HSR gets its own public library

Complements two existing private libraries and one mobile public library

Text: SAFIYA SAYEED. Pic: TARA BANU

Book lovers and magazine readers are in for a treat. Their long-pending demand has finally been met. Last month, a public library opened its doors to HSR residents at the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled building in Sector 4. This is all thanks to a joint venture between City Central Library, Bangalore South, and Samarthanam.

“Spread over 17×34 feet, it’s a hall with bookshelves neatly divided into adult, kids and different languages,” says K Lalitha, heading the library division at Samarthanam. Right now, there are books in English and Kannada. Hindi will be added soon. Not to mention, all the newspapers and magazines you would be familiar with.

The other libraries that HSR boasts of are Just Books in Sector 1 and Discover Kids in Sector 7. While these are paid for, the public library is a completely free library subsidised by Samarthanam and the government of Karnataka.

Mobile library since 1994
And then, there is the bookmobile or mobile library run by the state government. The idea of it was floated way back in 1983 by chief librarian KG Venkatesh and later promoted by R Desai in 1994. It’s particularly popular among housewives.

The Devaraj Urs mobile library is a blue bus that traverses the East and South route with 25 points over the course of a week with pitstops in Girinagar, Avalahalli, HSR Layout, JP Nagar, Koramangala and CV Raman Nagar, among others. At every stop, the van stays put for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the rush. There are over 7000 members covering the East to South corridor. And it’s no small library. “Each bus has over 7000 books at any given time,” says librarian and driver John Celestine for the last 24 years, a record no less. Going by its readership, 80% of the books are in Kannada. The rest are in English, Tamil, Telugu and other languages. “The mobile library charges them Rs 101 for three books with a reading time of 15 days. They can be renewed again if they choose.”

City Central Library
Samarthanam Trust, 15th Cross
16th Main, Sector 4
Phone: 94808-09586
Timings: 9.30am-6pm, Monday is a holiday

Devaraj Urs Mobile Library
Every Friday: 11.15am-12pm,
Near Bank of Baroda, 24th Main, Sector 1
Phone: 99807-53284

PRIVATE LIBRARIES
Discover Kids 27, 18th Cross, 9th Main, Sector 7: 98806-50266
Just Books 2628, 1st floor, 27th Main, Sector 1: 72599-74251