Karavali Wikimedians, a registered body of Wikipedia writers and editors affiliated to the Wikimedia Foundation, is in the process of setting up a manual library in a city college as a source of reference material.
The focus of Karavali Wikimedians is to write for Tulu, Kannada and Konkani Wikipedia.
According to U.B. Pavanaja, admin of Tulu and Kannada Wikipedia, it is the first such library owned by a body of Wikipedia writers and editors in the country.
In all, 23 Indian languages have their Wikipedia.
The Wikimedians have so far collected over 300 non-fiction books both in Kannada and Tulu by purchase and donation. The funding for the purchase is by the foundation. Among the collections include Kannada Sahitya Charitre and Tulu Sahiyta Charitre books. In addition, it has dictionaries, books on Yakshagana and other topics, Mr. Pavanaja who is also the secretary of Karavali Wikimedians said.
The library coming up in Ramakrishna Pre-University College managed by Bantara Yane Nadavara Matru Sangha would be formally dedicated next month (August) when Tulu Wikipedia would observe its first anniversary of going live. The listing and cataloging process was now under way, Vishwanatha Badikana and Kishore Kumar Rai Sheni, president and treasurer, respectively, of the Wikimedians said.
The list would be finally linked to the Wikipedia Library.
Kannada Wikipedia has now about 22,000 articles, the Tulu about 1,200 articles and Konkani about 1,500 articles.
The library was being set up in the college because the sangha was allotting its computer laboratory and other facilities in the college for Wikipedia writers for various activities free of cost since two years.
Mr. Pavanaja said the Wikimedians have a plan to scan some of the old rare books and preserve them in the hard disk. Such books can’t be uploaded online due to copyright issues.
Mr. Badikana said the body has no objection to researchers, students and others using the library for reference.
It would accept non-fiction books mainly relating to Tulu, Kannada and Konkani from any donor.
