The story of a library in need

Over two centuries ago, a centre for knowledge and learning — The Madras Literary Society — was founded by the then Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Sir John Henry Newbolt.
A talk at MLS, prior to lockdown
A talk at MLS, prior to lockdown

CHENNAI: Over two centuries ago, a centre for knowledge and learning — The Madras Literary Society — was founded by the then Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Sir John Henry Newbolt. While most of its early members were the British and ‘elite Indians’, it was not until a few decades ago that the doors of the library, opened its doors to the public. Despite the access, the quaint red sandstone structure tucked into the DPI complex at Nungambakkam, saw a very bleak footfall. In the late 80s, when filmmaker Mani Ratnam featured the age-old library in his cult classic film, Mouna Ragam, the library was quickly christened ‘Mouna Ragam Library’, garnering attention, albeit temporary.

It was the year 2015 that served as a turning point for the library. As the treasure trove of old and dog-eared books and manuscripts, the place that welcomed Annie Besant, Subhas Chandra Bose and their ilk, began playing host to young volunteers breathing life into the library — one restoration, one event, one campaign and one talk at a time. Soon, the library not only became a place where one could browse through the remnants of an era bygone but also a thriving place for the art, arts and a platform for riveting dialogues ranging from child sexual abuse to eco-sustainability. Now, the library that garnered the membership of over 500 patrons in the past five-odd years, is facing yet another adversity in the form of the virus-induced lockdown.  

Money matters
While the library does have a monetary reserve, Thirupurasundari Sevvel, architect and secretary of MLS, that the prolonged-lockdown has hit them hard. “The weekly events that support the library in terms of donation income have completely stopped. The fixed costs for the maintenance of the MLS include upkeep of the library premises, salaries for the staff, urgent repairs that are required regularly and protection of the priceless books and furniture from any potential damage.” The library has been on the brink of exhausting all of its monetary reserves and had appealed to its members to renew their memberships to keep the library going.

To their surprise, around 90 per cent of its members stepped up to do just that. “A lot of wellwishers have donated too. So, to go forward, we cannot solely depend on our reserves. We need more contributions to keep the library running,” she explains. Difficulties aren’t new to the library but the goodwill, dedication and “emotional attachment” of the staff and members have played an important role in keeping it from going under. “Our staff and committee members have been going to the library once in 10 days to water the plants, clean the premises and check on the books. They were not forced or told to do it; they’ve taken it upon themselves and that dedication and attachment is special,” says Sundari.

Safety measures
To ensure a safe transition once the lockdown is lifted, the library has already installed a thermal testing machine, procured masks, gloves and sanitisers, and has decided to encourage its visitors to bring water to clean their hands before entering and sanitise it. “Sanitisers are to be used before and after books are touched. We also want to make the visitors aware that the books are not to be kept back on the rack after they touch it. The books are to be left on the table after use.

The librarian or a volunteer will sanitise it and place it back on the rack. This way, we can ensure there is no surface risk,” she says, adding that the sprawling premises, the verandah and the garden space will provide ample space for social distancing. The library currently houses over 65,000 books and the old books are conserved through their ‘Adopt a Book’ scheme. “We are also planning to host online events and talks to keep our members engaged. But we are looking for more hands to come on board,” she says.
To volunteer, contribute or become a member, visit Facebook or Instagram page: Madras Literary Society.

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The New Indian Express
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