Reading, on-the-go

Did you know that for almost three decades, mobile libraries have been traversing Bangalore, bringing a book paradise on wheels? Two blue buses roam different parts of the city, offering a diverse array of literary genres for avid readers.

An initiative undertaken by the state government back in 1983, one bus is named after Dr S R Ranganathan, the father of Indian Library Science, while the other is named in honour of former Chief Minister of Karnataka, D Devaraj Urs.

Interestingly, the buses serve as a regular library, but on wheel – allowing people to board the bus and flip through a large gamut of books in the presence of the driver-cum-librarian. While aboard, the person has the liberty to get a book(s) issued, and/or exchange an already-issued book for a new one.

Of course, the portable library requires you to have a membership and an ID card – especially for the many benefits abreast – but, what better than being able to borrow a book from a nearby bus stop instead of having to travel miles amidst Bangalore’s notorious traffic?

With the advent of digitalisation vis-à-vis Kindle and e-books, these blue buses navigate through over 20 places such as JP Nagar, Padmanabha Nagar, Girinagar, Adugodi, to name only a few. On a typical day, the buses commence their journey from Cubbon Park in the morning.

Moreover, these portable libraries come with amenities such as fans, drinking water and shelves – neatly stacked with nearly 10K books, mostly in Kannada language, apart from English, Tamil and Telugu. For a first-hand experience, readers can sit inside the bus and skim through the books.

For Akanksha, a passionate book lover in the city, the convenience of a library that drives close to her is unparalleled in Bangalore.

“In high school, a friend shared a book borrowed from a library on wheels that frequented her neighbourhood, sparking my interest. I was thrilled because my school library couldn’t match my reading pace. Buying books for leisure is costly, making these libraries invaluable.”

Celebrating her experience of these “rolling libraries” to date is Aadrita, a voracious reader, who regards mobile libraries as a “literary carnival on city streets”.

Recalling how she literally “hopped on her feet” everytime a blue bus rolled into her locality, Aadrita says, “I would wait for these buses all the time. Not that I was much into books, but because I enjoyed watching my grandfather go all ‘kid-in-a-candy-store’ with it. It’s not just about books; it’s about stumbling upon a universe of stories inside a vehicle. These books make the city a bit more fascinating, a bit more bookish, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Soumya, who works in an IT firm underlines how lending libraries in today’s world need a revival.

Raising thought-provoking notions on the gradual death of libraries, she says, “A decade ago, they were our primary sources of reading. Now, thanks to digital age, one doesn’t need them. A library on wheels can help bridge that gap by bringing books closer to a reader. There are many budding readers out there who do not have access to books owing to lack of availability or cash crunch. If managed well, these moving libraries can bring the mojo of reading physical books back in their lives.”

Mythri, a lover of the fiction genre, lauds the initiative, nudging on the dire need of awareness. “Most of us are not aware of these libraries and their locations in Bangalore. Through these mobile libraries, we can save time and it’s convenient. I hope people are made aware of them, and once that happens, these buses will be a silver lining for city’s young readers.”

All Aboard the blue bus!

Name of the library-on-wheels?

One bus was named after Father of Library Science in India, Dr S R Ranganathan, while the other after former Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs

Where to catch them?

Padmanabha Nagar BMTC Bus Stop on every Wednesday at 12:15 pm.

Which areas in Bangalore do they cover?

Ranganathan library covers North and Western parts of Bangalore, while D Devaraj Urs plies in South and Easter parts of the city.

When did it first came up?

The service started with one bus in 1983 and the second one followed in 1994.

How many registered library members?

The Devaraj Urs and Ranganathan libraries have 6290 and 10,200 members, respectively.