State Central Library grapples with infra issues

Hyderabad: The State Central Library at Afzalgunj has received Rs 1.12 crore under the National Library Mission from the Union ministry of culture, according to a submission in the Lok Sabha. Of this, Rs 1.03 core has been released.

The funding is to improve infrastructure at the library, upgrade technology, modernise services, improve facilities for specially-abled individuals and acquire new reading materials.

The library is a significant part of Hyderabad’s heritage. From its inception, both the building and its collection were carefully curated to support the educational and scholarly activities of the Hyderabad state. The idea for a central library was conceived by the education reformer Syed Husain Bilgrami in the early 20th century.

Originally located at the site where the General Post Office now stands in Abids, the collection grew rapidly and the library moved to its current location. The new building was inaugurated in 1937, coinciding with the silver jubilee celebrations of Nizam VII, Osman Ali Khan. It was named Asafiya Library, after the Asaf Jahi dynasty.

British architect Vincent Jerome Esch designed the Asafiya Library, and the proposal was part of a riverfront redesign by the erstwhile chief engineer Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya following the 1908 floods. Esch’s design, in the Neo-Mughlai, Indo-Saracenic style, was influenced by the Delhi Durbar and adapted to Hyderabad’s architectural context. C. Aparna, the gazetted librarian in charge, shared that the library boasts a collection of over 5.37 lakh books in English, Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil languages, and has around 32,652 registered members. The library has dedicated sections for each language, along with a reference section, periodicals, children’s section, internet access and the Universal Digital Library. This project aims to digitize rare books and newspapers published before 1935, making them available online for open access.

Once a hub for scholars from across the world with an extensive collection, the library now primarily serves government exam aspirants. For many students preparing for government exams, the library serves as a crucial study space.

They complain about the lack of basic amenities in the library. Bhagyasree, a student from Jagirathi PG College, Narayanguda, who is preparing for the DSE exams, shared her concerns about the library's washrooms. "They are often dirty, with no water or electricity, and I don't feel comfortable using them," she said. She also highlighted that there is only one tap providing drinking water, that too is connected to the adjacent GHMC water tank. There is no filtered water available.

Viswanath, a former system administrator at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, has been coming to the library for the past five months to prepare for technical exams. He noted that the library, despite offering Wi-Fi, only has two non-functional computers. "There are no nearby shops for printing or internet access," he said. Viswanath spends about eight hours each day at the library. Another student, who spends up to 12 hours on campus, mentioned that his complaints to the librarian were met with indifference. “They always say it’s due to a low budget. Once, I complained about a power outage for three consecutive days, and the librarian told me, 'Why don’t you study somewhere else with power?’" he recalled.

Other students reported problems with outdated textbooks, a lack of organisation due to insufficiently trained staff and the restriction on bringing personal books inside the library. In the textbook section, students are only allowed to read the books on-site, not borrow them. Aparna explained, “It’s a rule to prevent books from being taken outside and not returned.”

Despite these challenges, some students acknowledge that the library’s facilities are gradually improving. The library is currently undergoing restoration by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, with work having started in August 2023. As part of the ongoing restoration, Aparna said special attention is being given to upgrading washrooms and creating new reading halls for students. The periodical section, which provides daily newspapers and magazines, is air-conditioned and has a spacious seating area. However, other areas show signs of neglect, with broken windows and electrical boxes hanging, and walls marked with notices such as “Walls and columns will be plastered.”