``The university libraries cannot live in isolation, they have to focus on perspective planning, which includes development of collections, services and facilities,'' said president of the Indian Libraries Association J Sardana.

With the rising prices of information materials, university libraries should explore the possibilities of establishing linkages with research libraries belonging to organisations such as CSIR, DRDO, DOS and DAE, he said.

The president added that though libraries had mushroomed, for better development, the type of manpower needs to be examined by the University Grants Commission. ``The project requirements of different institutional segments, industry, etc needs to be studied,'' Sardana suggested.

In his speech, MSU Vice-Chancellor Anil Kane said, ``There is a need for modernisation, and the time for that is fast approaching,'' He added that though M S University had one of the largest libraries in the country, it could be preserved only by modernisation.

``If the university was considered to be a temple of learning, then the library was the sanctum sanctorum,'' said Kane. The seminar was organised by the Department of Library, MS University. Among others, Minister of Labour and Employment Bhupendra Lakhawala was also present.