The objectives of the Year of Books are:

• Creation of public awareness about book reading and purchase
• Evolve solutions for the problems of writers, publishers, distributors and readers relating to books
• Improving libraries by computerization
• Increasing the number of mobile libraries

During the Year of Books emphasis will be laid on:

• Increasing the number of mobile libraries
• Supporting Rural Library Movement
• Book Reading clubs in schools, colleges and rural community centres
• Promotion of book reading in schools
• Author reading sessions
• Author children interaction

The slogan for the year is “Books for all and All for Books”.

National Book Trust of India will be the Nodal Agency to organize the “Year of Books”. To chalk out programmes for the Year of Books, it is proposed to set up the following two Committees:

• National Committee on Book Reading under the Chairmanship of the Hon’ble Minister for Human Resource Development.
• Executive Committee on Book Reading under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Secondary & Higher Education to look into the implementation.

The main activities that will be taken up during the year are:

• Creation of public awareness about book reading and purchase
• Launching of a programme of Books on Wheels.
• Circulation of slogans on book purchase and reading such as “This Festival, Gift a Book”.
• In order to encourage private participation, major publishers will be approached to offer/Discount coupons on purchases of books from Bookshops.
• Distribution of Posters to create book awareness
• Special focus on promotion of reading habits in the World Book Fair, 2002 to be organized by the National Book Trust (NBT)
• Setting up of a National Book Gallery in the NBT
• Construction of a Writer’s Home in the new building of NBT
• Strengthening National Centre for Children’s Literature to encourage creative talents and reading habits of children
• Publication of books for neo-literates
• Publication of Braille books
• Organization of seminars and workshops in different parts of the country to encourage reading habits and purchase of books
• Special efforts to bring out quality books for children in Indian languages

Activities already initiated :

• Creation of public awareness about book reading and purchase
• The matter of reduction of postage rates for book packets has been taken up with Department of Posts.
• Ministry of Railways has been requested to allot stalls for books at Railway Stations at concessional rates.
• State Transport Departments have been requested to open book stalls at bus stands.
• State Health Departments have been requested to provide book stalls in hospitals
• All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) have been requested to have programmes related to books at prime-time.
• Newspapers and other periodicals have been requested to increase the space for book reviews, and to give special focus on children’s literature.
• Government has already set up a committee on Promotion of Reading Habits and Development of Book Publishing industry under the chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Secondary & Higher Education. It has as members representatives of associations of publishers, besides book experts and government organisations.
• An Educational Libraries’ Coordination Committee was also set up with a view to improving the effectiveness of the school, college and university libraries.
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development operates a scheme for giving financial assistance to voluntary organisations for book promotional activities. The allocation for the scheme was substantially stepped up last year.

During the year special attention will be paid to protecting the intellectual property rights of authors. Ministry also operates schemes for giving financial assistance to universities and other educational institutions for organising seminars and workshops on copyrights