RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: The C Narayana Reddy (CiNaRe) Memorial Library in Rajanna-Sircilla, which was thrown open to the public in 2017, has become a matter of pride for those belonging to the district.
Though the outbreak of Covid-19 and the imposition of back-to-back lockdowns confined people, especially children, within the four walls of their homes, as a result of which the library remained shut for a long time, readers resumed flocking to the bookhouse the moment government lifted the restrictions.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 3.50 crore, the library was inaugurated by TRS working president, MAUD Minister and Sircilla MLA KT Rama Rao on June 29, 2019. The library has been named after eminent Telugu poet, litterateur and Jnanpith awardee C Narayana Reddy, who hailed from Sircilla district.
A newly-built auditorium by the same name was also opened on the occasion. People who visit the library daily say that the building is their fortress of solitude that helps them escape the chaos of the outside world.
At least 500 people, including government job aspirants and students, visit the bookhouse on a daily basis. A role model to other libraries in various parts of the State, the building is equipped with digital records and a centralised air conditioning system.
District library chairman Avunuri Shankaraiah says that the library came into existence due to the foresight of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and TRS second-in-command KT Rama Rao.
Apart from hard copies of thousands of books, the library also has their soft copies and digital records. The authorities have also installed WiFi routers and broadband connection in the building for the sake of students.
Special rooms have been arranged for candidates who are preparing for competitive examinations. “About 40,000 books and 25 desktop computers are available here. Those who are preparing for competitive examinations can spend as much time as they want to browse through our collections and prepare notes,” adds Shankaraiah.
In addition to a huge conference hall, teaching rooms have also been set up in the building. Representatives of Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) also conduct coaching classes to prepare students for competitive examinations and campus interviews.