A place to turn the pages

Bangalore has always been a hub for libraries and over the years, they have given aid to many voracious readers who are looking to satiate their passion for reading. These days, technology might have developed to the extent that people can download books in a matter of minutes. But most people in the City feel that the charm of going to a library still exists.

Apart from the old libraries, there are also quite a few small libraries that circulate novels, magazines and comics for a minimum cost. Many librarians admit that they still get a lot of customers and the library culture in the City is far from dying out.

Umesh, who looks after a small circulating library in Jayanagar, says that he has around 75 members enrolled. “We have people from all age groups coming here and borrowing books. And in no way do I feel that the library culture has decreased,” he states.

 Tania Aggarwal, a housewife, has enrolled herself with a library, and mainly borrows magazines and popular novels. “I have always been interested in reading but don’t get the time to sit in a library and read. So, I mainly bring these books home and keep them for three days and return them. I feel it is important to be a part of one as there is really nothing like reading a book,” she adds.

Like Tania, many borrow magazines. Umesh agrees, “I feel it’s because many magazines are expensive and also, they are quick reads — so, after one finishes reading them, there is not much use for them. It’s easier to just borrow one from the library,” he adds.
Rushi, a young professional, says that he goes very rarely to the library as he’d rather read online. “I feel the culture is slowly vanishing. With most people reading books online, libraries have not been able to pull in as many customers as they used to,” he adds.  

But many libraries are making attempts to keep up with the tech-savvy generation as well. Some of them allow their customers to borrow books online and they deliver them to their respective homes. Shwetha Shetty, a professional, says that such places are very helpful for those who are working, like herself. “It’s far easier and saves a lot of time and energy. Also, it serves the purpose of keeping in touch with one’s reading habit,” she states.