Local initiatives are spreading the magic of public libraries across rural Karnataka

I love everything about them — the hush, the slowly spinning blades of the ceiling fan, the sunlight spilling in from tall windows, the magazines lying open on polished wooden tables, the readers slumped over books, taking notes, the rows and endless rows of books on shelves. ‘Oduva Belaku’ — the light of reading — began as a programme across Karnataka to revive rural public libraries, help children stay connected to reading, and build a library culture within communities. Ranganathan’s famous Five Laws of Library Science were his great gift to the public library movement: - Books are meant for use - Every reader has their book - Every book has its reader - Save the reader’s time - See the library as a growing organism Ranganathan’s strong advocacy for free public libraries led to the Madras Public Library Act in 1948. Karnataka enacted the Karnataka Public Libraries Act in 1965, under which a network of libraries was set up and a library cess introduced, so that collections could grow in response to evolving needs. Kerala’s celebrated library movement not only built a network of libraries across the State, but also grew into the State’s literacy mission, enabling it to achieve near-universal literacy.