Kasturkunj Society’s residents have pooled in about 1,500 books to create a library in the society.
Residents of Kasturkunj Society in Bhosalenagar are changing the way neighbourly relations are perceived.
While residents of building societies war over things from water consumption to whose child is the brightest, the people of Kasturkunj are borrowing and offering the proverbial cup of sugar with the installation of a library on the premises.
The library which pools together books owned by the residents is a shining example of what can happen when people get together and commit to an idea.
While the builder made provisions for the infrastructure, the task of running it was left to the residents who volunteered to spare their time. The library consists of more than 1,500 books broadly classified under children, teen, adult and spiritual sections.
“I was enthusiastic about starting the library. Reading is a lovely and worthwhile pastime. I wanted children to get hooked on to the habit.” says resident Charu Matai. “Many came forward and donated books they owned, without any qualms. We now have a large collection that we keep adding to by purchasing books that people put in requests for.” she says, pointing at a board which allows people to write down the names of books they would like to see in the library.
Resident Sheetal Desai believes there is something for everyone in the library. She says, “As contributions have been made by so many people with such varied interests it’s certain that you can find something that suits you. There are even some cook books available here.” Stacks of glossy magazines are also visible including the latest issues of Outlook, Good Housekeeping, Filmfare and Reader’s Digest.
“Children love being here. They stroll in, pick books off the shelves and spend time browsing through them. We have set up a creative corner where kids can draw or paint and have access to all the art material they require,” says Matai.
Nine-year-old Riya Desai says, “I come here a lot with my friends. It’s a fun place to hangout. Also, I love to read Enid Blyton books and there are many of them here.”
Workshops are regularly organised for children at the library and their work is put on display. “The best thing about having a library in your society is the convenience. If you feel like reading a book you can just walk over and pick something up,” says Desai.
Resident Sheetal Patni adds, “Books are pretty highly priced if you think of to buying them. Because of the library we can all enjoy many more books than we would have had a chance to.”
Twelve-year- old Sanika Kulkarni is a fan of Agatha Christie novels and while she owns a few, she has read a large number of them thanks to the library. The library, now the heart of the society due its quaint and cozy atmosphere, has become a place residents are comfortable escaping to and relaxing in.
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