Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Shashi Tharoor to take up British Library campaign

Photo: S. Mahinsha

Expressing concern: A meeting convened by the members and well-wishers of the British Council Library in the city on Sunday against its proposed closure.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The campaign against the closure of the British Library has received a shot in the arm with noted writer and the former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations Shashi Tharoor expressing his willingness to take up the cause with the officials of the British Council in New Delhi.

The announcement was made here by the members of the library at a meeting convened in the city on Sunday against British Council’s decision to close the library by March 1, 2008.

According to members, there was lack of transparency in the decision taken by the British Council to terminate its activities here. Some of its members led by Asha Gopinathan, Krishna Mohan, Nisha Salim and Tarun Thomas had started online discussion forums www.saveourbritishlibrary.org, saveourlibrary.blogspot.com and http://petitiononline.com/bcl64lib/petition.html urging members and other well-wishers to share their views over the issue.

In a letter addressed to Rod Pryde, Director, British Council of India and Sri Lanka, posted on the online forum, the members expressed “shock and surprise” at the councils decision to shut down the Thiruvanathapuram branch of the library.

Describing the library as a nerve centre of many activities in the town for more than 40 years, the members exhorted the officials to revert the decision. “Even though small in size, the library is well-stocked with excellent books and a staff who is always willing to help. Some of us have been members right from its inception while some of us are children who are very happy spending many hours in the small and cosy children’s room. There are many of us who are now holding very high posts in Kerala and outside who have been raised on the British Council library and its fare. In this context, we would like to reconsider your decision to shut down our library,” the letter stated.

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