Libraries still relevant in digital age, courtesy govt job aspirants

Anshita Mehra

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New Delhi, October 22

Contrary to popular perception that social media has undermined the relevance of libraries, Delhi’s public libraries continue to attract readers in this digital age.

A field check of public libraries in the Capital reveal these have been doing well despite pressures of the “instant world where everything is available on the click of a button”.

The credit for the happy trend goes to UPSC aspirants and candidates preparing for other competitive exams.

Some of Delhi’s public libraries go back to pre-Independence days and remain relevant to date due to people’s preference for books and the love of turning the pages.

Exemplifying this resilience is the Central Secretariat Library (CSL) housed in Shastri Bhawan, home to Government of India offices in Lutyens zone.

Founded as the Imperial Library in Kolkata in 1891, it took up residence in Delhi’s Shastri Bhawan in 1969, aligning with the relocation of the Capital. A CSL official told The Tribune, “Our visitors include government employees, research scholars, and competitive exam aspirants, spanning a wide age range from 18 to 80 years.”

Delhi Public Library (DPL), established in Chandni Chowk in 1951, exhibits a similar enduring trend. Rahul Kumar, a DPL official, emphasized the library’s broad appeal, catering to individuals ranging from eight-year-olds to 70-year-olds.

“Most visitors are UPSC aspirants and civil service exam students who spend their days studying here,” he says.

These libraries gain a lot from long-time patrons who used to visit here as readers to prepare for competitive tests and now hold important government positions.

Even today, exam aspirants can be found dotting the libraries from morning until closing time, studying diligently for a bright future.

The CSL officials anticipate that the enduring trend of physical public libraries will continue for the next at least half a century with a more pronounced presence in southern India, where libraries have traditionally been platforms for knowledge pursuit.