Occupation: Librarian
I was always around books while growing up. My uncle ran a neighbourhood reading library in my hometown in Vellanadu and I used to assist him after school.
After completing class 10, I wrote an entrance examination conducted by the State Library Council. I cleared the examination and attended a library course held by the Council. I then started serving as a librarian for Integrated Rural Technology Centre and after that worked at C-DIT and Kerala Council Historical Research.
I joined service at the State Central Library in 2009 after clearing a Public Service Commission test. I remember visiting the State Library when I was a young student. The place has changed quite a bit. Now, everything is computerised. Back then, there was no separate library for children. By the way, did you know our Children’s Library is the largest in Asia? No other library in Asia has a building dedicated to children’s books. We have over 40,000 books in this section.
As a librarian, I help arrange the books by alphabet or genre of read. I issue books and collect late fines. Who decides the books for the shelves? We have an advisory committee that picks the books to be added to our collection.
While many say that reading has dwindled amongst children these days, that is not the case. In fact, I see a surge in the number of young readers. Parents and sometimes grandparents are the ones who open up the world of books to children. They come in with their wards and introduce them to their favourite childhood reads; Enid Blyton is still a favourite. In fact, many parents walk in daily with their children.
Some drop their kids off for a bit while they run errands. As the child grows older, he/she picks up books on their own. Some children sit here and work on their assignments.
Although we have a good collection of Malayalam books, English books fly off the shelves more. It could be because most students these days attend English medium schools. Right now, the Harry Potter, Wimpy Kid and Geronimo Stilton series are what is popular amongst kids.
To expand their horizons, we introduced a classics book reading drive earlier this year, wherein children are encouraged to read literary classics, both English and Malayalam. Each participant is given a diary in which they have to give a summary on the book they read. We had ordered 1,500 books and placed 1,000 on the shelf over there. As you can see, 90% of the books are in circulation. Right now, as there is a children’s summer camp going on, we have put a hold on the drive.
The summer camp which began last month will conclude by the end of this week. It is a yearly affair and we invite illustrious people from various fields to interact or conduct workshops with the children. We have 600 students registered for the camp this year.
Although I am posted at the children’s library, I do pitch in in the main library when required. I work in shifts, from 8 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm. I come in on Sundays too. Government holidays are our off days. So, what happens if there is a hartal or a bandh? Well, we will work with the minimal staff that comes in on that day.
I live in Vellanad with my wife, Amritha, and children, Avantika and Aathmaj. While Avantika enjoys reading, Aathmaj is still learning his alphabets. I enjoy reading the works of MT Vasudevan Nair and Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. I help run the neighbourhood library and organise various cultural activities in the neighbourhood during my free time.
While I am content with my work, I do wish we had more space for our books at the State Library. Right now, books are cramped into whatever space is available.
(A weekly column on men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
