Vacations mean many things and for a whole generation, it meant hours at the library to catch up on some reading other than academic content. However, a dwindling number in library enthusiasts coupled with new-age technology, has reduced these racks of knowledge to alcoves of cobwebs and dusty books that no longer get aired. What makes matters even sadder is that State-run libraries in the city actually have sprawling campuses and a whooping number of books, an ideal combination for any bibliophile. Yet these facilities have been failing at attracting people other than ‘vocational’ readers.
With books in 10 languages including Persian, Tamil and Marathi, and a collection close to 5,00,000 titles, the State Central Library in Afzal Gunj should have been bustling with activity. However, just a few elderly stroll in to leaf through the newspaper. Besides them, around 200-300 government job aspirants frequent the library according to one of the staff members at the library.
Concurring with that, Rahul Reddy, an MA in political Science with IAS aspirations tells us, “I live in a shared room with my friends and it is not possible to concentrate amidst all the activity. It is peaceful here and I can focus on my studies and complete the syllabus soon.”
He isn’t the only one taking advantage of the space for this purpose; most people at the library are students from other districts who stay in shared rooms in the city while preparing for competitive exams.
As much as the peace of mind the library affords him, Rahul says if not for the exams, he wouldn’t visit the place.
And his words seem to echo the current generation’s lack of fondness for public libraries; finding someone visiting the State Central library for the sheer joy of reading is a near impossible task.
The dilapidated furniture, the dust ridden shelves, the crumbling books and the perennially absentee staff also don’t help matters. The interiors are poorly ventilated and one finds that most visitors prefer to sit outdoors.
Compared to this, the City Central Library in Chikkadpally seems to fare much better with everything in place – books, magazines, newspapers, furniture and even staff. Established in 1961, the library has a collection of nearly 1.5 lakh books, the periodicals are not age old, and among other things, they have a separate reading room for women and computers too to browse for more information. Nevertheless, like the State library, a casual reader is a rarity here as well.
“I used to go to City Central Library around five to six years ago. But I stopped visiting as the ambience was not engaging. My company has a corporate membership at the British Council Library. The collection suits my interests. The fact that I can read books online helps a lot. I find myself reading at least two books a week despite the busy schedule,” says Sharath Chandra, a software employee.
In comparison to the state-run libraries which don’t charge at all for their facilities, the British Library (run by The British Council) which requires a paid membership, has at least 500 members visiting it on any given day.
“We issue at least 700 books on weekdays and on weekends the count is not less than 1,500,” says assistant manager at the library, A Prabhakar Reddy.
With genres ranging from children story books, encyclopedias, English, arts, education, culture, society, professional development, a few management books and so on, the library has a quite a bit to offer for those who can afford it.
“We have activities like the ‘Read Challenge’ where a member has to complete one book per week, story telling sessions, workshops or interaction with authors,” says Prabhakar about the aspects that make the library an engaging place.
But all said, the British Library caters to only a niche audience. The vast number of books at the public libraries can engage a much larger audience. A revamp would definitely help the cause.
“I don’t expect air-conditioner. If only dust doesn’t shower me while I am reading and I am sure of not finding a spider lurking inside a book, I would definitely like to go to the library and read Telugu or Hindi fiction as well. It’s free and I would be happy to save a few bucks,” says Sharath.