Kathmandu, June 13 -- Bholakumar Shrestha is an advisor for the National Library Association. The association's website lauds him for his contributions to library modernisation efforts in Nepal. Shrestha is also the author of the recently published 'Nepalma Pustakalya'.

The work, among other things, traces the history of libraries in the country, focusing mostly on Kathmandu, one of the oldest and richest cities in this region of the subcontinent.

The book opens: 'Knowledge is everlasting, universal and relative. A book is a byproduct of knowledge and a useful tool for education. The cataloguing of books and education led to the birth of the library.' Shrestha's conception of the library as simply a byproduct of knowledge means that his...