The library clocks up years of noble service

Belagavi’s mojo is in its duality — its old city marked by labyrinthine bylanes and wood-and-stone buildings, and its new business district with snazzy looks.

For many though, the charm lies in the old city and its classic signatures.

A short distance from the Belagavi market, as you pass the smattering of
colours and the scents of fruits, vegetables and flowers, it’s easy to miss the imposing building that is the Sarvajanik Vachanalaya (public library).

The public library was started by the then deputy collector Jonathan Duncan Inverarity in 1848, who took inspiration from Karveer Nagar Vachan Mandir at
Kolhapur, another top library.

Humble beginnings

The library started small as the Belagavi Native General Library within a thatched house in Ganpat Galli. From 1848 to 1933, the library was run from there. The library was renamed Sarvajanik Vachanalaya in 1921.

In 1930, several social workers and donors contributed Rs 1,500 to the then Belgaum municipality for the construction of the clock tower. The new building was constructed in 1933.

The library is now run by the Sarvajanik Vachanalaya Trust with an executive body. The executive body is elected once in five years, and the office bearers every year.

Kadgaonkar, the manager, looks after the daily affairs. The library building has around 16 tenants. Since it is a commercial area, the rent fetches a substantial sum, which goes towards the library’s maintenance.

It has just over 900
members and fees like Rs 20 (for books), Rs 25 (for magazines), Rs 5 (per month for kids) and Rs 100 (as refundable deposit), and no government funding.

The library purchases periodicals worth Rs 80,000 and books worth Rs 1.5 lakh every year.

The library boasts of close to 84,000 books with a separate section for rare books, the oldest of which is a Marathi book dating back to 1841.

Marathyanchi Bakhar by the British writer Capen David (1847) is one such Marathi book.

A staff of nine serves the readers. Another branch of this library at Tilakwadi functions still.

The ground floor houses the books in tall cupboards, and the first floor has a well-lit reading room with large wooden tables. Seated at a table is one Joshi from Kelkar Bagh, who has been coming here for newspapers.

The second floor has a study centre for students. Pattar, a student of Chartered Accountancy, has been a visitor for the past one year, and loves the ambiance.

A lone computer serves the readers references. There are plans to digitise the entire collections.

Clock tower

The library building is in Art Deco style, with tall windows and doors, geometric angles and double-height ceiling at every floor, with tile mosaics in ivory and brown.

The angular arches that decorate the façade are hidden by the many commercial establishments there.

The entire building is beautified with stone masonry, and wrought iron beams support the balconies.

The library has been blessed with endowments from people, which is used to organise lecture series throughout the year. The Barrister Nath Pai lecture series is organised every year between January 18 and 22. It’s been going on for 43 years. Stalwarts from Marathi literature like scholar Durga Bhagwat, poet Vinda Karandikar, writer Va P, and Justice Chandrachood have graced this lecture series.

The library hosts Sane Guruji Anniversary, Savitribai Phule Birth Anniversary etc, which also make up the city’s social and literary calendar every year.

The library also presents a special award to journalists every year. Aspecial award for women journalists has been instituted as well.

Being the biggest public library in Belagavi since 1848, it has enjoyed years of patronage. However, with dwindling library members, the library wants to keep up with the times and start a book delivery system.