Information community and the formation and arrangement of information resources.
Management Structure
Generally decentralized liberal system has being practiced in several non governmental organizations. Accordingly FOLA also have an effective management structure with the support of executive committees and sub committees to achieve its goals.
Executive Committee
i. Patron
ii. President
iii. Vice President
iv. Joint Secretaries
v. Treasurer
vi. Ten numbers of Committee members
vii. Internal Auditor
Advisory Committee
Sub Committees
i. Reading promotion Committee (RPC)
ii. Publication Committee (PC)
iii. Human Resource development Committee (HRDC)
iv. Library organizing Committee (LOC)
v. Resource Development Committee (RDC)
Policies and Procedures
Policies and procedures governing the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Members and Committees and other related information were clearly stated in the memorandum of this organization. (See annexure)
General activities of Sub committee
Ø Discovery and development of the ways and means of promoting reading habit from childhood.
Ø Forming reading habit from the lowest strata of society and advocating its importance in all walks of life.
Ø Identifying the barriers that prevent the development of reading habit at individual, family and social level and working hard for their removal.
Ø Making all arrangements for promoting reading habit through all institutionalized social bodies such as community centres and schools.
Ø Setting up a data bank relating to information institutions at local, regional and national levels.
Ø Supplying advice to Libraries and Information centres regarding their infra-structure and services; helping to build them up in proper ways.
Ø Arranging workshops and seminars for the employees in libraries and information centres and providing opportunities for them to share their difficulties and overcome barriers to achieve excellence
Ø Building up information resources for the growth of knowledge among the physically and mentally handicapped and helping them to utilize these.
Ø Encouraging the production, publication and distribution of information resources on Library and Information Science; compiling bibliographies at local and national levels.
Ø Establishing the infra-structure of the media in information technology and developing the knowledge related to them.
Ø Joining hands with the national and international information networks and contributing our share in the network
Ø Planning and conducting, from time to time, seminars, workshops exhibitions relating to information exchange and services.
Categorization of Programmes and Activities of FOLA
o Category 1 - Reading promotion programmes
o Category 2 - Awareness programmes
o Category 3 - Research programmes
o Category 4 - Training programmes
o Category 5 - Book publication programmes
o Category 6 - Resource development programmes
o Category 7 - Advisory Service programmes
o Category 8 - Professional development programmes
o Category 9 - Extension programmes
o Category 10 - School Library development programmes
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