JOIN USThe popular mobile library unit of the City Central Library, which had stopped functioning for the last few years, was relaunched with a new vehicle in Mangaluru on Friday.
Mayor Jacintha Vijay Alfred inaugurated the mobile library. Speaking on the occasion, she said the government should earmark separate funds for the development of libraries which help in enriching knowledge.
Senior writer V G Nayak said literature helps in developing humanity in life. When one moves away from literature, then there will be a rise in violence among youth. Mothers should cultivate reading habit among children so that their minds do not get diverted, he added.
City Central Library Deputy Director Raghavendra K V said the mobile library unit was started by the City Central Library in 1987 in the name of M S Ekambara Rao. Within a short span of time, it became popular by reaching out to the doorsteps of the people. The old mobile library unit operated for nearly three decades. It was stopped as the vehicle was breaking down quite often, he stated.
The library authority has purchased the chassis of the 42 seat capacity bus and body building work was taken up to suit the mobile library, at a cost of Rs 25,86,794. The new unit is bigger than the old one and it would enable display of more books. “We hope to add more members for the new mobile unit,” he said.
The mobile unit has over 10,000 books, including story books, collection of poems, novels, science related books, competitive books and books on life story of great personalities.
The unit has LED TV, DVD and a mike with GPRS facility. The mobile library will visit 21 places in the city from Tuesday to Saturday (barring government holidays). It also has hot and cold water facility.
It will visit Padavinangady (11 am), Yeyyadi (12.15 am), Bejai (1.30) on every Tuesday; Jeppinamogaru School (11 am), Capitanio (12 noon), Maroli (1.15 pm) and Shaktinagara (2.30 pm) on every Wednesday; Kalakunja (11am), Boloor (11.45 am), Urwa Market (12.45 pm), Shediguri (1.45 pm) and Zilla Panchayat (2.30 pm) on every Thursday; Morgansgate (11 am), Mangaladevi (12 noon), Bolar (1 pm), and Pandeshwara (2.15 pm) on every Friday. Prashanth Nagara (11 am), Konchadi (12 noon), Gandhinagara Kavoor (1 pm) and Bondel (2.15 pm) on every Saturday.
Raghavendra said more than 2,000 readers have registered for the service. When the mobile unit stopped functioning, a majority of the readers were visiting the city library for books, he added.
Corporator A C Vinay Raj, University College Principal Dr Uday Kumar and others were present.