Children from seven years of age are regular visitors to this haunt of bibliophiles. It is not that they have been dragged in unwillingly by their parents or adult escorts. They have come of their own accord.
These youngsters are here to browse the titles arrayed on the racks at a convenient height and choose the one they want to take home to read. Yes, read. These are not textbooks or guides suggested by their teachers. These are fiction titles that have been popular for generations — the likes of Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Percy Jackson, Biggles and Tintin, among others.
The lending library — JustBooks — is a welcome break for an avid reader who is not keen on crowding his or her cramped urban dwelling with a personal collection of books. There are some advantages of being a member here: there is no time limit for returning the books. However, magazines have to be returned in time. The membership is for two books, three books, or four books. There is also a home delivery option for delivery addresses within a distance of 7 km. The idea is catching up and, in the 11 months of its existence, nearly 350 members have signed up, franchise owner Bhanu Prasad R.V.A. has said.
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A member can search online for a specific title and then ask for it. In case the title is not available, the library sources it from other branches. “They should cut down on this waiting period,” says a member D. Meher Kumar, who tagged along with his son who wanted to borrow some books. A cursory run over the borrowing pattern points to a large preference for fiction, front office executive Lakshmi has said.
The library is in Lawsons Bay Colony, opposite Bharat Petroleum outlet.
For details, contact 0891-2515355.
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