I n the first week of September, in tandem with the relaxation of many lockdown restrictions by the government, the residents' welfare association in Venketachalam Nagar, Thirumullaivoyal, reopened its cubby-hole of an office. Through various fora, including a WhatsApp group, residents were informed of the development.
The executive committee members expected an enthusiastic response from the residents stepping merrily on the doormat which had been gathering dust for six months due to the lockdown. To their surprise, the office remained unvisited for one whole week. On the premises, enough safety measures, including provision of hand sanitisers, insistence on wearing masks, and rules to ensure social distance, were in place.
Continual engagement with residents is one of the strengths of Venketachalam Nagar RWA, and they did not want to have it any other way, just because a pandemic is raging on.
The EC members decided to start a little free library to give residents a reason to stop by the office. The library was established in front of the office. Though the plan is to make the collection more eclectic, and add more racks to the library, it is at present a single-rack library and going by the titles, it has more for children than adults. The RWA plans to offer a more varied reading resource.
However, though the collection is not wide-ranging, the library serves two intended purposes. Getting children and adults to borrow books; and getting the latter to visit the office. On an average, 10 people visit the library. And then, people don't stop with flipping through the books but step into the office to exchange howdy with the office bearers.
These include parents (who are members of the Association) who have brought their children to check out the books.
“We never had a separate office for our residents’ association since it was started a decade ago. We believe the new free library will help residents frequent the Association office,” says A. Giriravanan, the Association's secretary.
The collection at the little free library includes poetry, novel-based fiction, grammar books, short story books and comics. Both English and Tamil books have been made available so that the library is relevant to a majority of the residents.
The library stays accessible even when the office is closed. A CCTV camera has been fixed facing the open library to monitor the movement of people around the new facility.
A ledger has been kept at the library to let visitors to register their names and contact details, and also make a note of the book they are borrowing from the library.
“During the initial days, we lost a few books; that was before we set up a CCTV camera. Nevertheless, we will refill the empty racks with more books,” says Giriravanan.
The Association plans to increase the collection based on the footfall.
Divided into a dozen streets, the Venketachalam Nagar has more than 250 houses. Most of the residents are retired government staff and small-time traders. Residents associate themselves with activities organised by the residents welfare association, a factor that was of immense help during the lockdown.
The RWA has been organising provision of essential items such as medicines to senior citizens and ailing persons in the neighbourhood since March this year.
Active members in the Association have also been giving the free herbal health drink ( Kabasara Kudineer ) twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) since the end of June.
Free cloth masks, gloves and sanitizers are also given to residents and frontline workers to ensure their safety. Interestingly, residents from neighbouring areas like Velammal New Town, Thendral Nagar and Masilamani Nagar also visit the herbal health drink distribution centre in Venketachalam Nagar.
Residents of adjoining areas are planning to start similar exercises in their neck of the woods in the coming weeks.
