The Centennial Library by the Rotary Club of Tripunithura inaugurated recently by writer K.L. Mohana Varma at Centre for Excellence, Thamarakulangara, is a step in the direction. The idea of starting a library was game but who will take the initiative in doing all the hard work in setting it up was a question. The onus was taken up by the Anns and Annetts (wives and children of Rotarians) who gathered to take a collective responsibility.
Rani Rajasekharan, member, says: "there are few serious readers in the new generation. We can usually spot a serious reader. They always manage to find a corner to sit and read".
They are about five-six women with their children and some outside help who were involved in doing all the work - collecting books, buying books, arranging shelves, registering covering and numbering them and finally putting them in order.
While the earlier generation had grown up on books the new generation has grown up on television. Internet is the latest pass time of children today. "We have to get them back to books", says Mrs. Rajasekharan with conviction. "Nobody has got spoilt reading books. It will not harm them. Even if they do not perform to earn a merit list ranking in schools, it will help broaden their world view, would make them better persons and would be able to understand a lot more things in life", Mrs. Rajasekharan added.
The library has collected about 2,200 books to start with. About 800 books valued around Rs. 50,000 were bought while the rest came from the personal collections of many people, including those of writer N.S. Madhavan and A.K. Damodaran (IFS). The lending charges of the library would be 7.5 per cent of the total cost of the book for a period of two weeks.
There are books catering to all ages. There are books on philosophy, management, international studies, Upanishads and other subjects apart from the usual collection of stories in classics and best sellers and a number of collections of poems.
"We have managed to collect quite a few titles of the well-known names in Malayalam literature", says Mrs Rajasekharan.
The members have managed to touch a range of topics with their collection. There are more number of English books in the library. The collection will be expanded after getting a feedback, she said.
The Centennial Library also plans to introduce reading sessions exclusively for women, Mrs. Rajasekharan said. Along with the library, a Child Guidance Centre with qualified staff and a Career Guidance Centre with professional advice on higher studies and assessment of colleges was also started at the Centre for Excellence.
The library functions from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Child and Career Guidance centres function from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
By Shyama Rajagopal
Photo: H. Vibhu
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