New subject: [iatlis] Dust to dust: Volumes of neglect at Central Library

30 Mar 2005

      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.

Dust to dust: Volumes of neglect at Central Library

Jayadev P Hiremath

Prafulla Chandra

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