Disappearing Book Spots

Last year I went on a bit of a hunt looking for libraries, having exhausted the space on the bookshelf at home. 

With romantic images in my head of hardbacks and paperbacks neatly arranged from floor to the ceiling, I decided to begin my search with Google (where else).

The result was disappointing.

The few libraries I instantly liked were a good whole hour away from home. And the ones closest, hardly had a collection to boast of. None had a reading room facility. I remembered spotting a few old libraries in the city on occasions only to realize that they were even farther away and didn't seem like they had many visitors. There were quite a few that catered to regional tastes though and that was heartening to see because I think regional literature has so much more originality and depth than some of the runaway English bestsellers. Anyway, my limited grasp of the local language meant that these old haunts were not for me. 

The dismal public transport system of the city dissuading me from traveling long distances, I settled for the nearest branch of a chain of lending libraries.

It isn't a very big place but fits in with the whole friendly neighborhood vibe. There's no need for interaction with the librarian either since checking out and returning books is now a very digital process. There are one or two pouffes tucked into corners. And I guess it serves the purpose. But my dissatisfaction stems from the lack of personality in the place. Am I being too picky?

What's more irksome is that in a city with a heritage and one that is growing into a leading metro today, we have more malls and automobile showrooms than bookshops and libraries. Google, for instance, threw up results of just about thirty libraries during my search. While I credit stores like Crossword with making reading 'cool' so to say, the music, bright colours and board games aren't exactly what a purist might appreciate. 

IT parks have certainly created a whole class of upwardly mobile aspirational folks, many of whom dream to write the next national bestseller based on their call center experiences, but I often find that the sudden disposable income has led to a display of cost rather than an understanding of value and worth (do I sound pompous here?). And this means that in the times to come, while we'll all have access to more international schools, fancy homes and designer clothes, we may stand to lose out on the training that shapes our vision and culture. And I'm of the strong opinion that no learning is better than that which is gained through books and travel. 

It's therefore painful to read news items of old bookshops shutting down like the 63-year-old Manney's in Pune, Fact or Fiction in Delhi or AA Husain and Co. in Hyderabad. Online shopping has more pros than cons but sometimes I think it's equally important to spare a thought for the bookstores that have shaped our childhood. 

Crossword seems to have got the balance right,still surviving in the age of Flipkart and Amazon. I'm thankful, but honestly, the store does not have the charm of bookshops like Strand for instance. 

And no, I'm not against authors promoting cool gadgets like Kindle on tv, but  I do think that they owe it to these shops and libraries to keep them alive. Online shopping might lead to more online book clubs but without that human touch, that personal connection, how can one ever imagine to appreciate any kind of literature? Imagine a city with shrinking spaces for book lovers and budding writers. Scary isn't it? I think so. 

I've been a member at this little library now for a year. I don't see any familiar faces when I go there except for the taciturn librarian. Her face reminds me of the stern peon at my college who handed out books to us (we were never allowed to browse for ourselves but that's another topic). 

I smile at the memory and think of book clubs in the vicinity. Like every person of my generation, I type in the words into the Google search engine and wait. I hope that I might come across a reading circle or book club that is open to discussing titles other than 'Who Moved My Cheese' or 'Half Girlfriend'.

I am still looking....