Mysore/Mysuru: The newly-built Public Library at People’s Park in city is likely to be inaugurated by the end of this month. To be ready for inauguration, available furniture is being assembled and the books are being arranged, named and catalogued in the respective shelves.
The two-storey library building, constructed at a cost of Rs. 4.99 crore, will be opened before the beginning of Joint Session of the State Legislature or after the Session depending upon the availability of Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar under whom the Department of Public Libraries comes. “The building was ready nearly 10 months ago. Now, work of arranging the books in the racks by subjects is going on. The formal inauguration of the library is delayed due to COVID-19,” B. Manjunath, Deputy Director, Department of Public Libraries told SOM.
Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is yet to release funds collected under ‘Library Cess’ to the Department without which they cannot get the furniture prepared, he added.
Nearly 50 percent of wooden furniture, racks and books purchased 5-6 years ago that were used in the previous library building, located off New Sayyaji Rao Road, are being shifted and arranged in the new building. Over 15 employees are busy in arranging more than 40,000 books in the racks, he said.
The building is built on a 340 ft. X 400 ft. plot and the total built up area is around 1,809 square meters. The construction began with the funds being released by the State Government but stopped on several occasions owing to delay in releasing the funds collected under Library Cess.
After crossing all hurdles, the public library is ready for inauguration now. New furniture will be added as and when the Department receives money from the MCC. The Department is planning to create an attractive garden in front of the building in later stages.
The ground floor of the building has a separate section for physically challenged and visually impaired, women, computer section, books stock, circulation and reference section, newspapers and magazines section and old newspapers section. Two stores are reserved for office use. There are separate toilets for men, women and physically challenged and there are sections dedicated to students who take up competitive examinations, children and senior citizens.
The first floor is for Office of the Deputy Director, Chief Librarian, mini-conference hall and technical section. An open mini auditorium with a small dais has been constructed to rent it out on nominal amount to littérateurs of the city for book release events and other literary activities.
The second floor has drinking water unit, toilets, record room and office stationary room. A miniature is planned to provide information on tourist places in the district and also about the other library branches inside the city.
Discussion has been held with Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company officials on having solar power generating unit on the terrace of the second floor. A lawn and a beautiful garden of medicinal plants have been planned in the coming days, noted Manjunath.
A sad day indeed when the most needed public library is finally inaugurated in the People’s Park. A glaring example of violation of Parks act. When people read books about the global warming and climate change enjoying the quiet environment of the new library, it will remind them how that library has played a role to contribute to that tragedy. Hopefully there is some activist in Mysuru who still has concern to approach the court for demolition of this much needed library. How I wish how our politicians and leaders had built this library in other place without violating the parks or other laws. I only hope much reduced space in People’s park will not be encroached to provide parking space, to accommodate restaurants, vendors of pain puri etc.
Barmy Shenoy should look at what perhaps he and Mysoreans are doing. Does Barmy use a car or bicycle? If he uses the former, or any 2 petrol-driven 2 wheelers, then he has no right to pontificate about global warming and climate change.
Mysoreans are addicted to petrol vehicles; 2 and 4 wheelers, and when the 1.3 billion Indians reduce their carbon foot print , then only Indians have a right to pontificate about the perils of global warming.