‘Aksharappura’, a free-for-all micro library opens in Kerala capital
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‘Aksharappura’ (House of Books) is just not your common library by any requirements. The ‘library’ is a small stainless-steel field of books mounted on a stand. Installed alongside the Valiyasala-Kavilkkadavu Road in Thiruvananthapuram, is that this “micro library”.
Opened by Valiyasala Brothers Arts and Sports Club, a registered membership run by residents in their twenties and thirties staying in and round Valiyasala, the library has no membership charge. When a reader borrows a guide, the borrower is required to enter the main points of the guide, his/her identify and telephone quantity in a register saved contained in the field. Books must be returned inside a fortnight or renewed inside that interval.
Vishnu G Nair, secretary of the membership, says: “The users are supposed to follow the COVID-19 protocol. We have kept a sanitiser and those who stop by to use the library must ensure social distancing and wear masks.”
The idea has been impressed by the Little Free Library motion well-liked in Western nations and such mini-libraries operate in a number of cities in India. “Thiruvananthapuram is home to a lot of libraries, big and small. However, some people don’t enjoy going to regular libraries on account of the rules regarding membership, timing, fines and the like. Also, there are some good libraries in the city that lie deserted because of mismanagement. Aksharappura has a democratic and transparent arrangement. Our aim is to encourage more people to take up reading and visit libraries,” provides Vishnu.
Although solely a few books will be saved in the field, he says that they’ve tried to incorporate as many genres as doable. “Being an apolitical organisation, we don’t keep any books pertaining to a particular religion or political party,” Vishnu says. In addition to Malayalam, English and Hindi books, they plan so as to add Tamil books as properly.
Newspapers and magazines can’t be taken house and kids beneath 10 years must be accompanied by a dad or mum.
People can contribute new books for the library. “We have noticed that it is the women in the neighbourhood who have started using the library more than the men,” Vishnu says. The membership, registered over a yr in the past, has 28 members. The members take turns to man the library. Vishnu SS is the president of the membership and the library committee contains Vignesh Syam, Arun NC, Vaisakh RK, Jishnu S and Prathul.
They additionally run a ‘Haritham Valiyasala’ programme beneath which 51 bushes are being planted in a half-kilometre stretch in the realm. “Of the 33 saplings planted till now, a few were washed away when the nearby Killiyar river flooded. We are planting fruit and flower-bearing varieties and medicinal plants under the initiative,” Vishnu says.
The library is open on all days from 6 am to eight pm. Contact: 8129126124
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