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Public libraries dying a slow death
Public Libraries Dying a Slow Death, Hyderabad City Grandhalaya Samstha. Mallesh, a resident of Pan Bazaar, says, “There is hardly anything for us to read. There are no new books; even the rooms are so small that it cannot accommodate many people at a time.
It is 3 pm, Yellamma, sweeper of the Hyderabad City Grandhalaya Samstha, Bandamaisamma branch at LIC Colony near Indira Park, saunters into the small room that has a couple of chairs and a table. It looks anything but a library. With just a few English and Telugu dailies, there is hardly anyone who visits the library.
“The librarian has not been coming for the last five months to the library as she is given an important work elsewhere,” says Yellamma. The state of the library at LIC Colony is just an indication of the public libraries in the city. Ramshackle old sheds, leaky roofs, outdated furniture or the lack of it make up for public libraries. In a day hardly 15-20 people visit the libraries in remote areas and the number may rise to about 50-75 in busy market streets.
The lack of funds and will to improve libraries are the cause for the sorry state of affairs, says B Venkataiah, librarian, Nallakunta branch. The libraries are open from 8 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 8 pm. Out of the 84 libraries there are three libraries that open at 3 pm to 6 pm as there is no electricity.
People give libraries a miss
Mallesh, a resident of Pan Bazaar, says, “There is hardly anything for us to read. There are no new books; even the rooms are so small that it cannot accommodate many people at a time.
” Sama Krishna Reddy, chairman, Hyderabad Grandhalaya Samstha, however, refutes the charge that libraries are not given new books. He says, “We spent Rs 80 lakh in this financial year to procure books, mainly for civil service aspirants and spent Rs 20 lakh for furniture.” Raman, a resident of West Marredpally, says, “When we were young, libraries were temples of learning. Today they have turned into dungeons. Leave alone getting good books one cannot sit there for 15 minutes.
” Almost 80 per cent of the libraries are in need for good furniture, buildings and most importantly good collection of books.
