Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Efforts on to retain library

M. John Thomas: The library has contributed much to the fields of culture, education, science and research.

M.P. Aiyappan: The British Library was a godsend for the citizens of Thiruvananthapuram.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The decision of the British Council to wind up the operations of the British Library in the city continues to invite strong reactions from organisations and individuals, even as the online campaign against the move gains momentum.

The Federation of Residents’ Associations, Thiruvananthapuram (FRAT) has appealed to the British Council to drop the decision. A pressnote quoting T.K. Bhaskara Panikker, president of FRAT, and Paraniyam Devakumar, general secretary, said the library signified the strong ties between India and the U.K. “It is a centre of cultural exchange,” the pressnote said.

Hailing the initiative of Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and the former United Nations Under Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor to retain the library in the city, FRAT called on the Union Government to intervene in the issue.

Many long-time members have expressed dismay at the move to close down the library. M.P. Aiyappan, member, Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission, says it will be a loss to the student community, professionals and literary enthusiasts.

“The British Library was a godsend for the citizens of Thiruvananthapuram and the State as a whole. I still remember the day I entered the stately portals of the library in March 1965 and was awestruck by the regal ambience. The carpeted hall, the immaculate white walls and ceiling, the well-laid-out and neatly polished wooden racks, the scientifically catalogued books and periodicals were all a totally new and refreshing experience,” he recalls.

Mr. Aiyappan is all for a concerted effort to retain the institution in the city even if the British Council is not prepared to reconsider its decision. “If the Technopark or the IT Mission can take the initiative to manage the library under a tie-up with the British Council and the cultural missions of other countries for sourcing and supply of books and periodicals, the present level and standards of excellence can be enhanced to create an ‘English Library.’ A major portion of the funding can be arranged through institutional membership of IT and other companies, educational institutions and other beneficiaries in the State, subscription from members and the active support of the government,” he suggests.

Padma Iyer, Special Projects Editor of the Sydney-based The Australian (News Ltd.), feels the library could be maintained in the city with organisational support from business houses.

In an e-mail message, she says, “It looks like a sign of the times that the library is being closed down. The management may find it a burden because they want to move, but the facility doesn’t have to close. Some of the institutions (like the British Library) that have served us in the past are worthy of being kept alive, if only because they are still capable of functioning well.”

Ms. Iyer proposes getting another organisation such as the Infosys or the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) to buy out the books and the building and maintain the facility for its philanthropic value. “Another probable arrangement is to form a cooperative of users who may be issued equity in the new company Indo-British Library.”

M. John Thomas, former general secretary of the YMCA, Thiruvananthapuram, is another person who feels strongly about the need to keep the library functioning in the city. “As a person who was involved in the negotiations with the British Council to open the library, I am shocked. The public in Thiruvananthapuram knows that the library has contributed much to the fields of culture, education, science and research.”

Mr. Thomas recalls how the proposal to set up the library came up during a meeting he had with Mr. Auty, regional representative of the British Council in India in New Delhi in 1963.

Though the YMCA offered one of the halls in its new building, Mr. Auty preferred the auditorium in the old building because of its architectural beauty. “Old-timers will remember that the hall was the venue of many public discourses related to the freedom struggle. It is a strange coincidence that the very hall where speeches were made against the British rule became the British Library.”

Mr. Thomas also recalls that an earlier move to close down the library was aborted following the intervention of the then Chief Minister C. Achutha Menon.

“Shocking and disappointing” is how V. Sivankutty, MLA, responds to the move. In a memorandum submitted to Governor R.L. Bhatia, he termed the library the pride of the city. “It has contributed largely to the cultural and educational spheres of the capital city.”

Mr. Sivankutty urged the Governor to take up the matter with the British Council and persuade it to drop the move.

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