By Express News Service BENGALURU :State Central Library Looking for a quiet place to avoid the chaos and bury your head in books? Head to The Sir Seshadri Iyer Memorial Library or the State Central Library in the heart of the city. The read-coloured building that draws your attention immediately, is one of the oldest libraries in Karnataka. Located inside Cubbon Park premises, this library houses over 3,140,000 books of various genres in most Indian languages. The books are well-organised and readers often get engrossed in the collection owing to the quiet surroundings. The timings of the library are between 8.30 am and 7.30 pm. “I have been a member of this library for almost three decades now. The wide range of books available here cannot be matched by any other library,” says Pushpalatha B, a teacher and frequent visitor. Indian Institute of World Culture The Indian Institute of World Culture (IIWC) offers a huge library for all the booklovers of the city. There are lakhs of books stacked in wooden racks in a large hall that is almost 100 feet long. This 75-year-old library recently started the children’s section which echoes with giggles of young kids running around the hall to pick up their best-loved books from the shelves. The institute’s giant public library houses nearly 1.5 lakh books which are lent out free of charge. This library was started in 1947 with some thousand books which have now increased to more than a lakh. Bengalureans have very fond memory of this library from where they borrowed their first Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Enid Blyton, Sidney Sheldon, Ruskin Bond to many other books. Asha Poonacha recalls her times spent at the IIWC on BP Wadia Road, when she was in school, and credits her reading habit to the time spent at this library. Quills Lending Library Located inside the parking lot of an apartment building at Nehru Nagar, Seshadripuram, the first thing that catches your eye is the pile of books next to a stately chair. The library has a cosy and homely atmosphere. The huge collection of books and various other resources are made accessible for reading and reference purpose. People of every age group can find resources such as books, magazines, periodicals. People get an opportunity to learn and progress as per their interests and capabilities. The wide range of books meet the need of diverse readers. “Books can be borrowed to get in depth knowledge on subjects of interest or simply to enjoy reading. There are general knowledge books that students can read to develop their mind,” says Mini Vohra, a regular visitor of Quills. Just Books Members can borrow or lend books from any Just Books library in the city. It also provides various other sources of information for reading in its premises as well as borrowing for home. The collection of library includes books, manuscripts, magazines, periodicals, videos, audios, DVDs and various other formats. There are many Just Books outlets in the city, while the Indiranagar outlet is the most sought-after. Gupta Circulating Library The quaint Gupta Circulating Library, on Malleswaram’s Sampige Road, is a haven for bibliophiles to spend hours scanning the shop for classics from five different languages and experience the warm, personal service.This library is a cultural link between Malleswaram and its traditional families. Established in 1952, the library had over 50,000 books and 1,000 members in its heyday. It is a common platform for people with diverse reading interests and capacities. “This library is the best place to spend leisure time wisely that helps in the personal growth and development of an individual,” says Rama Iyer, a mother of a toddler and a bibliophile. Eloor Lending Library This place is in all senses a bibliophile’s paradise. Located on Infantry Road, you stand in this library to benefit from two things: a huge variety of books to choose from, and a remarkable orderliness that makes your job easy. On entering the library, one is immediately struck by the level of organisation. A ‘New Arrivals’ section greets one on the immediate left, followed by three other rows stacked with books. The library’s only revenue is through the reading fee, 10 per cent of the cost of the book, for two weeks. The library’s rules are critical to its survival as the best library of the land. “I never thought I’d say this about a lending library, but it’s to die for. It is an addiction, a fix I need every other day, even when I can’t afford the habit,” says Rupa Bajwa, an author. British Library Located on Kasturba Cross Road, this library has always been a go-to resource centre. It is also a popular hang-out for nerdy youngsters. Besides, they provide space and environment to facilitate individual or group studies and collaboration. This library is extending their services by providing access to books for leisure as well as knowledge. “The British Library is a centre where people can engage in learning, enjoy reading and explore their interest in different subjects,” says Col T Muttaiah. Mobile Library Have you seen the two blue buses going around the city? No, these are not commute vehicles. They are the two mobile libraries owned by the Government of Karnataka. The two libraries on wheels travel around the city to satisfy the reading needs of bibliophiles. Within seconds of the blue bus pulling up near any bus stop, men and women board the bus, return books and browse for new ones to borrow. The service started with one bus in 1983 and the second one followed in 1994. The first bus was named after writer Masti Venkatesh Iyengar while the second one is named after former chief minister D Devaraj Urs. The mobile libraries are self-sufficient as membership cards are issued by the mobile units themselves. To become a member, one needs a passport photograph and a copy of address proof. “The two mobile libraries were a big hit when we were children. However, these libraries have lost their sheen now due to poor maintenance,” Raghuram Bhat, an ardent reader.

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