Bhatkal libraries fading away into darkness; no readers for books
03:30PM Mon 23 Jul, 2018
Bhatkal 23 July 2018: (Bhatkallys News Bureau) Libraries are important cornerstones of a healthy community. Libraries give people the opportunity to find jobs, explore medical research, experience new ideas, get lost in wonderful stories, while at the same time providing a sense of place for gathering, Library is often the only readily available source of comprehensive information needed by people for personal, family and job-related purposes. Our community's economy benefits when business people use library resources to make wise business decisions, employees use it to improve job skills, or the disadvantaged use it to help break the cycle of poverty.
But with new smartphones' age taking over the world and new generations, the trend and importance of visiting libraries and using it resource has over the years seen considerable decline. And the few library Bhatkal has is no exception which has seen decline in number of visitors.
Bhatkal has three libraries which are upon for public use one of which is run by Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen for its students and staffs and needs prior permission for public to use it, which the Librarian Afzal Mahmoud terms 'as no big deal' (getting permission for public to use it).
The other two are Tanzeem Siddique free library at Chowk Bazaar run by Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem named after its founder I.H Siddique and a Public Library behind BSNL tower near Excise office, run by the state government.
The library at Anjuman Arts, Science and Commerce college and P.G Centre in Anjumanabad has a whopping number of over 28 thousand books ranging from Science, Commerce, Current affair journals, daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly magazines and text books of several courses the college and sister colleges offer, but according to Afzal Mahmoud aka Jamadaar sir, the visitors are mostly students who want to refer of borrow text books related to their respective courses and the visits of 'free readers' are very rare.
"We have over 28 thousand books here, and despite having the facility for public and locals to use it, we rarely get someone here. This library has turned into a student library only when actually it is not" Afzal adds.
The library which was initially built within the college campus was ten years back shifted into its own full-fledged infrastructure and was later updated with latest computers and internet services along with books to offer.
"It is disappointing that the students here have access to so many resourceful books and services yet they skip it, and the same students when they opt for Civil Services and other courses where General Knowledge and Current affairs plays and important role, finds it difficult to coup up with the stress and workload there, if they prepare themselves with the resources available here, it will cut down their workload and stress by half in later part of their careers" Afzal further adds.
The situation at Tanzeem's Siddique free library is rather disappointing, as it has just around 2-4 weekly visitors, only to read the newspapers which are the only materials people can find in the library now, as all the books from the library have been moved to Tanzeem's office.
Some of the locals residing around the library blames poor management for the condition of the library, while also alleging that the library is not regularly opened and remains closed most of the times. Tanzeem officials however blames lack of visitors for the condition of library.
Moulana Mohammed Hussain Jukaku, office in-charge of Tanzeem says "We have moved all the books to our office as there are no readers of it at the library, the library hardly has regular 2-4 visitors weekly, who visit it to read newspapers, now we will keep an computerized records of these books and will definitely put it back for use, may be at out office or the library, the officials will decide it".
It is high time our youngsters understand the importance of book reading and the values and skills it adds into their armor, beside keeping them posted about the current affairs in a manner better than the smartphones and popular search engines, only then the young generation will cherish these treasures called Libraries.
(Bhatkallys News Bureau/ Ismail Zaorez)
Bhatkal has three libraries which are upon for public use one of which is run by Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen for its students and staffs and needs prior permission for public to use it, which the Librarian Afzal Mahmoud terms 'as no big deal' (getting permission for public to use it).
The other two are Tanzeem Siddique free library at Chowk Bazaar run by Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem named after its founder I.H Siddique and a Public Library behind BSNL tower near Excise office, run by the state government.
The library at Anjuman Arts, Science and Commerce college and P.G Centre in Anjumanabad has a whopping number of over 28 thousand books ranging from Science, Commerce, Current affair journals, daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly magazines and text books of several courses the college and sister colleges offer, but according to Afzal Mahmoud aka Jamadaar sir, the visitors are mostly students who want to refer of borrow text books related to their respective courses and the visits of 'free readers' are very rare.
"We have over 28 thousand books here, and despite having the facility for public and locals to use it, we rarely get someone here. This library has turned into a student library only when actually it is not" Afzal adds.
The library which was initially built within the college campus was ten years back shifted into its own full-fledged infrastructure and was later updated with latest computers and internet services along with books to offer.
"It is disappointing that the students here have access to so many resourceful books and services yet they skip it, and the same students when they opt for Civil Services and other courses where General Knowledge and Current affairs plays and important role, finds it difficult to coup up with the stress and workload there, if they prepare themselves with the resources available here, it will cut down their workload and stress by half in later part of their careers" Afzal further adds.
The situation at Tanzeem's Siddique free library is rather disappointing, as it has just around 2-4 weekly visitors, only to read the newspapers which are the only materials people can find in the library now, as all the books from the library have been moved to Tanzeem's office.
Some of the locals residing around the library blames poor management for the condition of the library, while also alleging that the library is not regularly opened and remains closed most of the times. Tanzeem officials however blames lack of visitors for the condition of library.
Moulana Mohammed Hussain Jukaku, office in-charge of Tanzeem says "We have moved all the books to our office as there are no readers of it at the library, the library hardly has regular 2-4 visitors weekly, who visit it to read newspapers, now we will keep an computerized records of these books and will definitely put it back for use, may be at out office or the library, the officials will decide it".
It is high time our youngsters understand the importance of book reading and the values and skills it adds into their armor, beside keeping them posted about the current affairs in a manner better than the smartphones and popular search engines, only then the young generation will cherish these treasures called Libraries.
(Bhatkallys News Bureau/ Ismail Zaorez)
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