KOCHI: A small joint filled with book. The Iqbal Library and Reading Room at Mattanchery started in 1936 is a book lover’s paradise. The library was honoured by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kochi, along with the Lions Club of Cochin Mid Town, on Saturday. Run by the Cutchi Memon Association, it has 1,605 active members.
The secretary of the library, Saleem Shakoor, said, “The library has more than 14,000 books covering seven languages and subscribes 130 publications in four languages. Though Malayalam books top the list with more than 8,000 books of different genres, there are around 4,000 books in English and around 2,000 books in Urdu and more than 400 books in Tamil.”
The library features books from various genres though fiction dominate the Malayalam and English sections. Students are encouraged to take membership and the 550 student members of the library are charged just a nominal monthly subscription fee of ` 10, in addition to the ` 100 membership fee. There is a special children’s section which has both fiction and reference books. The library conducts seminars or classes once a month for students. Story writing, poetry reciting and painting competitions are held occasionally. Vice-president of the library Abdul Azeez Essa said books requested by children are purchased each year. The library is a women-friendly venture having women librarians. Though the reading room is dominated by male members, there is a reading corner for women. The library runs a home delivery service —Vanitha Pusthaka Vitharana Padhati — for its women members whereby they can call and order books from the library which will be sent home to them. This service is available at an additional cost of ` 10 added to the monthly subscription fee.
At Iqbal library old books are preserved with care and new books bought on a regular basis. The life membership fee is ` 5,000 and yearly membership fee ` 300. The monthly subscription fee is ` 30.
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