In the hill town of Shimla, charming public libraries are a blessing for students

Young people, particularly those studying for competitive examinations, continue to visit the attractive public libraries in the lanes and by lanes of the Himalayan hill town of Shimla. This is despite the increasing dependency on extensive use of digital information resources.

Public libraries are still popular, as seen by the busy state library located close to the state Legislative Assembly at Kennedy Chowk, a well-known landmark. Numerous children compete for space in the B. R. Ambedkar Library every day, and the majority don’t leave until late in the evening despite being repeatedly warned that it closes at 8 PM. Most of these kids are college students or are getting ready for competitive tests at the state and federal levels.

“We are having trouble keeping up with the rush, which is becoming worse every year. Even before the library opens at 7 AM, students are arriving in droves. Those that arrive late find it challenging to obtain a seat since we allow them in based on first come, first served. According to Gopal Thakur, who is in charge of the state library, pupils either wait for the other students to depart or share space amicably.

The library’s seating capacity of 640 people cannot accommodate the number of children that arrive every day, many of whom brave Shimla’s bad weather, including rain and bitter cold (in the winter). Even before the local transportation buses begin running, there is an attempt to accommodate everyone since just a small number of these job seekers arrive from a great distance. They make their way down to the library.

 

Inside the library, students are studying and reading.
Inside the library, students are studying and reading.Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is the creator of the Babli Thakur Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Library. During his previous term, he became aware of the need to establish such a location and resource for hundreds of young people who cannot afford to pay the exorbitant fees charged by private coaching centers or whose parents cannot send them to coaching centers in cities like Chandigarh and Delhi.

They may utilize the library space and get extra amenities including drinking water and a subsidised pantry facility for tea/coffee and breakfast in exchange for a small security deposit when they join the library. The cost of lunch is Rs 30.

“The place is highly convenient for the students because of its location and amenities,” adds Shruti Thakur, who is studying for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services examinations and police recruitment. Inside, there is a serene environment. We don’t become bored or worn out even if we stay in this position for 12 to 13 hours straight.

Another student, Anchal Chauhan, claims that the library is a blessing for individuals who struggle to concentrate at home or who need to get study advice from peers who are also getting ready for difficult examinations. The largest winners are those from lower-income households.

Another 300 children are served by two more public libraries, one at HP University’s evening college next to Scandal Point in Shimla and the other at the Children State Library on the Ridge across from Christ Church. As the deadline for competitive exams approaches, the numbers increase.

“Many who don’t get space inside the two-storey building of the Children State Library make use of the staircase and corridors,” explains Paramjeet Kaur, a librarian at the institution that has been there since the British colonial period. The library was on the verge of closing a few years ago due to a lack of employees and resources.

For those students studying for competitive examinations, the State Government Secretariat Library on the first floor of the Armsdale Complex is also available.

Jaideep Negi, the chief librarian, admits that he sometimes feels powerless when he can’t accommodate everyone. Even a two-shift system was created by him to handle the growing demand. But today, access to the amenities is granted to whomever arrives at the library first.

Ankit Sharma, a candidate for the IAS, considers himself fortunate that he has been accommodated despite a lengthy list of students requesting seats. “The library staff is very kind and accommodating. Nevertheless, he says, “I think the state government can make additional room in the Phase-II complex, which was recently made operational at the secretariat complex.

Negi tells the kids who frequent the library that some of them have passed competitive tests and are now employed. The fact that students visit these places has shown that public libraries are not becoming extinct. He believes it’s encouraging to see that people are still reading books in this digital age.

“Our digitizing process is well along, but we are allowing the young people to utilize the library and just concentrate on their futures. A new age in the development of inventive knowledge is now underway, according to Negi.

The government should create a new strategy to establish more public libraries for children and teenagers studying for competitive examinations, according to Vijayshree Mehta, a Ph.D. student of journalism and mass communication at APG Shimla University. previous Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar established one such facility in the previous DC office complex in Solan, and it has grown to be a fantastic example for the whole state.