The Virtual Children's Resource Centre (VCRC)

The Virtual Children’s Resource Centre (VCRC) is an important component of the School Library Project. The idea is that the VCRC will have resources for children, which would include digitised versions of children’s literature from open sources having no copyright issues involved. It will also have a multimedia component and scope for content development. The whole work would be collaborative in nature. The CRG, together with the network of partners will take up the task of setting up the VCRC.

Once the VCRC gets set up the second step would be to create a network of Cluster Resource Centres (CRC). These Centres will have computer and Internet facilities. They will download the materials and disseminate them to school libraries or basti libraries in the form of hard copies or soft copies. The CDs of materials can also be distributed.

The third step would be to make the VCRC and CRCs interactive. The critical feedback of materials uploaded will start coming in from the field. Efforts would be to streamline the flow of materials top-down and bottom-up. In this process local folklore, history, poems, songs etc. will get documented. The VCRC and CRCs will jointly help facilitate the task of content selection, development and dissemination. This will improve the quality of resources and make the VCRC more effective. Thus a resource bank for children will gradually start developing.

The setting up of the VCRC and CRCs requires more manpower and grants. We are in the process of conceptualising the role of the VCRC and CRCs. Your feedback at this stage will help us in accomplishing this work more effectively.