A paradise for readers!

The 'Gandhiana' section in its new avatar, the bright-hued walls inscribed with motivational quotes, spacious corridors, aptly-lit reading spaces, conference halls, intellectual meet corners, a career wing, training and activity rooms, an e-learning centre equipped with 41 systems and a children's corner -- and the list goes on.

For the bookworms, Visakhapatnam Public Library at Dwarakanagar in City of Destiny is certainly a place to frequent and spend hours with a book.

No wonder, career aspirants find it a one-stop avenue to prepare for group exams, exchange ideas with peer groups, seek guidance from experts, participate in a plethora of skill development workshops and guest lectures, take online mock tests and learn from one another.

As the three-floored premises with upgraded amenities usher in readers, the eye-pleasing ambience is sure to draw even not-so-voracious readers to the building and try exploring new genres. "That is the crux of the idea behind revamping the solar-powered library, creating dedicated zones, facilitating intellectual meets and enabling a conducive environment for people to pick up a book and widen their horizons. Soon, green canopy reading corridors in the front yard and a friends' zone are in the pipeline," explains DS Varma, secretary of Visakhapatnam Public Library Society.

Stressing on the environs that play a crucial role while reading, Varma says, "A library that provides a comfortable and hygienic ambience is like a cup of filter coffee that has the right proportions of decoction, milk and sugar blended the way you expect to relish. With different sections and creative corners along with an inventory of over 60,000 books -- that's what we exactly try to offer to the readers," he mentions.

Except for the occasional breaks, not many stir from the chair or from the book they lay their hands on at the general sections housed in the first and second floors.

Conceived in 1996 by a group of like-minded intellectuals, including D.Ch. Tirupathi Raju, KC Reddy, M Varahala Chetty, DV Subba Rao and A Prasanna Kumar, the foundation stone for the library was laid in October 1999 and it eventually became functional five years later.

Over the years, the library has gone through a major transformation both in terms of the inventory and expansion. Today, it is a knowledge hub not only for the people of Visakhapatnam but also for those arriving from other districts such as Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, East Godavari and West Godavari. Currently, the library has 43,000 members.

Making optimum utilisation of space, the library, spread over 24,000-sq.ft. area, houses a host of tailored corners for the readers who derive pleasure from frequenting the place that has a digital entry access.

On the occasion of the National Library Week, Mr. Varma says that reading should be made an integral part of life. "The earlier, the better. When reading for pleasure turns into a habit, it broadens people's perspectives and enriches them with boundless knowledge," he adds.

In an increasingly technology-driven world, the society members intend to divert denizens from their digital addiction and encourage them to hold a book instead.