KOCHI: At a time when libraries are struggling to compete with the onslaught of electronic media and gadgets, a public library in Mulanthuruthy has come up with an innovative idea which not only generates an income for it but also provides its readers with organically-cultivated food. On World Book Day, the initiative by Mulanthuruthy Public Library is turning a role model for many.
According to Lizzy Sunny, librarian, the reason for launching such a project is to ensure livelihood to people besides helping the library.
"We have a 'vanita vedi' which provides women, who otherwise would be sitting idle at their homes, with a job and a means to earn their living," she said. The decision to cultivate the five-acre farmland at Chengolapadam belonging to the library was taken with an aim to provide the residents of Mulanthuruthy with organic produce, she said.
The winner of the State Library Council's Best Library Award for 2017-18, the library has around 23,000 catalogued books.
"We sell packets of rice weighing five to 10 kg. The grains are packed in cloth bags and are available for sale to all who visit the library," said Lizzy. We also cultivate cowpea on our farm, she added. Till date, the library has sold more than 2,000 kg of organic rice.
Along with the sales counter at the library, Mulanthuruthy Public Library also owns a four-wheeled cart named 'arivandi', that roams around the city.
"A kg of rice is priced at Rs 50 while a kg of cowpea costs Rs 20. We have sold rice worth Rs13,000 till now," said Sunny K K, secretary, library board. "We are very happy about our sales and will be using the money for the uplift and development of the library. People are co-operating well because we sell organic products at cheap rates," he said.
The library authorities are a happy lot since they were able to convert the land, that had been left barren for 30 years, into one that yielded a bumper crop. "We will be harvesting cowpeas next month," he said. The library's uniqueness is not only limited to the sale of organic rice and cowpea, but also to the sale of LED bulbs and soaps made using coconut oil. These products are made in the library by the women at the 'vanitha vedi', with a service-centre dedicated for the same.