Hit by pandemic, libraries across cities are turning to a digital chapter

The National Library in Kolkata started allowing readers in from November 23 after a gap of almost eight months, albeit in small numbers. No more than 40 are being allowed in the main reading room against a capacity of 400, that too after they book their place online the previous day. In the last few days, pressure from senior citizens has prompted the library to finally let them in.
 
In the financial capital, the Asiatic Society of Mumbai's 216-year-old library is still closed to members or casual readers. A stocktaking exercise started here in March, with sorters and technicians working in the basement of the library, which has a collection of over 250,000 books. When one of them coughed, a perturbed Vispi Balaporia, president, Asiatic Society of Mumbai, decided to shut the library for a few days as she had heard of a looming virus infection.

 
“I was very naïve at that stage,” she admits, as a week later the entire country went into lockdown and for the library “there was no going back after that”.
 

With the library fully closed until a couple of months ago, its staff of around 30 people couldn't be paid full salaries, as grants were reduced. A majority of the staff are dependent on the local train for commuting. Now, they are finding alternative means.
 
With readers largely still denied the quintessential quiet reading experience that only a public library can offer, requests are continuing to pour. This is particularly true of Delhi Public Library, which attracts thousands of students to their reading rooms. Mahesh Kumar Arora, deputy director, administration, Delhi Public Library, says college students and aspirants of competitive exams keep asking when these facilities will reopen.

 
The pandemic, which has impacted every sphere of our lives, hasn’t spared libraries either. Across cities, these institutes are either struggling to cope or looking to slowly reinvent themselves.
 
For researchers, the National Library — the largest by volume in the country with 2.6 million books — is a mecca of sorts. The stack area for books, arranged in a zig-zag way, measures roughly 30 km. But even the sprawling library has to keep in mind social distancing norms while allowing readers. K K Kochukoshy, officer on special duty, is however hopeful that they might increase the number of readers. Thanks to the ongoing digitisation work, those who can’t book their place in the library can access at least some of the books online.

 
Till the end of the third phase of the exercise, 21,000 books were digitised, including 1,974 rare books. In the fourth phase, which started after the lockdown, 61 books have been digitised.
 
The physical copies of the books that are borrowed are, meanwhile, “quarantined” for 72 hours after thy are returned. As Kochukoshy points out, “You cannot spray on the pages because it may get damaged.”
 
Since Maharashtra is one of the worst affected states, there is no immediate plan to allow people into the Asiatic library, says Balaporia. She is optimistic about resuming it in the new year after the stocktaking is completed in another month's time.

 
The library, which predominantly attracts researchers, has around 3,000 members, and it also enrolls student members every year. It has a research room, where applicants vie for over 20 tables.
 
It has been serving readers since lockdown through a web portal the library had set up earlier, called Granth Sanjeevani. The portal has digitised material, including the library's archive of newspapers dating back to the early 19th century
 
The library receives grants from the culture ministry. However, it began a first phase of digitisation after the Maharashtra government offered funds worth Rs 5 crore five years ago.

 
“We can't digitise books that are under copyright. In a sense it's good because the older books that are being digitised are falling apart as well. Newspapers are really in demand, and they don't come under copyright. They have been microfilmed also as a safety measure because digital files may get corrupted later,” says Balaporia.
 
Post-lockdown, the society's sub-committee, the Mumbai Research Centre, swung into action with virtual events and planned lecture series that drew audiences from abroad as well.
 
Normally, all events are hosted in the society's 120-seater Durbar Hall. But the digital initiatives have generated interest among people looking for membership.

 
In Delhi, the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) has opened its doors to visitors since August, and gradually extended its hours from four and six to eight (9 am to 5 pm) now.
 
Ajit Kumar, librarian and information officer, says initially the library used to get a written undertaking from people promising they do not have any Covid-19 infection or symptoms. Those wishing to visit also had to register online a day in advance.

Turning the page
 

National Library, Kolkata
Readers allowed from November 23
In the main reading room, 40 allowed as against 400
No. of digitised books stand at 21,000

 
Asiatic Society of Mumbai’s library
Shut until two months ago, yet to open to readers
Serving readers since lockdown through web portal, Granth Sanjeevani
The portal has digitised material, including archive of newspapers from 19th century
 
NMML, Delhi
Open to readers since August, from 9am to 5pm currently
Reading room allows 20, although it has a capacity of 150
Members can access journals, archival database of digital libraries and its photo archive
 
Delhi Public Library
The library, with its 34 branches, is open only for issue and return of books
It had a daily attendance of 10,000, now down to 400-500

Since lockdown, it began providing virtual links for reading books

 
However, after facing technical hassles, it decided to accommodate readers on a first-come-first-served basis. The library's reading room allows 20 people, although it has a capacity of 150.
 
After the first phase of the lockdown, the library staffers returned in late April. The NMML served members virtually, sending scanned copies of research material (particular sections from journals and books) on request.
 
The library has an archive of over 250,000 photographs, of which nearly 80,000 have been digitised. Apart from these, members could also access journals and archival database of digital libraries like JSTOR, which provide e-versions of texts.

An autonomous institution under the culture ministry, NMML offers annual, two-month and weekly memberships, and has 10,000-15,000 live members.
 
Books once taken off shelves are kept in separate racks for 48 hours; they are not sanitised so as to avoid using any chemical.
 
Meanwhile, Delhi Public Library, which is under the culture ministry and has 34 branches across the capital, used to record daily attendance of around 10,000 before the pandemic. Since the library opened in May solely for issue and return of books, the number barely touches 400-500.
 
The library staff is also working on a rotational basis with half the strength.

 
During the lockdown, the library began providing virtual links for online reading of books. The branches altogether have a collection of 1.5 million books. “Some are available in digital form. Now, with the help of our associated libraries such as DELNET (Developing Library Network), Central Secretariat Library and National Library, we have given their links online to members so that they can access their books,” says Kumar.