Mysore/Mysuru: Deputy Director of the Department of Libraries B. Manjunath symbolically launched the ‘National Library Week’ by offering floral tributes to the portrait of Dr. S.R. Ranganathan, who is considered as the Father of Libraries in India, at the City Central Library at People’s Park in Nazarbad here on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, Manjunath said that late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was an ardent book lover and founded the National Book Trust of India.

Highlighting the objectives of ‘National Library Week,’ he said that the Week is being celebrated in order to make people develop reading habits among members of the public and to attract them in large numbers to libraries.

Maintaining that the City Central Library at People’s Park will be fully developed in the next few months, he said that issues concerning civic amenities at the library will be addressed shortly. He appealed members of the public and the student community to make best use of the library.

Manjunath further said that all library buildings in the city have been illuminated as part of the celebration and that the libraries will function on weekly holiday on Monday too.

Prizes were distributed to the winners of various contests organised as part of National Library Week on the occasion.

Librarian Syed Salar, Library Assistant H.V. Ramesh,  R.C. Netravathi and others were present during the occasion.