Source : Times of India
CHANDIGARH: A 1941-issue of the “Walt Whitman: Poet of Democracy”, 1967-edition of the “Literature of the United States” and around 1,500 books like these has no takers at Panjab University.
Gathering dust, these books were put up for auction at 10% less than the actual cost, but no buyers came to purchase these books from the department of evening studies- multi disciplinary research centre. The department had put the books for auction from November 20 to 24. One college from Khanna bought 26 books and another bought 36 out of the total of 1,500 books available for purchase.
“We write-off books every year, however, we decided to put them for auction this year. These books are old and were kept at the department library. But since new editions are published, students prefer to read the new ones and we have no option, but to write them off. This year, we decided to put them for auction, instead of writing them off,” said Dr Gurpal Singh, chairperson of the department of evening studies.
Professor Singh said he had informed all affiliated colleges and departments so that people know about the auction.
“Some of these books are absolutely new, however, some are old, obsolete and damaged. But books always enhance
knowledge and reading a book always adds value,” said librarian of the department library, Vijayta Sharma.
In September 2016, the department of laws too had written-off 337 unused, mutilated and redundant books. The total cost of the written-off books comes to be more than Rs 2.02 lakh. According to the PU calendar, the vice-chancellor is empowered to write-off losses worth Rs 1 lakh only. Moreover, according to the PU calendar, the syndicate can write-off loses worth Rs 5 lakh per item and senate is empowered to write-off loses without any limit for any item. The university departments follow the practice of writing-off books which are not in use.
The university vice-chancellor forms a write-off committee, which examines every book whether it can be retained or
transferred to other centres.