Dear Sir, This appeal is in connection with the recent circular issued (https://tinyurl.com/jo6u66s) by the Department of Collegiate Education (DCE), Karnataka with regard to utilizing Reading Room (library) fund for making classroom lecture videos of the teachers. The DCE has once again put its hands on RR fund without considering the libraries and librarians plight in college libraries. Reading Room found is exclusively meant for library development but on what basis DCE has given permission to utilize RR fund for making faculty videos is clueless. In most of the govt. degree colleges RR fund is the only major source for subscribing journals, purchasing library furniture, library related stationery, books in case of urgent requirement and moreover for automating library services. Usually the amount collected from students for RR fund is very tiny ranging between 60 rupees to 100 rupees per students. In many colleges RR fund is very insufficient for routine library work. Then how do library function? DCE has centralized the book purchase since 2015 and librarians have no say in book selection. Because of this many libraries have huge number of books which are of no use to both the faculty and students. Now RR fund for making faculty videos, for small colleges libraries where only very few permanent faculty utilizing RR fund for recording classroom lectures will not be problem but for big colleges libraries have to bear the brunt. The DCE circular is not clear about whether the videos are preserved in the college library or not. Librarians have not at all consulted or considered while taking this decision. If we give away RR funds for some other purpose how do we serve the user community better? I request KSCLA office bearers to intervene and ask DCE to re-consider the decision to utilize RR fund for making faculty video lectures and hereafter give due consideration for the plight of college libraries and librarians without putting them in isolation in library development matters. ------------------------- With best wishes Vasantha Raju N.GFGC-PeriyapatnaMysore Views are personal