Berhampur, Aug.1: Students of the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here are finding it difficult to keep abreast of medical advancements as most of the books and journals housed in the central library are obsolete.

The e-library system has also not kicked off yet despite a caution from the Medical Council of India (MCI) three years ago to the college authorities to set up at least 40 working stations (with internet facilities) in the central library which has just seven old computers with Internet connectivity for research purposes.

Staff crunch is yet another problem. At present, one librarian, three clerks and five peons are managing the affairs of the library in two shifts. The central library, established in 1963, has over 23,000 books and a hundred journals penned by both Indian and foreign authors.

“Most books available in the library hold little relevance today as medical science is a constantly advancing field.One cannot find latest editions here for reference. The e-library system has become very popular in many states, but we are lagging behind,” said third-year MBBS student Ranjan Mahanty.

Librarian P. Dinabandhu said they were avoiding purchasing books on clinical subjects as the subsequent editions contained many changes, rendering the previous ones obsolete.

“Therefore, our priority is reference books, a single edition which costs between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000. The students, house surgeons and staff members can go through the books in the sitting room,” Dinabandhu said.

Library authorities said there was an urgent need for online books and journals besides enough working stations with high-speed internet connectivity. “We also need systems with latest configuration, along with a power backup system and a minimum of four computer operators for data entry,” said an official.

“Classification, cataloguing, indexing, abstracting and digitisation are prerequisites for an e-library. We need technical staff and closed-circuit cameras,” Dinabandhu said.

Principal of the medical college Sunamali Bag said the state government had provided Rs 9 crore for a state-of-the-art library to come up in a five-storey building.

“Construction is under way. The building has been designed on the lines of the library of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi and will meet all the norms of the medical council,” he said.