Libraries in the city are no more about big airy rooms, books stacked to the ceilings and librarians going ‘hush’ ‘hush’.
They are gradually turning into interactive spaces with many of them screening TED talks and films and hosting art classes and workshops.
Visakha Public Library
The Visakha Public Library at Dwarkanagar is the exact opposite of the perceived image of dusty, musty shelves, creaking fans and dim lights. Because this public library extends bright welcome with its colourful walls, well-lit corridors and a hum of air-conditioners. Inside the reading rooms, all one can hear is occasional sound of turning pages or scraping chairs.
The library, that was inaugurated in 2004 has undergone several changes in the past 15 years and is now set to include the first floor for its use. It looks modern with paintings and posters along with low-hanging lamps that add to the contemporary look. The first floor, which will be thrown open to the public by the end of this month has designated rooms for studying, general reading and a computer lab. “We also have a room with a projector. Here, we plan to show videos of TED talks to motivate people,” says DS Varma, secretary of the library.
The library invites a guest lecturer every month to speak to young people on career guidance. “These lectures are held in association with the Seethammadhara-based Centre for Policy Studies,” says Varma adding that these speakers are usually experts in their respective fields.
Visakha Film Society has used the two meeting halls in the library well by screening films. The spaces can seat 180 and 50 people respectively. Other events such as the World Ozone Day have also been held here with school children swarming the space participating in a painting competition.
The second floor will be ready for use in about six months time, reveals Varma. He hopes this will increase the number of readers who can sit and read in comfort. “We are planning to have at least two reading rooms , which will increase the seating capacity from 550 to almost 900 readers,” he says.
Students participating in a drawing class organised as part of the weekly session at BookMagic library in Visakhapantam
BookMagic Library
Hari Madala took over BookMagic Library (erstwhile Just Books Library) in 2015, he wanted to make the place much more than just a library.
“I took over the library when it was facing closure, so I was well aware that just having the latest books will not help. Also, the current generation is different and demands more from such places. That is why we decided to host workshops and we started with storytelling ,” he says. An activity that began with six children, it now has over 40 kids who regularly turn up for these sessions.
Today the library is the go-to place for extra-curricular activities for children. Over the past two years, it has hosted calligraphy, origami, personality development and cursive writing workshops. It has been actively supporting various interactive initiatives in the city like The Human Library, Visakhapatnam (A Copenhagen-based initiative that lends people rather than books) who hosted their first edition here. “Because it is an interactive space, 60 % of our members are children,” says Hari. Along with Science Utsav, an organisation that hosts parallel education programmes, Hari has conducted Science and Math workshops for schoolchildren . He wants to have more such activities that make learning fun.
Rashmie Soni of Bookmark in a storytelling session with children in Visakhapatnam.
Bookmark
“It isn’t easy to get the children’s undivided attention today with so much digital distractions around. Attention span has dwindled, and so has the reading habit. We have to try ways to bring them back to the world of books and that is what I try to do,” says Rashmie Soni, owner of Bookmark. Bookmark is a well loved space. Located at Peda Waltair (opposite III Town Police Station) the library is buzzing with kids doing art or listening wide-eyed to stories Rashmie tells them.
A book lover herself, Rashmie set up the library along with another friend about a decade ago with her own collection of books. Back then she had 500 books and she added 200 more. Today she has a neat collection of 7,000 books. “I had to struggle to keep my library running due to lack of patronage,” she recollects. But holding art and craft activities and book reading sessions have turned things around. Today, she conducts weekly classes for children from three years of age till the early teens. The activities, Rashmie feels, have directly or indirectly helped them connect with books. “Today, I feel so good when I see a child walk up to the book shelves, browse through it and borrow a book ,” she smiles.
