It’s what they call an excruciatingly slow page turner. East Singhbhum district has received a new public library building in Jamshedpur but no books or manpower to make it actually function.

With two reading halls and six rooms, a building worth Rs 49.41 lakh has been ready since the past four months on the premises of the state-run People's Academy High School, Baradwari, headmaster Chandradip Pandey, who is supposed to look after its daily operations, said. But the public library meant for students and the general public to come and read is yet to appoint staff, requisition books or buy furniture.

The building is a part of the Jharkhand government’s resolution in 2014-15 to build public libraries at all 24 district of the state.

The funding of the building has been done by the district council meant for development in the district.

A source said district education officer (DEO) Shivendra Kumar had sent a proposal to the state government to procure books and furniture but did not receive a reply.

This apart a committee needs to be formed for the smooth functioning of the library.

Asked, principal Pandey said they would form the committee soon. “It would comprise block education officers, teachers, school principals, professors and representatives of social organisations. However, unless we get the resources needed, there is no way that we can open any door. All I can say is that the infrastructure that’s been built is of good quality and the reading hall had host many innovative activities.”

Pandey added that he hoped for staff recruitment soon. “Just four months into the construction of the building, a couple of thefts have taken place. People have come and cut off pipelines a couple of times. Without proper security, it is not feasible to run a public library that will have books and equipment worth lakhs at the very least.”

He said the risk of thefts would remain at the place as the school campus is near a slum.

“Often, teenagers steal things to fund their addictive habits. This is a challenge that I’ve told the education department about but let's see what they do,” said Pandey.

The existing public library in the city is in a shambles. The DM Library on Straight Mile Road, maintained by Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee, with a stock of about 10,000 books, is in dire straits. Its supposed facelift in 2017 did not happen.