Source : The Hindu
Collected during a book-donation drive, they mainly include literary fiction and preparatory textbooks
What do you do when your shelves are overflowing with books you no longer need? Or there’s no space to wedge in another book? Join the initiative of the Department of Public Libraries and drop them off at select malls and shopping complexes.
Late last year, the department conducted a Pustaka Dana Abhiyana (programme for donation of books) requesting people to drop off books at select malls and shopping complexes in Bengaluru, Udupi, and Chitradurga.
Within a week, they received 10,224 books. Encouraged by the response, officials are planning similar initiatives in the future.
Bulk of the donations included literary fiction and preparatory textbooks to help students prepare for competitive examination. Some of the more well-known non-fiction offerings included Devanur Mahadeva’s Edege Bidda Akshara, U.R. Ananthamurthy’s Yugapallata, among others. They are now lining the shelves of public libraries. Book stores and writers, too, donated generously for this campaign.
Satish Kumar S. Hosamani, Director of Public Libraries, said they also received around 5,000 magazines, which the department decided not to keep as they were dated.
“The drive also aimed at raising awareness about libraries in the State. Once people donate books to them, we are hoping that they make a visit to the closest libraries to their homes as well,” he said. Officials are planning to provide free library membership to those who donate more than a hundred books.
The public library in Udupi received the maximum number of donations, and is now the proud owner of 2,400 books. Chitradurga and Bengaluru North public libraries received 1,792 and 1,135 books respectively.
Though the campaign was aimed at citizens, it evoked the interest of several non-governmental organisations and the Rotary Club, which is planning to donate nearly 25,000 books.
