News item Books dating back to 1900s are being ruthlessly covered in dust and grime due to the on-going construction work at the library premises. It is a classic case of the fence eating the crop. The on-going renovation of the century old Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, which houses the State Central Library, is turning out to be the worst enemy for its age-old residents –- more than 2.4 lakh precious and rare books. The library, strategically located in the middle of the greenery at Cubbon Park, is any book lover's delight. The wide-ranging collection at the library includes books on any given topic under the sun, some even dating back to the early 1900s. The library also houses a copyright section with every book published in the state since 1968 being available here. But today, dirt and debris greet you as you enter the library. The dust raised by the on-going renovation work has settled as a thick film on the books, racks, shelves and floor. The make-shift tarpaulin cover provide no protection to the priceless collection and have already started gnawing away the life of the books. 'Life hell now' The renovation work, which include cement plastering, painting and re-electrification of the library, was taken up by the Public Works Department (PWD) three months ago. Since then life has been hell for the regular visitors and staff alike. "The library has a fantastic collection including some very rare and out-of- print books. It is so depressing to see the books taking a beating due to all the dust," says Mr G M Shirahatti, a former director of Doordarshan Kendra, Bangalore and a regular visitor at the library. Others who have long attachment with the library share similar feelings. "I consider it one of the best libraries in the entire state. But today with all the dust and din due to the construction work, it is not possible to sit inside the library. The dust has triggered allergic reaction among many visitors," says Dr Vanaja Kumar, head of department of Sociology, BMS Women's College, who has been using the library for the last 30 years. The periodicals section has been closed down, depriving visitors their dose of dailies, weeklies and other magazines. One of Bangalore's oldest monumental buildings, the history of the Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall dates back to 1903, when its foundation stone was laid in memory of Sir Seshadri Iyer, the Dewan of Mysore from February 1883 to March 1901. The library was taken over by the government as State Central Library under the provision of the Karnataka Public library Act in 1966. Catch-22 situation The staff of the library face a catch-22 situation. While they agree that renovation of the century-old building with its imposing red Gothic structure is the need of the hour, they cannot close the library. "Where shall we take all the books ?" asks Chief Librarian G C Nekar. "Moreover, it is examination time and hundreds of students are entirely dependent on the reference material available at the library for their studies," he points out. Regarding the damage to the books, Mr Nekar said his department has already issued several reminders to the PWD contractors to take necessary measures to protect the books during renovation work. However, these reminders seemed to have remained only on paper.