Several libraries have mushroomed across the State to promote the habit of reading among people, all thanks to Granthalayodhyam (Agitation of Libraries). However, the one in Nizamabad has been hogging the limelight for nearly nine decades now.
Located in the heart of the town, it has a footfall of about 300 readers every day, with majority of them being students. But it stands out for a different reason. The election that was recently held for the library’s management committee was nothing short of an Assembly poll.
Spread in an area of three acres, the library also houses two fuel stations and 98 stores on its premises. Established in 1935 clubbing five different libraries located at different spots on the site of Catholic Jajagi Khana (maternity home), it was earlier called Bapuji Vachanalayam. The dominion of Domakonda, obliging the request of Moulvi Abdul Basit Khan, the then Subedar, donated ₹8,000 for setting up the library. Thus, it began its journey in four rooms adjacent to Bodhan road. The first library committee was constituted with Subedar as chairman and one Jaleel Ahmed Khan as secretary. With the then Municipal Chairman Nall Rukma Reddy taking over as secretary in 1951, the library was run effectively. Later, the committee comprising former MP M. Narayana Reddy, former MLA Kishan Das, K.V. Gangadhar and others registered it as a trust.
Bantu Rajeswar, who held the Vachanalayam president post for over three decades, says the library has never depended on the government and fended for itself for all these years. G. Prakash, vice-president, says as all its business space has been leased out, it gets over ₹2 lakh as rent, which is sufficient enough for regular expenses. “If the rent is revised, we will get more money, which will enable the committee to render better services to readers. The library has ₹13 lakh fixed deposit in banks,” he adds. The library has books, newspapers and magazines in five languages. In all, it gets 36 newspapers in different languages and has 70,000 books. When there are competitive examinations, about 300 students visit the library as it is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on all days and half a day on Thursday, says Pratap Rudra, one of the directors.
It has 10 employees, one librarian and one assistant librarian. However, they all are paid less even if they have completed three decades of service. The librarian, U. Vijayakumar, who was appointed in June, 1976, continues to work at the library even at the age of 70.
