Lose yourself in libraries

The library is fast losing relevance in the age of Kindles and e-reader apps on smart phones, if it isn't for real books being sold at throwaway prices at sales and by online retailers. "The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library," said Albert Einstein and this is what dna went about doing, identifying five unusual but promising libraries in westcoast.

Everyone has hordes of books that they don't read and what better way to encourage reading than to give them away to India's first crowdsourced library started by Pushpendra Pandya. The library collects books from donors and shares with anyone who enjoys reading. "Books from the people, for the people," as Pandya puts it across. He adds, "The intent is to save the real book reading experience that is slowly getting affected by e-books, storage issues and availability of massive digital portals."
Pandya says, "We have had an amazing response since we started it in October 2013 and till date, we keep getting calls appreciating the idea of the library and asking me to offer help with books. Even the Limca Book of Records has noticed us, so there's definitely a great impact about this concept in India." The best thing about the library is that you call for the books and they arrive at your doorstep. Get in touch with Pandya by tweeting
to @peculiarblend.
So that was about a library that comes to you. For someone who wishes to settle into a quiet corner to bond with their favourite book over a cup of coffee, look no further than Leaping Windows, a comic library café located in the by-lanes of Versova.

Richa Chopra who frequents Leaping Windows to catch up on her reading, says, "It's a lovely escape from the rush of Andheri. Situated in a lush green lane and with a fun and energetic atmosphere, Leaping Windows is my go-to place for self-rejuvenation. This is an ideal place for me to unwind with comics of my choice with a heavenly blend of coffee and a loving couple running the place. The cherry on the icing is that the charges for accessing the comic library are just Rs. 30 an hour!"

Bidisha, one of the partners at Leaping Windows, says, "We spent many hours poring over comics we couldn't afford to buy in book shops like Landmark. Graphic novels are expensive in that most people will only buy books that they already know about or really want to read. There's not much scope to be adventurous, to indulge your curiosity by picking up something that 'looks interesting'. The basic aim was to make unaffordable or inaccessible books both affordable and available."

But aren't comics for kids? Bidisha replies, "The idea of adults reading comics was still novel in India when we started in 2010 but the response has improved over the years. The kind of people who visit the library are varied—from college students to young working people who trail in after work to exchange their comics or to just take some time out and read quietly. Most of our library members, however, avail of the online delivery service."

Leaping Windows started off as an online space and two years later, the library found a space to incorporate a café into it. "A good cup of coffee, comfortable seating and access to tons of books—all those who have been to the Leaping Windows Comic Café would agree with me when I say that the place is like a private little haven. It's a home away from home," says Aastha Jhunjhunwala, a student of St. Xavier's College and a loyal patron.
Look up Leaping Windows at www.leapingwindows.com.

Introducing books to kids at an early stage is what all parents strive for. Westcoast offers Curious Kids near Infinity Mall in Andheri (W) and CurioCity in Khar (W), libraries that are meant for just kids.
Shalaka, who runs Curious Kids, says, "We are an exclusive children's books and toys library. We have most of the popular titles that the kids read, but we also stock a large number of educational books that make subjects like Maths non-intimidating or Geography very interesting through something like The Search for the Seven Sisters. We stock many books from Indian publishers such as Tulika, Katha, National Book Trust, Children's Book Trust, FunOkPlease, Duckbill and Red Turtle."
Curious Kids includes books and toys that are painstakingly reviewed by parents. Shalaka adds, "We started the library in April 2012. The response ever since has been great. Some of our members travel from as far as Mira Road in the north and Bandra in the south."
Surbhi Mukhija, a member of Curious Kids, says, "Curious Kids fascinates my six-year old. We both love visiting the library as it has a positive and vibrant feel to it. A special mention for Shalaka, who is well versed with the stuff at the library. With her helpful recommendations, the selection process becomes easier." To get in touch with Curious Kids, log on to curiouskids.com.
Another library for kids, operating in the same vein as Curious Kids, is seven-month-old CurioCity located in Kids Club in Khar. Aditi, Founder of Kids Club and CurioCity, says, "With shortage of space and the need to introduce a wide variety of books and toys, it makes perfect sense, especially in Mumbai, to join a library. High quality educational toys for kids are expensive and a lot of times what parents might like and buy would not catch their child's fancy. This is one reason why parents don't buy enough toys or books. In such a scenario, being part of a library where toys and books are not only careful purchased but are offered with guidance based on the child's interest is very helpful."
Nehal Mankad, a member of CurioCity, explains, "CurioCity gives the kids an opportunity to read different types of books by various authors and play with toys that they personally like."
After having settled in the last seven months of operations with more than 800 toys and 1200+ books, CurioCity has started weekly storytelling sessions on Saturdays. CurioCity, Kids Club Khar, Madhu Park, Khar (W), Phone: +91 22657 00499.

Now, here's a library with a cause. The brainchild of Amin Sheikh, Bombay to Barcelona is supported by the likes of Vibha Kamat from MCubed Library and is likely to open sometime this year in Bandra. The objective of this library café is to provide employment to children from the NGO, Snehasadan, once they have reached adulthood—either as staff at the library café or through a service board, which advertises their skills in electrical maintenance, plumbing and other odd jobs. A street child himself and brought up in Snehasadan, Sheikh wants to provide the children from his 'home' a livelihood. The library café will also serve as a platform for aspiring artists to showcase their talent.
Sheikh has written a book while running a luxury rental venture. The money from the sale of his book is being utilised to procure the land, build the coffee shop and get the raw materials required to run a successful library café.
Nisha Nair, an architect and design specialist, says, "In our city, it is necessary to have such collaborative spaces, especially for the underprivileged. Such spaces provide an opportunity to grow and develop connections for an organisation like Sheikh's, which otherwise is missing in the mainstream or at an institutional level in our city."