A small building beside NH6 is where Chayanika Granthagar is. The isolated two-storeyed structure is symbolic of how this once popular library has now become a lone building by the road which few people visit. Members and readers alike, prefer to go to other libraries in Uluberia and Bagnan instead of crossing the highway to come to this library. Ever since the national highway was commissioned, people have abandoned this institution that has, unfortunately, fallen on the wrong side of the road.
“The habitations are on the other side of the road. Kushberia village is actually on the other side of NH6 and that is where our members mostly reside. No one takes the risk of crossing this stretch of the highway as vehicles are always speeding,” said Sujata Ghosh, the librarian of Chayanika Granthagar.
The library was initially run from a local club in Kushberia. At that time, this was the only library in this village and area. The area had a number of jute mills at that time, and the level of education here was moderate. However, when the state government declared that it would give aid to public libraries, some educated locals took the initiative of starting a separate library. Chayanika Granthagar started at the present building in 1980 on the initiative of the founder and first librarian, Tulsi Charan Khan, Joydeb Mondal, Sukumar Basu and others. It is a rural library and was the sole source of books for many people who lived in this area, until the highway came up. “There is a library in Jaduberia. It is the nearest library now and members of this library have moved there since it is close by and they don’t have to cross the road,” said Ghosh.
At present, the library has 6,551 books. A separate children’s section has been made on the first floor of the building, but it remains closed most of the times. “Few child members visit the library because they cannot come on their own. They need a guardian to help them cross the road,” said Ghosh. However, there is no career guidance section here. “We have a few books for competitive exams at the library but we do not have an entire section dedicated to it,” said Ghosh.
In 2008, the library had received a book and furniture grant worth Rs 50,000. The annual grant of Rs 19,500 comes regularly. The library authorities have applied for a building grant some time back for making toilets and repairing the present building. While the library authorities are maintaining the institution with the hope that some day things will change, they had also sent written requests to the National Highway Authorities of India for building an underpass near the library. “We had sent a letter to the NHAI and also to the construction company, requesting them to make an underpass near the library. However, our request fell on deaf ears. The underpass is coming up further down the road, from where this library would be too far,” said Ghosh.
FACTFILE
Name:Chayanika Granthagar
Estd: 1978
Address: Village and PO – Kushberia, PS – Uluberia
No. of members: 261
Membership fees: Rs 2 per month for general members, free for children
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Howrah> Story / by Dalia Mukherjee / Friday – February 27th, 2015