NALGONDA: Libraries change lives for the better. A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life. This saying is more apt for youth in Telangana who burn the midnight oil preparing for various competitive exams to land some lucrative job. The lack of libraries in the State is a major hurdle for unemployed youth to prepare for their exams.
To address this, a few youths in Gundrampally village in Chityala mandal in Nalgonda district have been setting up libraries in various villages across the State spending their own money and also raising donations. Convinced that there will be patronage for libraries even though mobile phones with various apps are within easy access to the people providing information at their fingertips, they are opening reading rooms and libraries.
Said Anumula Srinivas of Gundrampally, “No matter how much technology has advanced, knowledge comes only through books.” If anyone offers a vacant room, these youths are providing infrastructure for the library. They are making available about 100 to 200 different types of magazines, useful for the unemployed. Srinivas, who is the leader of Gundrampally youth, said that the management of the library is being taken care of by the youth of the village where the library is set up.
He said that the response to these libraries is encouraging. Even during the days when lockdowns used to be imposed at night due to COVID-19, people used to throng the libraries that were kept open during that time. “I prepared for Group exams using various magazines and competitive exam help books in Gundrampally library,” said one youth G Anjaiah of Gundrampally. He said the library is very useful to the unemployed.
Said an autorickshaw driver M Venkateswaam,“I am an auto driver by profession. I work during the daytime and in the evening I go to the library and read books, magazines, and newspapers. I go there to relax. This has become a part of my daily activity.”
LIBRARIES IN DIGITAL AGE The youth are convinced that there will be patronage for libraries even though mobile phones are within easy access to people, providing information at their fingertips and are opening reading rooms and libraries