Darbhanga, Nov. 30: Once lauded by former President of India Zakir Hussain for its collection of rare books, Maharaja Kameshwar Singh Library of Lalit Narayan Mithila University is now in a shambles.

A source said rare books housed in the library, which once attracted academics from all over the country and abroad, are being destroyed by termites and the apathy of the authorities.

A University Grants Commission (UGC) team had instructed the university authorities to make an application for funds under the 10th UGC scheme. But no effort has been made by the university authorities to avail of Rs 5 lakh that had been offered for the upkeep of the library, said a source.

There is neither a librarian nor employees to manage the library. Only a clerk and three Grade IV employees try their best to manage the vast resources of the library, once served by librarians such as Ganga Nath Jha and Rama Nath Jha.

A source said the catalogue records only 15,000 books, whereas the library had more than 70,935 books on 200 subjects of 13 languages, including French, German, Portuguese, Dutch, Latin, Greek, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, English, Maithili and Sanskrit. Books on history, geography, ecology and literature are rotting on the shelves on the library.

No work has been done to spray chemicals on the books to protect them from termites. Neither the digitalisation nor the microfilming needed for the preservation of these books has been done, said the source. Neither are the books insured nor are they cleaned or preserved, said the source.

A few years ago, a private company was hired to spray chemicals on the books. But the work was not done. Instead, 13 snakes were killed on the grounds of the library because of the medicines.

Lalit Narayan Mithila University vice-chancellor S.P. Singh visited the library after joining the university. He constituted a three-member committee comprising proctor Tara Nand Jha, chemistry department head Lal Mohan Jha and faculty member Anil Kumar Jha to suggest ways on improving the conditions. But the committee is yet to submit its report. Registrar Bimal Kumar said: “Steps can be taken to improve the library only after the report is submitted.”

Meanwhile, the collection of the rare books rots in the library, abandoned by scholars who have long stopped visiting the library, said a source.

The library was donated to the university by the Darbhanga raj and funds had also been provided for the building and its upkeep. The whole library of Maharaja Kameshwar Singh, who had collected books during the course of his travels, was given to the library. The maharaja had also purchased the personal library of former British Prime Minister Gladstone, including the 200 years of the proceeding of the British Parliament.