Saryu Rai inspects DM Library, orders renovation

Jamshedpur, Feb. 13: One of the oldest public libraries in the steel city, Dinshaw Memorial Library, will soon get a facelift.

If everything goes as planned it will soon be renovated with introduction of new facilities like e-library, Wi-Fi and digital library.

Food and Civil Supply Minister Saryu Rai, who inspected the library on Saturday, ordered the local civic body Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) to prepare a revival plan of the library and send Urban Development Department and he will personally monitor that the library gets renovated.

The DM Library in Sakchi, as it is popularly called, is one of the oldest, inaugurated in 1939. No new books have arrived in the past several years though the centre used to boast of a regular attendance. It used to be one of the most popular libraries, especially among college students.

At some point, everyone feels the need of a good library, be it a homemaker or a businessman. Jamshedpur proudly boasts of great schools and colleges, but along with them, it also has many libraries with their vast collection of books, journals and encyclopedias.

JNAC Special Officer Deepak Sahay, who was present while Rai inspected the library, said that the civic body will prepare and a development plan and forward it to the Urban Development Department. As per the plans, a consultant will be appointed to revive the library with world class facilities.

A source informed that the library has been lying defunct with no new books arriving from past two decades. The library used to be an ‘adda’ for the intellectuals. But, it is now reeling under a financial crunch.

M Raghunathan one of the members of Dinshaw Memorial Library, said, �It is a welcome move. We are really happy to see the interest shown by Saryu Ria, who is also the local MLA.

It is the same library which generated a reading habit in many denizens. People from across the city gathered here every evening and read with interest. I think we need to revive the same passion.�

During its prime, the library stock used to be nearly 25,000 books, but it has been reduced to a few in numbers as the old and outdated ones had to be discarded. Drive to restore the library and a spacious hall was added, but still a lot needs to be done.