Every time homemaker Divya Robert, an avid reader of English and Tamil fiction, needed a book she would travel all the way to the central library in Simmakkal only to find the title already borrowed. But this hassle has become a thing of past as she has found Tipping Point, an online lending library, that delivers books at the doorstep free of cost.
Divya would feel desperate when she did not get the desired book. Now Tipping Point library comes to her rescue, “There is a list of titles on the website. I just have to browse, select and place order. The books are delivered within two days.”
The same non availability factor propelled IT professional R. Vijaya Kumar and his wife Nithya to start a library. They felt an online lending library would be more useful than the conventional one.
“The idea to open a library is deep-rooted as I faced a lot of difficulty as a student to borrow books I liked to read,” says Vijayakumar. “Some libraries demanded a deposit of 10 per cent of the cost of the book. It put brakes to my temptation. But now my wish is fulfilled,” he adds.
On the Tipping Point website, a visitor can browse through the list of titles, choose the favourite book or author, check its availability and place an order over the phone. The book is delivered in 48 hours. And once the book is read, a call back on the same number will ensure the books are collected.
The website also provides a search option for books, authors and publishers. It also features a short synopsis of each book.
Once registered on the website, each member is entitled to two books at a time. Members can choose from more than 2,000 titles in various categories such as comics and children, business and biography, fiction, history and politics, religion and science, self help and motivational. Tamil books and novels are also listed.
“Tipping Point is prompt in its service,” says R. Krishnamurthy, retired District Revenue Officer, who became a member nine months ago. They don’t force and are flexible. “I borrow both English and Tamil books and I find them to be very flexible. They do not force you to return the books but send gentle reminders,” he says.
In less than a year, the the library has enrolled over 200 members. . Tipping point lending library has different membership plans ranging from Rs.125 a month which allows two dozen books to Rs.950 per annum under which a member is eligible to borrow 288 books. The library, however, delivers books only within the city limits.
“They keep updating and are also open to suggestions, which impress me the most,” says Divya. “In fact, they had only English books when they started. After requests for Tamil books from the members, now the library has good collection of Tamil titles in different genres,” she says.
The site also features popular and latest arrivals. From Chhota Bheem to Harry Potter, William Dalrymple’s The Last Mughal to Jeffrey Archer’s A Prisoner of Birth , every book is now just a click away.
To find out more, log on to www.tippingpointlibrary.com
